Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-14
GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
NOW A HIVE OF INDUSTRY
Huge Establishment Practically Gives
Itself Up to Detailed War
Work.
THIS FUNCTION ESSENTIAL
Makes Maps Of Rapidly Shifting
Geography OF Europe, and Sup.
plies War Office and Admiralty
With Data and Information.

LONDON. February 13.-The Royal
Geographical Society is IL hive of in
dustry these days. not in tho ordinary
| British institutions for scientific re-
search, but as part OF the war ma
chtne--inaking maps Of the rapidly
shifting geography Of Europe. supply
/ ing the War Office and tho admiralty
with geographical data and mans
worked ont with scientific minutencss
on land and water routes. topography.
mountain passes, and all the details
which the military strategists must
have in laying out the campaigns in
all the great theaters of war--the BAL
tans. Egypt. Mesopotamia. Persia. the
mountain passes between Italy and
Austria. The huge establishment 'front.'
ing kensington Gardens has practically
given itself up to this war work. The
venerable president, Douglas Fresh
Held, himself a famous Alpine noun
tain climber in his day, said recently
of this work:
I'VE have at hand ready for use u
store OF facts as to any possible seat
Of war, with that habit OF mind-thc
sense of country. the geographical at
titudc7-that can reason and act prompt
ly on such facts. which are obvious
conditions of military and naval sue
cess. In these matters of practical and
mental equipment we are doing more
from month TO month to help the state.
We thus perform function that in
the present crisis is essential. 1t will
not be less essential when the time
comes for framing and debating terms
OF peace
ri ND
scientific gcographers are thinking
ahead To the time for framing and
debating terms Of peace" when the
map of Europe will be made over again
and new boundaries laid down--a
stupendous work, considering the vast
areas Of territory which has shifted
through military occupation, and which
ultimately will have TO be settled as
temporary or permanent ~ peace
congress-BelGium Luxembourg. North
eastern France, Serbia Montenegro,
Poland, and the wavcring battle lines
along the fronts in Russia, France.
Italy. Austria, the Balkans. Central
and East Africa. Persia and the Pacific
islands and ports.
roo SOON TO OUTLINE
''NEW MAP OF EUROPE"
Or. Kettle, secretary OF the Royal So
cicty. and the administrative director
OF the institution, told the Associated
Press correspondent il was quite too
soon yet TO outline the so-callcd new
map of Europe" The areas OF occu-
patton were indefinite and constantly
shifting, and IL remains To he seen
whether recognized and established
political boundaries OF the past are 10
be changed permanently, as il requires
something more than military occupa-
ton to change them.
One of the recent maps OF the Geo
graphical Society shows the fighting
area between italy and Austria. and
the present and proposed boundaries
in the Trcntino and Trieste districts
The area in dispute seems very small
compared with the magnitude OF the
struggle going on in the Italian-Aus-
trian frontiers. In the Trentino dis
trict the disputed district is about tr-
teen miles wide by about thirty miles
long. and in the Trieste district about
eighteen by twenty-five milcs-in all
less than a small county in New York
State.
President Freshfeld gave IA graphic
description OF the Alpine campaign at
Il recent meetin.; of the society, ia sed
on his personal knowledge OF these
peaks and passes, which hc has
travcrsed during his days as an Aipin-
list. He recalled that fifty years ago
hc was one Of the first party 10 scale
the highest peak OF the Trcntino Alps.
the Prcsanella Il.S00 feeD. where
AuStro-ltalian mountain lighting has
been going on.
"A mountain reGion--the Alps are
no single range--may serve as a good
defense to those who hold il strongly
up TO the summit ridge" he said. The
Alps are proving so now in the case
Of Austria. But ii you hold only the
lower slopes on one side. il may be
more of "a snare than a defense. The
Importance Of mountains in warfare
has been exaggerated in popular csti-
nation. The decisive battles Of his
tory, stratcaists have pointed out,
are fought in the plains. The invaders
of italy. from Hannibal and Hasdrubcl
10 Francis |. of France and Napoleon.
! found ways over the Alps for their
armies. In all ages the Trentino lead
ing to the Bremen Tass has been n
channel of communication between the
! regions north and south. The pass was
| traverscd by armies no less than forty
: three times between the years 35l and
/ FOL, and Francis |. crossed il three
! times i'll one month"
I CONSTANT FIGHTING:
ABOVE SNOW LEVER,
Turning 10 the recent hgh,ing, Or.
+; Frcshheld said: The beginning of the
war found the AustrianS firmly plant
ed on the summit ridge. From this
point round to the Gavia Pass twenty
miles of continuous glacier clothe a
crest the gaps In which do not fall
below 10000 feet. In old warfare
glaciers had their tcrrors for soldiers
Hut in the present war the spread OF
mountaineering, the introduction OF tho
SKI ana the systematic training in
/ france and Italy of mountain rcSi-
mcnts have led to constant fighting
above the snow level. The troops have
put to use the skill learned in frequent
mountain maneuvers. In the Ortlcr
group there is hardly Il pass traversed
IN the last hfty years by mountain
climbers which has not been made use
OF by these intrepid military raiders
The Italians. starting from Val d
"ebru' nave skirted over peaks OF H.