New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-07

London. March q. Further install
ments of the French official review OF
the French army after six months OF
war have been obtained. The sixth IN
stalment deals with material, artillery,
transport and supplies, and the gevcnth
takes up the situation of the German
army and makes an anlysls OF the Ger
man forces in the field and available.
Beginning with the field gun. the IA
nous "sevcnty-fve." the compiler OF
the report. after rehearsing the splen-
did qualities of this weapon. its power
its rapidity Of action and its pre-
cision. points out that il possesses
degree of strength and endurance
which makes il an implement OF war
of the first order.
cit may be stated without hesita-
ton" says the review, that our sew
enty-fve' guns are in as perfect condi-
ton to-day as they were on the first
day of the war, although the use made
of them has exceeded all calculations.
The consumption of projectiles was. in
fact. so enormous as to cause for "A
moment an ammunition crisis, which,
however. was completely overcome sew
eral weeks ago.
u
"The methodical and complete eX-
ploitation of all the resources of the
country" continues the review, "or-
gained since the beginning of the
war. has enabled us to accumulate a
considerable stock of fresh munitions,
and an increasing rate Of production is
henceforth assured We are thus sure
of being able TO provide without par
ticular effort for all the needs of the
campaign. present and future. how
ever long the war may last, and 1t is
this certainty which has enabled us to
supply proiectiles to several of the al
lied armies. among others TO the Ser
bian and Belgian armies. From the
statements of German prisoners we
have learned that the effectiveness of
our new projectiles is superior TO that
of the old ones.
"Our heavy artillery was in process
of reorganization when the war broke
out, with the result that we were in
disputably in a position of lnferiority
in respect TO this arm during the first
battles. But to-day the roles have
been changed. and our adversaries
themselves acknowledge the superb
GRITTY of our heavy artillery.
Reserve Guns Employed.
"The change has been brought about
in various ways, partly by the intense
activity of the cannon foundries in
new production and partly by the en-
ployment at the front of the enormous
reserves Of artillery preserved in the
fortresses. The very large number Of
heavy guns at the front represents
only part Of the total number avail
able for use. There is an abundant
stock OF projectiles for the heavy ar
tillery. which, as in the case of the
field gun ammunition. is daily growing
in importance. The same IS true Of
the reserves Of powder and other eX-
plosives and Of all materials needed
for the manufacture of shells.
with regard 70 small arms, hand
grenades, bombs and all the devices
for life-taking which the trench war
fare at short distance has brought into
use, the position of the French troops
is in every way favorable
There follows a passage on the de-
velopment of the machine gun IN this
kind of warfare.
lowing to the extended use of this
the hummer OF tncN Supplleu
to the various units has been apprecia-
bly, increased says the review. mot
only - each unit in possession Of its
full regulation complement Of machine
guns, but the number of these guns at
tached to each unit has been increased
since February ] by one-third."
The report next passes to the trans
port service, which, it says, has worked
with remarkable precision since the be
ginning of the war. This section OF
the review closes by referring to food
supplies for the army, which are de-
scribed as abundant.
German Strength AnalNzed.