The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-17
Hammers on Given Point Until
Completely Reduced.
MOUNTAINS OF SUPPLIES
Maze Of Railway Lines Convey
Food and Munitions.
Eight Supply Depots Pour Ma
terial to Somme Front.
BY HENRY WOOD.


Somme, Aug. 17.-Like gigantic
multiplied sledgehammer. the French
army is smashing away at the Ger
man lines on. the Somme battle front.
The new French offensive in no way
resembles the Russian steam roller.
Instead 1t hammers continually with
blow upon blow at any given point un-
til eventually the French officers be-
lfeve. it must break down both the
German defenses and the resistance of
the German army. The success of
the steady hammering is demonstrated
both by the actual advance and the in
flux of prisoners who have surren-
dered in large numbers
Before going to the fighting front
1 inspected the vast organization be-
hind the lines for feeding the often
sive. 1t is this incredible preparation
on which apparently everything has
been forcseen and nothing overlooked.
that puts the punch into the French
Sledgeha MINER blows.
/ first visited one of the eight NUM-
tons and material depots established
last May many miles behind the line.
me depot covers square half mile
into which Frances northwestern net
work of railways daily pours material
Eight Munition Depots.
If the French offensive has carried
terrible destruction in advance Of the
armies, it has wrought equally in
credible progress in the rear. The
eight munftion depots have been con-
nected with the battle front by a
ver1table mystic maze of RAILWAYS of
both broad and narrow gauge. In
peace times it would have required a
years work, to construct them. Ap-
preaching the battle front these lines
converge even thicker, and ever more
lntricateiy. So perfected is this rail-
way system that each of the eight
oepots can pour out upon the Somme
battle 'front.' its entire square half mile
OF munitions and material every thir-
ty-six hours
Z Qn other specially constructed rail-
ways, all of broad gauge, guns are be-
ing carried to the front. France does
lot iack neayy artillery on the Somme
front but Is making constant addi-
lions Tor the purpose OF increasing the
power of her punch.
Air Alive With AeropIanex
from the depot, the way led to one
or the four aviation camps which
protected every depot, but which are
only small part of the aviation aerv-
ice on the Somme front. During the
visit scarcely a minute passed that
armed aeroplanes either did not re-
turn or depart for the German f-ont.
The air was literally alive with aerial
scouts and fighters
Returning toward the rear in the
evening, after observing the fighting
from the plateau OF Dompierre, south
of the Somme, and from a point of
vantage just north of the river, I was
amazed to see that since early in the
morning what had appeared like YER
| liable mountains of material and mu-
nitions in the supply depots had en-
tirely disappeared.
Handle Big Guns Quickly.
| The great guns which had been
creeping along on specially construct
| ed railways and which 1 had imagined
could not reach the front for weeks
were no longer visible, having either
arrived near their emp1acements or
having been transferred to other rail-
way lines.
Nearer the front was able from
this gigantic displacement of NUM-
tions and material to gain an impress
sion of what had gone into the days
sledgehammer blow. Progressing to-
ward the rear in the direction of the
| general munitions and material de-
pots, we met great trains and conveys
of fresh material moving toward the
front to replace that which had seen
| disappear.
Yet there was no hurry, no excite
ment. Everything was orderly. me-
| thodical
Adopt General Grants Slogan.
Above all, the impression q neutral
observer receives from a visit to the
Somme front is this-that the French
are supremacy confident and not only
determined but prepared in every de-
tail to carry out Grants famous decla-
| ration.
I'VE will fight it on these lines il it
takes all summer"
And more too.