The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-01-02
TROOPS PRAISED
BY NORTHcLIFFE.
British Editor Paints Word Pic
ture of Americans.
TELLS OF SPLENDID WORK
Delighted at the Proficiency Shown in
Bomb Throwing-American Adapt
ability Has Very Quickly AssimiIated
Best Points of the British and
French Trainine-co!oneI House
Shows Excellent Rifle Practice.

SEO"o EN-SitCft NUT FIdShiSSs
Paris.--Viscount Northcliffe has
written the following impressions of
his visit to the American forces in the
field for the Associated Press:
II saw today the spearhead Of the
great American army of the future. l
had the honor of being invited by Cen
eral Pershing to accompany General
Bliss, Colonel and Mrs. House, Am
bassador and Mrs. Sharp, Admiral
Mr.. Colby, Mr.. Cravath, and Mr..
Auchncloss in the long round journey
from Paris to the American headquar-
tiers and the front.
"Our immediate object was a visit
to the intensive training camp or fin
ishing school for the war at - (de-
leted). American-planes were circling
overhead, indicating our destination,
which was also marked by the violent
clangs of bursting hand grenades at
the bombing school.
"Our procession of American auto
mobiles went straight across the cOun-
try, ignoring the roads, until we ar
rived at the crest of Il low ravine,
where some thousands of the first con-
tingents Of the American expedition
airy forces are being trained.
First, we went to an exhibition OF
rifle practice with landscape targets.
1t was good shooting, the high aver
age of T5 per cent of hits being
reached.
Use Trench Mortar Well.
"AftCrWard came some very accu-
rate work with Il certain trench mortar
wel-knoWn TO the British army. The
men have mastered the principles Of
this very handy gun quickly. Later
the spectators, men and women, were
delighted ut the proficiency Of some of
III" bomb throwcrs, and noted partic-
Ii. rly that the throw is not the base
ban pitch, but complete oyerarm
scmi-circle somewhat resembling over
arm cricket bowling.
I've stood well out of the reach Of
The dct1nntiHs bombs, and the throw
cr bent low in the trench after the
projection OF the missile and until its
force and dctouation threw up earth
and stones In every direction.
Then came IN exhibition Of trench
fighting, bayunct practice, and very
iiLe quarter hour Of work with the
French las OhrCe-iuCh) Gt a range Of
a nile and a half. The target was n
small wood ana after the first four
shots the gunuers got The range al
most every timc, The spotting was
done by an airplune which lowered
overhead ana indicated the hits by
wireless.
Colonel House manifested his Tex
an origin by some excellent rifle prnc-
ticp in the shipping school. Excellent
wooden models Of enemy sn.pers are
half concealed among rocks and foil
age at a distance Of some hundreds OF
yards, and it is the object of the
pupils in this part Of the war game to
draw sudden bead on an enemy dunn
my and get Il. Many of the Americans
are already adopts at snlplng.
In Touch With Paris.
"Our party then returned to the rail-
way station, passed the grim guard OF
honor, and after a new journey ar
rived ut General Pershing's general
headquarters, a fine French barracks
lately occupied by one of the most dis
tlnguishcd French regiments, which
had been refltted, steam heated and
electric wired and is in telephone
touch with distant Paris and all the
various parts of the American army.
Interesting lectures were given by
leading members of General Pershing's
staff, showing that American adapta-
billty has very quickly assimllated the
best points Of the British and French
training, arrived at after three and
half years of actual warfare, to which
have been added certain American
ideas and certain alterations necessary
for an army whose home base is thou
sands Of miles on the other side Of the
Atlantic"