The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-27

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Through that secret door a larg,
traction OF 100000 soldiers have
passed. Just how large a Fraction
is not known.
II made possible the concentra
ton OF British troops on the s0-mils
battle lire in France TO an extent
| unknown except 10 the comparative
~ few in the secret
Germany would have paid any
| price for the secrets OF that door
II has been one OF the greatest mys
teries OF a war made up OF mys-
teries
Every one knows that Marseilles
is the southern base for British
troops In France. Early in the war
the Indian troops arrived there. A
few weeks ago the Russians came
Not week has passed In the %
months the war has lasted that at
least one detachment did not reach
the port. A good share OF them
passed through the secret door. No,
even Marseilles knew when they
came or who they were, or when
they left
The Marseilles harbor Is a mag
nircent one. It's mouth Is guarded
by forts and by an unresting fringe
Of torpedo boats and ships OF war,
Within are great basins 10 which
access Is impossible 10 the ttffatt
thorized civilian. Every gateway
leading 10 the basins is guarded by
soldiers. One rarely see a small
boat in the harbor. The venture
some hoatman must be prepared &c
give a good account OF himself.
Might after night British troop
shins have steamed quietly M the
harbor. every light muffled. in The
shadow OF the dark hills. Arriving
a, the docks 10 which they had been
ASSIGNED. they we're tied ur a
quietly a. though they had been sc
many hill ponies. On their deck.
British troops had been standing.
perhaps for hours. in full marchins
kit The moment the gangplanS
was lowered they hled of Last a.
all came the guns and the baggage
wagons and the equipment.
Never a light was shown on the
dock" said one who knew. Orders
were given in low voices The men
stumbled on one snother's heels as
,hev tramped toward the secret
door
TIA, door led into a great train
shsd A. the drst soldier nut foot
20 the dock the first train backed
into the closed and guarded shed
The ranks passed through the door
IN silence. The officers in command
knew precisely what cars they were
IN take with their men. There was
no noise. no confusion, no delay "A
each train was flied II moved ont OF
the station. They ran upon as close
a schedule as the Empire state ex'
press itself The train engineers did
not whistle FOR signals and the cur
,airs % the car windows were drawn
tight. BY the mex, night the SOL
diers we're At the front. having seen
nothing OF Marseilles.
Not every consignment OF soldiers
followed this policy OF extreme Sc
crecy. OF course The rest camps
about Marseilles are so vast In ex-
tent that II Is estimated that they
never contain fewer than $4,000 sol
diers This includes the military
police. the men in charge Of the
various camp Offices permission
mares on leave. men on the last
tour o. couvalescence before GONG
hack 70 the front, and men on their
way 10 and from England FOR var
\ Gus reasons In addition are CON
siderable attachments u troops.
which for one and another reason
are here more or less permanently
These include some % the Indian
troops. who were sent 70 the south
Of France 70 escape the bitter ain
ter OF the north
"Bu, II is estimated that not less
than two million soldiers have
PASSED through Marseilles, going
and coming" said a man who knew,
~Marseilles certainly did not sus.
pect even the temporary presence
OF half Of them
Tie perfection OF the British
transnortation system has been The
admiration OF all who have come IN
touch with H. Other items ~ the
service may have broken down A.
times The artillery was frankly
bad during the transition period,
when officers fresh from civilian life
were put in charge OF brand bew
guns and equally brand new sol
diers. The British had 70 learn how
TO do almost everything IN this war
learn from the bottom up-aifer
the destruction OF the original *.
peditionsry force. But they did not
have 10 learn how 10 handle the
problem OF transportation. That
| they knew.