1916-12-22 — Page 6

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THE HONGKONG DAILY FRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22ND. 1918.

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THE FIGHT IN THE FOREST.

A PICTURE OF THE ARGONNE,

Some thirty kilometres frúm Verdun lies the great forest region of the Ar gonne; it offers the strongest contrast with the open, smiling country round Verdun, which is situate in the midst of gentle rolling slopes, with knolls crowned with trees. The vast forest, on the other hand, is full of a gentle melan- choly, which imparts its character to the peasants, a sober and kindly people, given to hospitality. It is a part of Franco which knows what war is. At Valmy Kellerman and Dumouriez won the most signal victory of the Revolution over the Prussiana; two score years later the Prussians took their revenge by en- circling the French at Sedan; they marched through the forests of the Argonne to do it. It was a deplorably wet autumn in 1870, and the forest paths were almost impassable.

NO MAN'S LAND.

BY NIGHT AND DAY.

BY FABIČKENZIE, THE WELL-KNOWN

WÀN "UMERSPUNDENT)

What "bard the Colonel incredu- lousy, kon lave never seen in No alan's Lanu! Come now, thats too bad. with Captain-nignt." and one Colonel proceeded to take ais turn 20 ton

Go

game of throwing rings on won neis uiting out of the sagged wall, mi which he was andsomely beaten by a young subILITASEN.

ness a wod a snort way behind us.

ITALY OVERSEAS.

FUTURE EMPIRE OF KING VICTOR,

Discussing the future of Asia Minor with evident reference to the British landing at Alexandretta, the Italian newspaper Idea Nazionale publishes the

following:

&

The Salonika landing constitutes new title to the Imperial claims of Italy, and the discussion is now limited solely to the practical convenienes of annexing

zone in Asia. Minor which extends fur ther to the North, or a zone further to the East.

(1)The annexation of Alexandretta would mean a direct penetration of the East. Alexandretta can be connected by a mere 500 kilominetres of rail almost

It was the ariti pause before dinner.

There is no doubt that Italy: will re- Gormat stions were making the evening

coes, searching wata acutone thorouga-ceive the district between Smyrna nnd

inland stretching

to the Too Mergina, Hun had been rattur more active than Baghdad line. The present problem is usual sending

whether, as some argue, this zone should quite number of

include on the East the Gulf of Alexan- sausages--ttle playthings each con- taining from 60lb, to 22043, of high dretta, ie, the semi-circle from the Bay explosive around our front anes, while of Ayes to the promontory of Ras el Kanzir, bounded inland by the Adana- mis heavior guns had been at work farter Aleppo Railway; or whether, as others I is a strange warfare that is now back. Fritz is peeved to-night," said

suggest, it should extend north of being waged. For more than a year

the Major. The average soldier will Smyrna and include the shores of the past, it has preserved the same under more admit that enemy artillery Aegean and the Asiatic banks of tho ground character of sapping and min-heavy than the average encor in a liner Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmora ns ing. In some sections of the line and would admit that the sea was rough... the rival tronches are only ten meters

The game over, we moved on to the far to the Bosphorus. The defect of this last suggestion is that it does not define can almost hear the front. The walk through the communiproperly the internal frontiers of the dis- apart, and oBE respiration of the caery: a thrilling You twist and double and take twenty primarily of economic importance: the cating trenches is always wearisome

