Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-15

marks changes in the situation of the armies upon the maps.
 After a nasty glance at the memor- andum, the general listens to reports from the staff, which are rapidly com mented upon, while concise orders are given covering questions of detail; afterwaTd protected orders of conSid- erable consequence are submitted to the general by members of his staff, or submitted by him to the staff.
 General Joffre listens to his officers with a rather detadl1ed air; he even has the appearance of paying no att tention to what is being said; then suddenly will surprise his staff by in terrupting the reader of the report or letter and reaching out for it. When ever a phrase or a word strikes him, he insists upon reading for himself; he also follows for himself, pencil in hand, reports concerning military op-| erations and movements of troops, and seeks out for himself even the most insignificant points named in the des- patches. With the same care he reads elvery telegram, every 1Adcr, beGoe signing it.
 The first session of the day dis poses of questions of organization, movement by rail, sanitary service, arrangements for achievements, all of which are decided to the smallest detail.
 The first part of the session is de- voted to what is called the situa- tion of the Northeast, which means the North and East of France or the Franco Belgian front; then follows a discussion of what is called the "T. O. E." standing for Theatre Opera tions Exterior"
 After about three hours consecrated to reports and the necessary orders to provide for the eventualities of the day, Joffre rises from his desk and puts on his cap, which is the signal for the departure from the general headquarters to some one of the arm ies at the front. It is generally about half past nine Three powerful motor cars are always waiting at that hour in front of the villa. As the general passes out of the door, an officer push es into his hand a small paper that he sticks into the pocket of his jacket. It is the time table and the Itinerary of the days journey arranged and ap-- 1 proved by him the evening before and from which no divergence is permit
 ted.
 The general-in-chief and an ord
 nance officer get into the first car, l willie a second officer follows in what
 is called the relief car', the third one being served for two secretaries who accompany Joffre on all his visits | to the armies. These same cars have
 carried the general and his suite since l the beginning of the war over nearly every mile of the ground from the sea ] to the Vosges. The hours he spends I speeding over the country are hours
 of comparative rest for t1im. He i'm proves the occasion to read in more detail long reports that have not re- l cuired immediate attention but which l he wants to know from beginning to
 end, but most of the route is spent in
 rest, the general being an adept in | the art of catching snatcheS of SleeL
 en route He is credited with the
 power of sleeping when he wants to l and of awakening at will.
 The generals car is known to ev- eryone in the army by the tri-colorec I fanion with a gold fringed cravat thai 1t carries. He always arrives without ceremony and proceeds immediately and simply to the business in hand | whether it be a discussion of import.
 ant projected operations with thu
 commander of an army, or whether i be his simple lunch, which he ofteI takes seated on the ground at the sid' of a road, and which he dfspatchei Il with good appetite. Frequently. in
 stead of leaving inc car to visit th' q headquarters of an army, he take
 the general in comand into the ca.
 with him and discusses matters e route, thus saving time and keeping to the time table prepared for hi
 round. The discussion goes on whtF
 the general and the genera l, their way to the communicaNini
 trench through wltdh they will pro rt ceed to the first nne trenches.
 } Nothing in the construction of thes :. trenches escapes Jofre; if there l ) anything wrong anywhere. the ofh cers and soldiers say. it is that yer. } thing that the generals eye will hgh