The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-24
KING Of ITALY VISITS
THE FRENCH FRONT
Reviews Troops At yerdun and Deco
rates the Leading French
Commanders.
UNDER GERMAN GuNFIRE.
Traverses the Whole French Line
and Sees Belgian Troops.

Paris October 23.-The Matin gives
the following acc cunt of the visit OF
the king of italy to the French front:
The king spent three days visiting
the whole French front from Alsace to
the point of Union with the British. He
arrived at Belfort. and was met by
President Poincare. Alexandra Ribot.
the foreign minister: Generals Petaip
and Castelnau. He drove In the presi
dents automobile to the reconquered
section off AlsAce.
AT Massevaux he held a reception
and reviewed the troops holding the
sector. choir OF children wearing
Italian In his honor The inhabitants
greeted him enthusiastically with
shouts of Long live Italy, Long live
France No Plebiscite"
AT Cerardmer the royal party re-
entered the kings special train. He
dined with the president and slept on
the train.
THE following morning the king ar
rived at Verdun nj 7 O'Clock. He was
met by General Petain. wearing the
/ italian military medal. The king and
the president reviewed 1000 men drawn
from the regiments which had parti-
culariy distinguished themselves in
the defense of the city. The president
presented to the king the generals
commanding the corps to which the
| troops belonged. Sixty-one flags
| some mere rags attached to a pole
| were In the procession.
| The ktpg. paid special attention to
This nag OF the Third Zouaves. regi-
! ment of which he is honorary colonel
| carried by General MacMahon, duke Of
Magenta. The general presented the
| flag to the king. who pinned the Italian
military cross on II. He then deco
h. 4 f.,-x t.,I, raix IT,
! Guiding General Petain. who received
| the grand cross of the military order
of Savoy. and General Guiilaumat, the
| commander OF Verdan. with the grand
| Gordon of the Italian crown.
''The ling then went In an automo-
| bile to Fort Souville. only four kilo-
meters from the citadel, where the high
! tide of the German assault was checked
| in the desperate days of June, 1916. In
| the course of his visit to the fort the
party came under the fire of German
| long range artillery, several shells
| from the 21o-millimeter howitzers fall
| ing dangerously near.
"The king visited various observa-
| ton posts further north examining all
| the battlefield. including Hill 304 and
| Dead Man hill. over which German
| shells burst constantly.
The party then visited the cathedral
| and citadel. and at 1880 departed in
an automobile to retoin the train which
! took them to Rheims. The afternoon
| was spent In a visit to the cathedral
and Hotel de Vile. The few inhab =
| itants still remaining IN the city
t.ronged to greet the king. who Wis
| tied several shops which had remained
open throughout the war. despite the
| incessant bombardmcnts.
"On his return to the train the king
was met by Premier Painleve. who
! dined with him and the president in
| the train.
| Friday. the third day OF the trip,
| was spent in a tour through scissors
| and the positions held by the French
troops along the Aisne and Disc. Pass
/ Ing in an automobile through Coucy lie
| Chateau, Folembray. Chauny, Faillouel
| JULY and Ham. the party arrived at
| Noyon, where the king reviewed in
| fantry battalions in the square before
| the Hotel de VILE. while squadrons OF
| airplanes kept guard overhead.
| In the latter part of the trip the
| king had an opportunity of observing
| the devastation wrought by the Ger
mans In the early spring. Despite the
restoration energetically carried on by
| the French. largely aided by the
American Red Cross. the work of Ger
man barbarlsm was so thorough as to
! draw expressions of vehement indig-
! alton from the royal guest
AT o'clock the king and president
1 took the train Tor Chantiily, whence
! the president returned to Paris.
J "On Saturday the king visited the
! Belgiant front. accompanied by King
| Albert. and departed the same evening
| for Italy"