The first solution is trict of SmyrnA. experience. 3

minutes to cover a distance that you could

importance of the second, on the other surface cover in five minutes on the

hand, is primarily political. When we had done half the journey we came to a bit of a wood. It's four minutes if we go through this wood and sixteen minutes if we go round by the Let us rusha trenches," said my guide. it. If you hear a click, drop down like directly with the Baghdad line, and thus tap the vast resources of Mesopotamis. astroak of greased lightning and lie The entire trade of the Near East would inevitably flow to this port. Mesopo- There was still sufficient daylight for tamia's natural port is clearly Alexan one to take in the appearance of the front aretta, and Italy would become the mari- lines themselves. Incy were on a very time prolongation of the Baghdad low level, where trencnes were impossible, line. But supposing Alexandretta were so that all we could have was a very given to England, who is already mis- substantial parapes of sandbags to pro- tress of Mesopotamia, she would then tect us from the eticiny fire. To-night possess the two outlets and the entire fortunately was dry. On wet days the railway development of all the territory little streams that ran through our posi-between the Mediterranean and the Por- tion rose and the groundbecame onesian Gulf. With her economic resources, slithering, elipping slough, Here in the with her Fleet, with the possession of first winter our boys tought up to their Cyprus and of Egypt, she would rapidly middles in mud, and even now, with all gain the most absolute monopoly of all Dur precautions and drainage and the ways to the East, leaving only to improvements in trench life, nothing Franco the Hojaz trade. Under these could make this particular spot anything circumstances, the Baghdad line, of but a hoil hole. There is some comfort which Italy would possess the stretch be- Adana and Afuinkarahissar, and sense of security in a decent, well- tween drained trench. There is none behind a would lose its transcontinental value and raised parapet, when you know that the become a mere artery for the traffic of enemy occupy all the hill positions around Asia Minor and for rapid communica and that you are like a rat in a pit. tions with Central Europe, and a mere Darkness came on. There were the competitor of the Northern Anatolian rounds to be made and minute instruc- Railway.

(i) The importance of the second tions to be conveyed to every corporal's guard. There was no need of ligate to solution is political. It would give show us the way. The German tares Italy the joint dominion of the Narrows, steadily ascending in a semi-c rcle around, removing them from the monopoly of a each made for a time its own immediate stronger State. In this solution the con- neighbourhood as bright as daylight.venience of an equilibrium between the The trench mortars had ceased their work,

victorious Allies would have more weight but the Huns were apparently fearing than Italy's interests and rights. some attempt at attack on our part, tor they maintained an unusually heavy rine fire, constantly sweeping our parapets,

This trench fighting has been μ thousand times described, but in the Argonne it seems to have a special character: the country lends itself to an irregular, guerilla sort of fighting. Even the encampments among the trees bave the half-romantic air of Indian wigwams. We have swung back to the days of Fenimore Cooper and bis red-low." skine. War has come to such close grips, bercabouts, that our chauffeur is told act to sound his horn for fear of attracting the attention of the watchful enemy few hundred metres away. Guns born intermittently, we are in the midst of one of those interminable and desultory actions, which add a few yards daily to the deal dumb area of waste. Perhaps the most striking picture of the destruc tiveness of war, outside the ruined villages which still bear witness to the devilish activity of the Germans, is sten in the appearance of the forest, Not a leaf remains in the No Man's Land between the trenches-nothing but the frozen stumps and skeletons of trees, and this devastated tract, bare as any desert, it meeting place for crows, extends a long way back, a sad and silent sca in the midst of beautiful woodland.

DÓWN IN THE DEPTHS.

We dessend gingerly into an under ground trench, and the tallest of the party bends double to escape the dripping CUTLER PALMERI& CO'S, roof. It is a wonderful work of art, s pronument of industry.. Here are block bouses, there an observatory, and there again the mug office of the commandons ornamented with sketches from the comic Press.

A machine gun embrasure gives ne a view of the countryside as we stand beside the attentive guardian. The Germans are there behind the first lite trench--they lay close behind, in fact.

