New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
As Flat as Belgium
The third line" | suggested.

~ Flat as Belgium.
That plateau j. as fiat or nearly a.
fiat As Belgium. The ground roH'
slightly. but only very slightly and on
a clear day one can see for miles
straight across the fat iablcland. Inc
formation IS the chalk and sandstone
that bleaches white in the sun. char
acteristic of 80 much of eastern France
and there are almost no trees.
The railroad cmbankment cuts across
tho plateau and makes the only
obstacle TO clear vision Al llttie
distance j, is no obstacle, just as the
dikes Of Belgium are not distinctions
but only lines on the map. This dis
covery was delayed, however, for we
emerged from the boyau in the centre
~ Y and was deceived by the
strength Of the position into thinking
that we were in the hrst line, whereas
we we're not yet IN the second.
4 ffteen-foot bsrricadc hanked by
strongly fortified rife and machine gun
nositions barred our road when VIC
climbod Out % the trench. When we
had nasscd IL We saw il Wa only ono
of . series OF similar positions. while
the trenches and barbed wire entang!c-
mcnts formed a workable labyrinth.
The mistake of thinking K was
4 the first line vas eminently excusable.
Boyau Like a Trench.
And afteIward when we passed into
the boyau leading TO the second ana
FIST lines, IL also might well nave been
taken for q first line trench. A. ire
oucnt intervals IL is defended by nile
ncsitions and barheG wire entangle-
mcrts. hung ready 20 be dropped INTO
the trench al the touch Of a trigger
wary simple bu; very effective ar
rangomcnte. much Ike those known IN
Rocky Mountain states as the Mormon
gate." one may imagine that was
/ ranidlv losing what little remained OF
nv blase Partisan attitude toward the
Rheims position as one Of tine ano"
places' o. the war.
T. should have been enough 10 estao-
ltsh its importance to recall tnat ina,
sector rs under command o. General
Franchet d'Esperey But one iorgets
and becomes accustomed 10 tnlhhhg
only OF the Cathedral. II needs Nls''
there TO isolate the name and me "a
tLedral from the military position.
This particular corner al A.
the most remarkable system OF trench
/ fortifcafions ] have seen al any place
on the front. saw az General Head
ouartors a series Of aer0plane photo
granhs Of German trenches opposite
\ They were very well planned
indeed. and they were very regular ana
very exact 10 the pattern.
But there seemed certain, naive
simplicity about them when one re-
called the German trenches taken by
the French in Artois and Champagne
The hest Of the trenches captured ny
French in both those places were eAaci
! ccunterparts OF the ones IN front OF
\ 4 map Of one section would
serve ss map Of either of the other
two.
That seems 20 argue for certain
lack Of originality and adaptaoill1y.
II seems 10 support also the opinion
heard expressed by several french OH
Ger. that Germany has three generals
Tluck Uindenburg and Mackensen. On
The other hand. one Immediately rec
ocri7es French trenches az Y 10
ne an engineering feat. They are no
mere following Of a stereotyped pat
torn laid down wears ago al manPuNres'
.lcre they were found effective against
enemy firing blank cartridges.
\ series of Defence.
There arc .wo main differences be-