The Spectator., 1915-05-04
Books Purporting to Be British Secret Instructions Found
 by Germans.
ALL BELGIUM IS COVERED
Tournai Cathedral and Other Edifices Noted-"Field of Vision and Fire" From Top Given-Routes Care
 fully indicated.
By OSWALD F. SCHUETTE.

Correspondent Chicago Daily NewsD
 Berlin, Germany.-Fifty-six churches in Belgium were officially designated as military observation points" by the British war office in printed instruc- tions for officers that have fallen into the hands of the German army
 The designations are contained in the Road. River and Billeting Report for Belgium" issued in four paper bound volumes of 100 to 200 pages each. l have seen the volumes at the general staff and have made my notes direct from them. They are marked Secret and Confidential" with this specific warning printed across the title page:
 Confidential. This book is the prop erty of H. B. NJ. government and is intended for the personal information of -. who is personally responsible for its safe custody, The contents are to be disclosed only to authorized per sons"
 Reconnoissances Cover Four Years.
 The imprint bears the date 1914" and the contents declare them the re- suit of 1913. They contain interesting and exhaustive details of the roads and rivers of Belgium, with full tables of the number of houses in each village and the number of troops that can be quartered among the inhabitants, in- cluding information concerning shel-
  The tactical and strategical possibili- ties are treated to the last detail
 On each route the observation points are particularly emphasized, and it is here that the Belgian churches suddenly receive significant military importance. More than half the observation points recorded are churches.
 View From Tourna Cathedral.
 For instance, we find special atten- tion to the cathedral towers of Tournai. with the remark that its four spires afford extensive view of country in all directions" These spires are 26O feet high and the cathedral is one of the finest in Belgium. It is almost 1000 years old. the nave having been built in 1070.
 This cathedral is noted as an obser. vation point on several routes, but appears first on the route from Tournai to Renaix. On the same route is found listed the famous little church of Ste. Trieste, which crowns the hill. Mont St. Aubert. north of Tournai. From the emphasis laid on this latter church 1t seems to be a prize from a military observers point of view At its first mention. the record says:
 Mont St. Aubert church, three miles north of Tournai; good signal station in fine weather for communi. cation with Tournai. Celles, Avel. ghem. Audenarde. Roubaix, Lille. Leuze and other places"
 It is interesting to find French cities in this list.
 Wide "FieId Of Vision and Fire"
 In detailing the route from Peco 10 Avelghem the report says of this same church.
 Mont St. Aubert. From the black and white colored church (Ste. Fri. este) at western summit of ridge (45O feet high) field of vision and fire ex- tends in all directions for many miles. 1"
 The details of this route also give as observation points" the cathedral at Tournai and the church at Mont de fEnclus as good signal stations an right bank of Scheldt. all giving ranges of several miles,"
 The churches are listed under the caption of observation points" in the detailed information for each army route" contained in the war office booklets Here are some of the other excerpts:
 Route from Zeebrugge to Brussels. ly way of Bruges and Ghent. Lesse-