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The "trench" would have taken us closer still, but an embranchment leads us to the outer air, where we stand be hind a sand-bagged parapot, looking through a spy-hole jupon the German lines; a moment of some sensation, for a abell whistles overhead, and even the tried campaigner of the group "ducks" with precautionary instinet. Then an aeroplane appears, warily in the clouds, Shrapnel flies upward-German sparks from the anvil of war-in a vain effort to reach it. Doubtless each one of us is glad of the steel helmet which he has exchanged for his civilian headdress; it is a protection against leaden rain,

Farther back, amongst the woods, in deep valleys and ravines with vistas of doep-wooded slopes with a rich profusion of bracken enchanting country-one learned how adequate was the system of defence. Wire work, and trenches, cun-

Here we are,' said the Captain, pointing to a little tunnel under one part iut the parapet. Oo quietly, keep low, and when tho flares go up put your faces down so that they cannot see your flesh White flesh stands out," We crawled on our hands and knees through the tunnel, and then we were in No Man's Land itself.

•

*

*

*

It is evident that these merely political advantages would not compensate for the loss of Alexandretta, with which Italy would for the first time gain a joint rule therefore the political needs of the situa over the

great roads of the world: tion compeilet her to accept this second solution, she ought to be given (1) the territory as far as below. Scutari with the Baghdad railroads at Ismed and Haidar Eskishehr and Angora as far as below Pasha; (2) the main Anatolian railway

Bivans in order to be able to absorb the trade of Cappadocia

M.Ps. IMPRESSIONS OF FRANCE,

I had often studied No Man's Land from the trenches. The desolate strip between our lines and the German lines varies in width from fifteen yards to half a mile. A few hours before I had been at one spot on our front where the Cor Mr. Arthur Lynch, M.F., who has been mans were fifteen yards away. Wolin France several times during the war, occupied one small side of a crater; they has just returned from a fortnight's occupied the other. On our side the visit. I never saw French people so bombers stood always ready, waiting for unanimous and so determined," ho says.

the first sound of real activity to turn.

"Those who have lost, sons, women who the other side into a shambles. Doubtless have lost husbands, old people who have over the way Messieurs les Buches waited lost several members of their family, are absolutely unbroken, and as deter- in similar fashion for us.

This space is blocked on either side by mined as the rest to see the thing out to great masses of wire entanglemente, with a proper conclusion. The French have Lanes running through them-carefully the sentiment that it would be better to uingly hidden guns, observation posts and guarded lanes, safe for our own men, but be dead than have Germany dominato systems, whereby the enemy is prevented with a machine-gun waiting for the first France, or weigh upon their spirits as of the enemy who showed his nose, The Germany has dono during the last forty. from surprine, reveal the patient in lush weeds grow coarsely on B soil years. They are also more confident at genuity of the French, and explain, also

enriched by the blood of many brave men.. the present time than I have ever known how they have kept watch and ward

Often enough on the hotter parts of the them." there many weary months. From a con-line those who have fallen and died have. venient post, through glasses, we note to lie unburied in some shell hole for the enemy positions, now farther off, and days, sometimes weeks, until their com villages in the plain, once fair and rades can go to them. No Man's Land charming to look upon, are scared and į The scene of thousands of desperate hopes, tortured. "You so that solitary house of thousands of brave raids and solitary there?" asks our guide, pointing to tour heroisms; the field, too often the grave, walls pathetically prominent against a of the Empire's best. mocking background of pleasant green, that is all that is left of the village of S, There, to your right, is another township scarcely existing any more." Such in the toll, the tragedy of war.

LIGHT SIDE OF WAR.

broke out with their devil's tattoo every few minutes, and the crack of the flare as it was fired from its clumsy pistol into the heavens. Now an alarm arose a little farther down the line. A stupid German sentry had been startled by something. The machine-guns burst out and the rifle-fire grew heavy, only to die away in a few minutes.

to

Creeping along the narrow gully it took an effort of imagination to realise where one was. It was pitch dark. Our way was obstructed by wires. We had to move with caution, for noise would bare Sometimes, even in this wild night brought a machine gun on us and we had shooting, the bullets find their billets, now no parapet to keep the bullets back. Twice that night after we returned behind

Down went our

сахте the parapets mon There came a flare.

report But there is another and less painful heade, and when the light of the Bare casualties. Our corporal in No Man's side. It is represented by the camara- the dainty little gentle-sa-nature laxa-derie and social talents of the men. They had died away the darkness seemed all Land had been caught by a bullet in the the more intense, Flare followed flare, stomach. A private behind the parapet, tives, are obtainable from chemists, or,

are playing cards, comfortable and happy and while the flares continued there was raising his head for a moment, had been post free, 60 cents the phial, from Dr. in the dug-outs, as we pass. Under the nothing to be done but to lie absolutely struck down by a bullet in the eye. Williams Medicine Co., 96, Szechuen trees a little further down the slope are still.

