Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-03

lSorrespondeNcc OF Associated Press I
Il T II II y \ y Q L y T, 7 i. RS,
FRANCE. December i5.--Reconuats.
sauce .aeroplanc or otherwiS- is tho
mos: direct ana probably thJ quickest
way Of obtairing news ar tho enemy.
but the use Of spies is still most to
be relied upon in modern warfare
This Is the conclusion OF the British
Eyewitness ~ the front who dc
votes the greater part OF tho account
he dispatched To England today 10 :,
discussion of spying. He divides the
methods OF obtaining information or
the enemy's plans or movements into
three groups. They are broadly he
says, Reconnaissance. whether It be By
cavalry, infantry, or both, by motor
cycle or aircraft: the employment or
spies. or. as they are moro pleasantly
called. agents: and the collection OF
such information as can be gained
from All inspection OF the uniforms
worn by the dead or by prisoners and
from the papers carried by or the
cross examination of the latter.
The employment of agents Is on oc-
casion the most wholesale way in
which Intelligence can be gained. and
at it's best II furnishes n broader basis
upon which TO build than the others.
The work OF such persons does nor
always depend on tho accuracy OF VS.
ion of An individual. which IS very
variable quality. but Is often es,ap-
]ished on statements of facts produced
with the greatest care by the enemy
for his own use"
1t Ia slow method, however. the
account goes on TO say. rs 1t is neces-
sary to transmit the information OBJ
tained through devious channels.
'Reconnaissance.'' he adds. rs the
most direct and probably the quickest
way Of obtaining news OF the enemy
1t Is not uniform. however, In amount
or quality. because 1t generally de-
ponds on the quickness Of eye and
power of appreciation OF some scout
or observer watching from distance:
and 1t Is likely to be affected by at
mospheric conditions.
Soldiers knowledge Limited.
Lastly comes the third method mem
toned. If prisoner gives away in
formation either through stupidity or
from desire to curry favor and to
better his lot. good deaf may be
attained at one bound. But this ap-
plies chiefly to the information given
by officers, who are not very often
captured and are, moreover, not in the
habit OF fmparting valuable news. A
soldiers knowledge Of what Is going
on on his own side is comparatively
limited. Communications from pris-
oners. also. are to be accepted with re-
serve. In the direction Of Identified
ton. the activity of an intelligence
section Is largely confined to the ex-
animation of the badges or equipment
worn by the dead and by prisoners
The personality of the Individual, of
course. has no military value: but the
identity discs and effects Of the dead
are carefully guarded for eventual re-
turn to their government. The ex-
animation Of letters. diaries and orders
also claims a great deal of attention.
Newspapers are rarely of value, be-
rent details OF the nature sought. to
be published by the press. On the
other hand, soldiers diaries and letters
are often indiscreet in the extreme
for the writer's. in describing the ply
sical condition Of the men, often un-
morale. and In recording their impress
slons OF the effect produced by the
enemy's rife FIRE or the havoc wrought
by his artillery quite innocently give
away valuable information as to where
the shoe pinches.
formations of all armies Is known, It
Is possible, except in those cases
where sweeping changes are made
during war, to extract vital infor-
nation from the connection of even n
single soldier killed or captured at
a certain spot with n certain battalion
Tho result of ascertainlng that this
battalion was at that point at n given
time may lead to the first suspic lon
that much larger formation to which
that battalion belongs is not some
where else, where Its presence has been
assumed. Tho possible significance Of
the results Of such discovery when
corroborated is obvious. This explains
why the Identification of units with
localities by means OF accoutrements
badges, ETC.. takes so much of the
time of certain bureaus In all armies
AS 1t has been Gippantly but by no
means tnaccurately Expressed an i'm
portant part Of the duty Of a great
general staff Is that Of constituting
army corps out OF shoulder straps.
Air II Full Of Rumors.
During tho war the air is full of
rumors even at general headquarters.
and when these rumors are concerned
with the dispositions of the enemy their
scope is much enlarged II the hostile
army Is composed of forces of difrer-
emit nationalities. On tho other hand,
1t Is not only tho connection of units