New-York tribune., 1918-11-24

Cologne, and the French the bridge
head to the east at Main2-
The strength of the American army
to be maintained III France was not in
dicated beyond the rehabilitation plans
announced. American troops in Italy.
including the 332d Infantry. will be
stationed for the time being in Cat
taro, Fiume and Trieste, one battalion
of the infantry being located in each
place.
Decentralization of the forces at home
is proceeding steadily. On arriving at
Camp Dix Yesterday General March
said he found 200 men day being re-
leased
Several of the present camps will be
abandoned as soon as they are cleared
of their occupants.
Cancellation of war contracts abroad
has been left in the hands of Assist
ant Secretary Edward r. Stettlnius,
now in France, and designated as the
special representative Of the War De-
partment On this side Major General
Goethals will have charge of cancella-
tion of all supp Y contracts, and Ma
jor General Jervev OF contracts hay
ing TO do with construction for the
army.
IEcSSulS on Tic way.
Regarding the shipment of Christ
mas packages to the expedluonary
forces General March said that the
steamer Manchuria sailed from Hobo
ken, yesterday with 10000 sacks con-
taining 565 00o packages. In addition
to the 1000 900 packages which the
army will handle, authority has been
given the Red Gross to send from So
900 to 10000 more for men who do not
receive the packages sent to them or
who have no one at home to remember
them
General March disclosed that there
are in France thirteen American tank
battalions equipped with the French
light type OF tank. and four training
companies equipped with the British
heavy type. These are among the
units which can be spared at an early
date. They include the 30lst. 302d,
S03d, 306th, 325th, 326th, 327th. 329th,
S3Osh. S31st 3S2d. 344th and 345th
battalions ana the 376th, S1lth' S'Sfh
and S79th training battallons.
General March deferred answering
all inquiries rs II tse reorganization
of the regular army until the bill
which the General taft is preparing
has been approved and laid before
Congress. He said, however, that
there are only 10000 men now in the
amy bound by the pre-war seven-year
enlistment.
To Release Recruits.
These, he said viii be held to their
enlistment contracts, while the 100000
men who volunteered for the duration
of the war VIII he released except
where they re-enlist.
Coblenz, the bridgehead on the
Rhine which the American army Will
occupy, Is al the confluence OF the
Mosele and Rhine rivers. and dates
back to the third century. Formerly
it was q fortress OF the first class. but
since the Franco Prussian War it has
occupied a secondary place as COM
pared to Cologne, Mainz, Strasbourg
and Metz.
Coblenz had a large wine trade be
cause of its situation with respect to
the vine growing countries in the val
leys of the Moseie and the Rhine. On
the east bank OF the Rhine opposite
Coblenz. is the famous fortress OF
Ehrepbreitstein. The new fortress was
built early in the nineteenth century
The old one played an important part
in German wars and was captured by
storm by the French in 1893
Some parts of the town are very old.
and have quaint winding streets lined
with buildings erected in the Middle
Ages Cob enz is the capital of Rhen-
ish Prussia. It's population is about
$4,000.