New-York tribune., 1918-01-14
Value of Belgians to Allies
Trebled Since User Battle
Legation Washington Reviews Achievements of Army
Under Conditions Which Called for Almost Super
human Effort Along Engineering Lines

hundreds of kilometres Of footway graf.
ing in the muddy communications and
trenches; have used 100000 cubic
metres (525,000 cubic yards) Of con-
crete for redoubts, shelters and fight
ing posts; have constructed hundreds
Of emplacements for batteries of all
calibres; have laid 21,950 kilometres
one-third Of which is under ground or
under water; have built barracks for
some 100000 men and $4,000 horses
and hospitals for several thousand
wounded; have supplied the army with
water brought up from a level of 125
metres (135 yards) or more beneath
the surface Of the ground.
Triple Machine Guns
"1n the matter Of war material,
which is being constantly improved,
tho Belgian army had on August /,
1917, more than twelve machine guns
per thousand men, and in each COM
pany light machine guns in triple pro-
portion; seven and one-half to eight
guns (tield artillery, light howitzers,
heavy artillery per thousand men,
with at least five times the anmuni-
tion had three years ago, not counting
quantity Of anti-aircraft guns,
many automobile cannon and automo-
bile machine guns; as many trench
mortars as guns of the field artillery;
that is to say, several hundred; plenty
OF hand grenades and rifle grenadcs;
transport service comprising more
than 5000 trucns Of 5000 to 5000 tons
capacity; 1900 passengers motors, 300
automobile ambulances, motor pontoon
trains for each division and for each
army corps.
I'm round numbers, the Belgian army
has now seventy-tive times more Wire
less telegraph stations than before the
war, four hundred times as MANY
searchlights of all types. fifteen to six
Teen tunes as many motorcycles and
bicycles, eight to ten times as MANY
alrplanes of modern type and a modern
aeronautic equi pment of similar pro-
portions.
During period Of three months
normal activity the Belgian airplancs
have made nearly 1000 flights; that is
to say. 1,021 flights for battle or for
protection; 544 flights for fire control
ana reconnaissance; eighty-nine flights
70 take photographs; forty-hve flights
1or special reconnaissance, and 22O
other different missions.
"Ihe corps Of engineers has been
tripled IN Importance, both in the units
OF pioneers and in special units: the
army has been provided with numerous
auxiliary engineer formation. with
troops Tor the road stations, and with
technlcal services of various kinds
which did not even exist before the
war; its corps Of officers and non-com-
missioned officers is excellent and has
us fuIi complement; the men are we'll
ted. we'll clothed. we'll equipped and
have everything that is necessary.
Created Necessary Material
The various services Of the army, as
soon as they arrived beyond the Bel
glan border, began to reconstruct and
to produce by their own exertion everv-
thing hat circumstances would per
NIT. This work of reconstruction was.
on account Of the necessity of the cir
cnmstances, carried out gradually in
every branch Of the service. The Bel
gian army had accomplished remark
able result in creating, by its own
effort, the indispensable material by
which it can live and fight.
"The supplies necessary for the
army were either bought in Allied
countries or obtained from the Allies
by agreement between the parties in
interest"