The Nenana news., 1916-12-09
SAW BATTLEFRO
Letter Reaches Ncnana
 From Frence Lines

ing of conditions along the battlefront III France. The letter was written by r. R. Coudert, consul for the British, French and Russian governments, at New York, after among the fighting neu of Eur ope.. The writer is a brotiler-in Jaw of ten on October 10, is as follows:
 ''Just line to say that we have re- turned from a most extraordinary week at the front. We were guests ofGeneral Sir Douglas Haig at the Brush head quarters. and saw extraordinary things. The power, organization and efficiency of the British army i'll France is some thing surpassing my powers of descrip- tion. We saw pretty much everything, from the great naval base at Calais, which contains the whole gainut of military ne- cessitles, ranging from thousands of pounds of chewing gum for the Canadian soldiers, to the most modern aeroplane or machine gun that tie world has seen. We saw the bombartlment of Thiepval, and the shrapnel bursting over Corbles. One felt that one was Ill another world, and I shall have to s'I you to excuse me from attempting full description within the limits of all ordinary letter.
 ''The British officers, especially those who have been members of the expedi- tionary force, impressed me as a most capable, as well as most agreeable, body of men, and their absolute and con- plete certainty of systematic and sustaln- ed victory was most reassuring. -->.
 ''The morale of Tommy Atkins is of the best, and lie means to see the thing through right to the end, realizing that he has just begun. to fight and feeling fully his superiority, personal and me chanical. His relations with the French are of the most cordial, and of mutual admiration.
 My boy met General Joffre, and we lunc he'd and dined with General Foch, the famous commander of the army of the North From his headquarters we went out and saw fine artillery battle, with the shells exploding so close to us as to be far from comfortable: that is to say, six thousand yards away We wore iron helmets as a protection from occas- ional shrapnel which seemed to be burst ing rather indiscrlminately about us.
 Weather conditions were favorable and the panorama spread before our eyes was very impressive. The roads of North France. with their thousands and thou sands of camions and lorries, beggar all description. It is like great armies of ants, moved by some irresistible law from all dire ctions toward certain spot.
 Somewhat back of the battle front thousands of German prisoners repaired the road and seemed thankful that for the nonce they had escaped the kaiser's rule. They are becoming somewhat de- moralized, and are surrendering more precipitously than formerly. One can easily understand this, for places like Contalmaison and Thiepval have been as 'AottSu oul Ol SAISlCuCG II by seismic disturbance. Modern artil- lery is an incredible thing, and to hear the great shells rushing through the air like railroad trains gives one very strange sensation.
 My boy will stay here to look after the refugee children, returning probably in November. It has been for me, and I trust it will be for him, most profitable experience.
 ''I have met many interesting people here and am lunching with Dr. Bergson this morning and dining with MT. Der thelot, Director of the Foreign Office, this evening.
 1T had expected to sail on the R ocham- beau, but recent submarine developments seem to make it wise to defer our trip until the 20th. when we will take the Holland liner Noordam. This I regret, but the reasons are easy to understand, : and in addition one is not unaffected by the fact that the Rochambeau is said to