Soon after daylight the Major came on Road, Shanghai.

tables spread for the mid-day meel-2 Soon we reached the observation post, his rounds I was to join him. “ You sign that oven war has its compensations, where three or four of our men were ought to see No Man's Land in day time," The dug-outa themselves, carved out of lying low, listening intently for any he said, and so we went into it again. the hillsides, are models of the art of sound of enemy approach. Captain It was very different now. The rifle adapation. The furniture is rude but gave some whispered instructions to the firing had ceased and there was compara- adequate, and the light flickers in a corporal and his men. "You quite tive quiet.. The surroundings that had kindly stream through the glass-bottle understand," he said, "that if the Ger seemed so gloomy and mysterious in the inbacksobe. It may be serious, parti-windows. "Alas, they are empty ! mant come along to-night you are not darkness looked now nothing but a bit oaksely with women. In all events it is observed our cicerone. It was the homely to stay here and fight them. All you have of coarse and forsaken countryside, with sure to handicap your activities, at note," welcome after the dire aspects to do is to give the alarm and hurry back a lot of barbed wire spread over it. When work or at play. There is no need to of war-as homely as the little gardens fools and throw yourselves away for the front of our own trenches. I know behind the parapet. You're not to be we got a little way out I turned to note Speedy relief is found in

887-1

THERE IS NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT

Buffer.

LITTLE'S ORIENTAL BALM,

The sovereign care for all external aches and pains.

Why endure pain when you can stop it1

That's what LITTLE'S ORIENTAL BALM does.

1

Thus way

before some of these improvised doors, as homely as the hens that lived the life of nothing Now do not forget. That is an them well from behind; I did not pampered pensioners in the wired seelu- order. If you see them coming, fall back recognise them from the front, for the

as quickly as ever you can."

earth over the sandbags had been covered sion of the colonel's "yard."

Beyond the observation port our men during the summer by a growth of grass. in the Argonte pursues its strange, im

were testing the wires and were patrolling Branches of trees, and busheshare placable way.

close to the German Jines. Some Gerbushes with every leaf torn off by shell mans, we knew, were probably patrolling fragmente-made the illusion complete, close to us. Lie low. Keep your ears I seemed to be looking at

Blightly rising open Don't make any sound.'

Wo moved along No Man's Land in another direction. We could hear the sound of voices, German soldiers talking in their trenches over their morning mes). And then there came a harsher, harder, louder note. It was one of our own guns. The morning's artillery fire had opened. The new day's work lind bogun ---Daily

•

country.ridge.

The students of St. Andrew's Univer And it does it quickly, Backenbe, neuralgis, rheumatismo, sciation, sore sity, both at St. Andrew's and Dundee,

One listened to the noises. Chief throat, and headaches speedily and po hase unanimously elected Sir Douglas tively relieved. You will be sorry you Haig, Commander of the British Force in Among these was the rifle fire bullets from near to hand, sounding like the crack of had not heard about it sooner.

France, to the Rectorship of the Univera whip overhead, bullete fired from far Bold at. Ja dd. per hozzis,

sity for the ensuing three years. Sir ther away having a distinct ping. Then Agents for Hongkong:--- Dongles Haig is a native of Fifeshire, came the kick of the machine guns that Meters. A. B. Watson & Co., Ind. and in h's youth attended Clifton School, 14-195 St. Andrew'a

(Continued at foot of next Column.) Mail.