Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-08

London March T-(Correspondence OF
the Associated Press 1900 Words).-The
eighth instalment of the French official
review of the war, previous chapters OF
which have been given by the Assoclat-
ed Press. takes up the German losses Of
officers the wasteage of guns ana pro-
jectiles, and 1.-The moral wasteage OF the
German army
The chapter on losses Of officers be-
gins with the statement that the con-
dition of the Cadres, or basic organlza-
lions in the German army is bad. The
proportion of officers has been enormous
~ reduced it says, and a report made
in December showed that in a total of
124 companies. active or reserve. there
were only officers of the active army
The active regiments have at the pres
ent time, according to the review, an
average of u professional officers. the
reserve regiments TO 10, the reserve
regiments of new formation to and
it is TO be remembered that these Off
GERS have to be drawn upon afresh for
the creation Of new units.
Lack of Officers
If Germany creates new army corps
and If the war lasts ten months" it con-
tinues. ''she will reduce almost to
nothing the number Of professional Off
GERS in each regiment, a number which
already is very insufficient
The French report points out that on
the other hand. all the French regiments
have been constantly kept at mini
mum figures of Is professional ofncers
per regiment. At the same time 1t ad-
mits that the commanders of German
corps commanders of active battalions
and the officers attached to the COM
manders of army corps, are officers by
profession.
The French report then addresses itself
to the wastage of material Discussing
the wasteage of guns. it says:
1T is easy TO ascertain the German
losses in artillery. On December q, the
6eth regiment of artillery entrained at
Courtrai for Germany - guns of winch
IS were used up. This figure is extreme
ly high for a single regiment.
THE same facts have been asccr-
tanned as regards heavy artillery. On
December 81 and %, Y guns of heavy
artillery which were no longer service
able were sent to Cologne. These move
ments which are not isolated facts
show how i'll the German artillery has
resisted the ordeal of the campaign.
"Other proofs moreover, are decisive.
For some weeks we have noted the very
peculiar aspect of the marking on the
bands of a great number of shells OF
the n guns. When these markings are
compared with those Of shells fired three
months ago, it is plain beyond all ques-
ton that the tubes are Wcrn and that
many of them require to be replaced.
This loss in guns is aggravated by the
necessity which has arisen of drawing
upon the original army corps for the
guns assigned TO the recently formed
corps or those in course of formation.
Several regiments Of field artillery have
il, fact had TO give up two batteries
Reduction Of Batteries
The two phenomena-wearing out Of
material and drafts upon batteries-will
inevitably result either in the reduction
OF batteries from six to four guns. re-
duction of the number of batteries in
the army corps, or the partial substi-
tuition for Y guns or centimetre cannon
of the old pattern the presence of which
has many times been perceived at the
front
Furthermore. the German artillery
lacks and has lacked for a very long
time munitions. 1t has been Obliged to
reduce its consumption of shells in q
notable degree. No doubt is possible in
this respect The statements of prison
ers since the battle of the Marine, and
still more since the battle of the User,
make it clear that the number of shots
allowed to the batteries for each action
is strictly limited. We have found on
officers killed or taken prisoners the ac-
tual orders prescribing positively a
strict economy of munitions.
For the last three months too we no.
tice that the quality of the projectiles
is mediocre. Many of them do not
burst. On January 7, in the course Of a