The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-29
TERRIBLE EFFECTS OF GASES.
Upon Soldiers in Trenches is Related by
British Commander.

New York, May % letter from Ma
r-General Edward Stuart Wortley
commander of the British army corp
: in France, is made public here by hi
brother, Ralph Stuart WortIey Of New
York, giving this distinguished officer
tribute to the behavior of a Canadian
division in France, and describing th,
horrors which resulted from the use o
asphxiating gases by the Germans.
The effect OF these gases upon the mer
who inhale them, he says, has been tt
turn all the tissues of the lungs into
liquid, and during the two days that il
takes for the men to die the victims are
'the most hopeless, helpless, sickenine
lsight imaginable"
The letter follows:
"You will of course have read of the
| fighting that has been going on round
Ypres just lately. and of the magnificent
behavior of the Canadian division:
| In their attack on the Ypres salient the
! Germans made use OF asphxiating gases.
| This gas is disseminated both in shells
and bombs and also from cylinders,
which are buried in the trenches with
their nozzles pushed through the parapets.
The taps of the cylinders are then turn
ed on and the gas, which is, as far as
we know, chlorine, is pumped out. Tile
gas, which is heavier than air, and which
is blown by the wind across our lines,
sinks into our trenches and kills or in
capacitates any men who happen to be
in them. The effect of the gas can also
be felt as far back as five or six miles
and produces headache and a smarting OF
the eyes
"The German papers, as well as falsely
accusing us of making use OF poisonous
fumes, apparently defend their conduct
by stating that the dissemination of
this gas results in a swift and painless
death for those with whom it comes in
contact, and consequently is less bar
barous than subjeetng men TO an inferno
of shell fire from which great physical
and mental torture must necessarily be
endured.
II am sure the public cannot have as
yet the slightest idea OF this last dam
nable effort on the part of the Germans
to disregard all laws of humanity and
civilization.
IL have seen our men in hospital aft
er having been brought back from the
trenches. There is no need to ask for
the ward in which they are, rs their |
groaning is quite sufficient direction of
itself. In one ward there are eighteen |
cases. They are all sitting bolt upright. |
or swaying back and forwards, gasping |
for breath, their faces, hand and necks
a shiny grey-black color, their eyes
glazed, and unable absolutely to speak
Or feed.
at takes two days for these men to
lie. During these two days they are
N the most acute agony, and IL by the
slightest change they recover from the
,oison they will in all probability be rem
lered useless for life, as the effect of
he gas is TO turn all the tissues of the
ungs into liquid. The doctors and nurses
ire working day and night in the at
empt TO give some relief. But there is
lothing can be done. 1t Is the most
lopeless, helpless, sickening sight imag-
nablc. Our medical officer, who has
lad very large experience OF the hab-
t. Of African and Asiatic natives tells
is that In all his life he has never had
o deal with such an example Of scientific
orture.
AT first ! was inclined 10 disbelieve
he accounts of the ill-treatment OF our
'risoners at the hands Of the enemy, and
o put them down 20 the inevitable eK-
operations Of warfare. but now that I
ave come face to face with German
Methods in the field. my opinions have
Undergone gradual but permanent
hsnge." IL
General Stuart -wortley was formerly +
n terms OF considerable intimacy with Z
,mperor William Of Germany. A few =
nmmers ago when the emperor was or .
cred by his physicians 10 spend some {
-eeks at The English seashore, the gen .
raj placed his country seat on the =
hampshire coast. 81 the emperor's dis B
ossL