The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-02
THE LAST BATTLE
OF THE

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London sees this fiery zickzack In the south:
for eight days London has heard the everlasting
growl. from ~daybreak until late at night it hears
its echo and on until the morning. Is this thun-
derstorm to sweep across the hills? = .
London. Great Britain. the whole world gazes
toward the fiery weather vane in the sky OF the
North Downs-with fear or with an infinite pre-
monition OF Joy and happiness, as the case may
Since the first threatening signs in eastern
Europe frightened Albion. since the fear OF a
Russian dehacle haunted the Federation for the
Elimination Of Germany like a CHASTITY phantom.
the English have turned this natural wall into "A
fortress overshadowing all the masterpiece Of
military technical science ever created anywhere
on the globe. The fertilization work encircling
London has been the business OF the whole English
nation. After the boldly and wisely thought out
plans British engineers who had learned their
lessons from the world war. armies Of expert
builders and numberless armament battaions
have created out Of the North Downs n glorious
monument to national strength. With a trcmen-
dous amount of beton and nickel steel they have
dotted the mountain ranges with armored forts
and bomb proof infantry in~trenchments The
North Downs are a defiant fortress which. ac-
cording to all human calculations. cannot he
taken. They have become a second Saxon ore
Mountain.
on the opposite side. on the northern slope OF
the Forest Ridge. stand the Germans. and the
Will of a Hindenburg seeks for them the way to
the north.
The believing surf Of the battle between the
two mountain ranges is of terrific violence.
TOD" comes the cry across the vale, and Not"
comes hack the echo. one stretch OF land. on
which the English make repeated attempts to
advance. IL called by our soldiers the God-be-
with-you field. The heinous thunder of the bat
te listens as II everything that's left to the
world war In devices and material in impetus
and persuasive power is to be brought into play
here.
The guns howl like giant herds OF wild beasts,
and they have not yet howled themselves hoarse
In these eight days. The guns must now talk
loudly, for all Of the five continents want to hear
them, The last battle Of the century begins!
And the world Is its prize.
The artillery duel seems to be bent this morn
ing to Guido itself in fury. 4 f:ightful struggle
Of the engineers and OF the gunners RACES on the
endless front between Midhurstand and Ashford.
Opposite these two German wings the English
have intrenched themselves with extraordinary
strength. for they know Hindenburg as the mas
ter Of gigantic claws. and they fear those claws.
The genius OF generalship. however. does not
thrive on system, Hindenburg proposes to bore
himself with two steers horns into the enemy
position and to shake and heave off the entire
front. From the little railroad junction OF Three
Bridges he plans to advance over Horley and.
thirty kilometers further eastward. from Paddock
Wood TO Sevenoaks. While. during the last few
days, he feigned attacks in order to induce the
enemy to waste ammunition and to render as
nerve racking as possible the puzzle Of the
"where" Of the German effort To break through.
he has quietly concentrated the heaviest and
most powerful stamping guns on the two points
where he intends to haul out with the steers
horns. Since 6 o'clock this morning the guns are
sweeping the enemy front like glowing rakes.
But on the two points Of the contemplated storm
attack. since s o'clock this morning, Essen and
Pilsen volcanoes have been belchinB nTe.
Lava gushes yonder.
Scarcely an hour later the English show their
cards; almost exactly in the centre between the
two points where the Germans plan to preak
through, the English propose to drive their wense
into the Teuton line. Upon the German line
between Edenbridge and Penshurst they pour a
murderous hre--they must have eavesdropped
on Mackensen at Gorlice and at Tarnow, Naval
guns OF the heaviest calibre batter the trenches;
under their blows all German earthworks crumple
into atoms. Where the enemy wants 70 preak
through there are hurled against the herman
lines tons OF steel every minute. Earth rag
ments fy around, breastworks scatter. intrench-
ments burst. The blasting projecties whIri up
house high clouds OF smoke. A FOOLS dance OF
steel scraps and quarry stones romps ABOUT the
trenches.
World cremation!
shells upon shells bury themselves into tho
German intrenchments Angry Engiish canho"
seek the German batteries-they do not ma 'he",
and their rage grows wilder. With their uncanny
mmm and 600 and rrr and SIS they seem TO pe
spelling again and again the word "mnts -u~W,
Not a stone remains unturned' Inc hhely Join.u
trench labyrinth OF our battalions Is turned lhto
a bean Of SCOT. Since 7 O'Clock in the morning
this ravenous artillery fire has been no"o'ng 'ne
German positions, and now 1t Is noon E'Ty
lookout OF the observers mas oeeh e" ~
shells have cut the telephone wires-how every
little group Is dependent upon itseh' NOW each
man can show Of what sort of stun he is ma"e'
The English artillery sends over gas bombs ana
throws a black wall Of biting smoke INTO tne
German positions; no eye can pierce IT, III t"H
~ the enemy forces thick eye Damages upon
our field grays, while his columns FORM an at
lacking line.
For a second a breeze breaks the curtain,
VIDE dark waves are moving In the valley towaro
,he Cerman line. . . , Wave upon wave
And the enemy's artillery gathers all us strehgtn
for one last. annihilating drum hre 10 pave the
way for the storming columns. Now the Eneiisn
artillery is silent. The smoky curtain rolls ul
slowly. Nothing can be seen. was the SGD
Of the advancing bat,alions only a spook! Ihe
spyglass knows better; 1t knows the danger tha'
menaces the German lines. -.
Albion. he Of the phrases about ci'iiza'io"' !"
about to send a giant army OF co.oTeo troop'
against the army OF invas!on!.
The wild ones do not run; like beasts OF prey
rhev creep. Serpentlike they creep nearer fer'
and there one OF them snaps up-quick az lgnt
rlrc-then ne dives back into the crouchins me
T.nac,ousIy, with the dexterity OF animals tne'
creep on along the ranges. One horde aiter I'M
other ie let loose by the tanner.