The Columbia evening Missourian., 1920-09-20
ENGLAND MUST
BUILD DEFENSE
ON RHINE BANK
French Army Expert Says In.
vention Of Airplane Strips
Power From England's
Deep-Sea Fighters.
BIG GUNS INEFFECTIVE
London's Bulwarks Should Be
Moved to Continent to Save
City From Air, Says
General.
By HENRY Woop

| PARIS, Sept Shy MaiD-Eng.
land hereafter must defend herself from
the Rhine and not from the Thames.
Thanks 10 the present perfection Of
long range artillery. not 10 mention il
future possibilities as well as aerial war
fare. England faces the necessity for an
immediate revision Of her whole system
Of national defense.
I This is the declaration Of General
, Hirscliauer, one Of the most distinguish.
ed military chiefs that the French army
pToduced during the war, and nov mem
J Der Of the French Senate.
From now on. the English navy. how.
ever powerful it may he, will no longer
be sufficient to maintain Enslsnd's
proud ISOLATION declares General
Hirschauer.
Up until 1914. the lines Of defense
for London were situated ct Is to 20
kilometers outside the capital. During
the war England found il necessary 10
establish its London defenses on the con-
tinent. Now, according to General
Hirsrllauer, England's sole hope Of De.
tending its capital is to establish these
lines Of defense. either on the Meuse or
on the Rhine.
BASED ON OLD LAW
General Rirschauer points out that al
the present time England's entire plans
Of national defense are still based on
the imperial decree Of 1883. The key
note Of this decree, and as a conse-
qaence Of Englsnd's system Of defense
Is found in the following clause:
The defense Of the Thames presents
great importance. because large mill
tary establishments and arsenals are sit.
uafed On both sides Of the river. and
above all because every landing on
British soil will have for its object the
capture Of London" i
In addition London was defended by
rapid FIRE guns that were supposed 10
be sufficient 10 prevent a landing Of
enemy troops. lines Of ,iorpedoes were
placed TO prevent the approach Of troop
ships, long range coast guns were to
ward off the enemy ships. still in ad-
vance Of all this passive defense, gun
boats. torpedo boats and coast kllards
cruisers were to be engaged in active
defense while further in advance the |
British fleei was supposed 10 smash the |
enemy fleet before il got within smell. |
ing distance.
OLD DEFENsEs USELESS
Now, according to General Hirschauer. |
all Of this has been rendered out Of date
and useless by the development Of long
range guns. and aerial fighting. Eng,
lands only hope Of defending her cap
iial and herself must hereafter be made
from the Meuse or the Rhine.
In 1913. says General Hirschauer,
who is one Of the worlds greatest ex.
peris on artillery. I'VE first discovered |
the gun with 40 kilometers range
Shortly, this range was extended to l50
kilomeiers. Soon we will be at 200 kilo-
meters and the limit even then will not
have been reached.
1T is just 100 kilome,ers from Calais
sr Boulogne to London. Fecamp,
Dieppe. Abbeville, Are and Furnes are
only 200 kilometers away.
But the bombardment BY long range
guns will only be the second act Of the
next war which will begin with aerial
4
The airplanes that we're
IN construction at the close Of the war
aad flight capacity Of 900 TO $50 kilo.
meters from the point Of departure.
Aix-la-C -Chappelle is just $50 kilometers
rom London. A squadron starting from
his point can lombard London within
hree hours.
London in the future will be attach
'bie first by aerial squsdrons starting
rom German soil and then by long range
,uns placed on the Belgian and French
,oasi.
As Consequence French friendship.
he solidity Of the French and Belsian
'rmies form for England her best de-
ense Of 'couverture' on the continent.
through them the advanced lines Of de,
ense for London are carried forward 70 Z
he Meuse. {
.@T q.