1915-11-27 — Page 8

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

FRANCE AT WAR.

BATTLE SPECTACLE AND A REVIEW.

[By Rudyard Kipling in the Liverpool Daily Post.)

potente moving all Hell to avoid dismissal. (For it is absolutely true that when a man tells hid soul to the devil he doeant for the price of hall nothing.)

Watching the Gunfire.

It must have been a bot fight,

it as A village, wracked along this line, opened on it from

billeido that overloked an

get

* better viow. He was a

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1915

Said the lieutenant, of loosl Quards as the care went on;

She-play-Tipperary." And she did to an scoompani ment of heavy pieces in the hills, which followed us into a town all ringed with epormons fearch- | lights, French and Boobs togeth er, scowling at each other be neath the stars.

•

•

It happened about that time, though. Sambre-et Meuse, perhape. Look! There that Lord Kitchener with General goes my battalion ! Those Chaa- Joffre reviewed a French Army 9:8 yonder."

He knew, of coures; but what Corps.

could a stranger identify in that earth-shaking passage of thirty thousand?

We came on it in a vast dip of ground under grey clonde, 69018 comes suddenly on water; for it lay out in misty blue lakea of men mixed with darker patches, like onier's and undergrowth, of gass, A straight horses, and waggone. road cut the landscape in two along ite murmuring front.

Veterans of the War. It was as though Cadmus bad

1

2.

the passion and gaiety and high "For the same reason," another After that we once to a little keep out of his sight till next heart of their own land in the responded, "that Rocisty did not town of pale stone, which an army day.” speech that only they could fallyrosfice that the late Mr. Smith, of had made its headquarters. It Bot officially and in the high anderstand. (To hear the music your England, who married three looked like a plain women who social atmosphere of Headquarters of a country is like hearing a wo-wives, bought baths in advance had fainted in public.. It had re- their manners and their meekness man think load.)

for sick of them, and, when they | joiced in many public institutions are of the most admirable. There "What is the tuns?" I asked¦ had left him all their money, that were turned into hospitsle they attend devoutly, on the wie- of an officer beside me.

drowned them one by one." and offices; the wounded limps dom of their seniors, who trast "My faith, Lean't recall for the And were the baths by any its wide, dusty streets, detach them, so it seemed, with affection- moment. I've marched to it often chance oal ed Danmark, Austris, ments of infantry went through it ste confidence.

Front That Never Sleepk! and France in 18707" a third swiftly and utterly bored motor asked.

lorries cruised up sad down rozr

When the day's reportate in, "No, they were respectable ing, I suppose, for something to all along the front, there is a man, British tabs, Bat until Mr. Smith look at or to talk to. In the centre expert in the meaning of things, bad drowned his third wife people of it I found one Janny, or rather who wails them down for shat cold didn't get suspicious. They arbie marble bast, brooding over & official digest which tells us good that men don't do sach minute iron railed garden of half that "There was the usual grenade things. That sentiment is the dried asters opposite a abut-up fighting it—. We made appre- oriminal'a beat protection."

school, which it appeared from oiable advance at "do. The the insoription Janny had found original material.comes in sheaves ed somewhere in the srid thirties and sheaves, where individual It was precisely the sort of school character and temperament hara that Junay, by the look of him, fall and amusing play. It is re would have invented. Not even daced for domestic consumption French adaptability could make like

en overwhelming electrio anything of it. So Janny bad current. Otherwise we could not his school, with a faint perfume take it in. But at closer range one of varnish, all to bimself in a lot realises that the Froat never

Artillery and Cavalry. The note beniad the ridge obanged to something deeper.

"Ah! Our guns," said an ar tillery officer, and smiled tolerant. ly on the last bias warea of the Line already beating toward the horizon,

Copyright, 1915, by Radyard Kipling in Great Britain and the United States of Americs. Al rights reserved. The American rights are the property of the New York Bun.

for the moment to take the air in THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE. atiliness of med-up-air and little sleeps; never ceases from ring

They came twelve abreast→→→ one hundred and fifty guns free

company, behind their teame. And next week would see them hidden aingly or in lurking con- federacies, by mountain and march and forest, or the wreaked habita tions of men where?

(Fourth Article.)

We passed into the zone of an other army and a hillier country, where the border villages lay more sheltered. Here and there a town and the fields round it gave us a glimpas of the furious industry with which France makes and

I

whirls of dust. And because that

French Officers.

nswer Bopay suces and bewilder. mente,

Yes, my General. That was {exactly what he did to me when I did so and so. He was quite silent for a day. Then he stole my patent."

And you?" "I had a notion that he'd do

that, so I had changed the sposi

Goation."

it

That spoke the Staff; and so

is among the junior commande,

down to the semi-isolated posts where boy-Napoleone live on their own, through unbelievable ad- veterans of

Third Article. *Travelling with two chauffeure is not the luxury it looks; since there is only one of you, and there is always another of tho-e iron men to relieve the wheel, Nor can I decide whether an ex- professor of the German tongue, or an ex-road-racer, who has lived six years abroad, or a Marechal des Logis, or a brigadier makes the most trusting driver throngh Italian landscape of carefully. three-mile stretches of military drawn billa stadded with small Bown the dragon's testb, not in traffic, reposted at half Villages a plain ith a road and orderly furrows, but broadcast, hour intervalé. Sometimes it river in the foreground, and until, borrified by what arose, be had emptied out the whole bag was motor-ambulances strong all all-revealing afternoon light upon and flad. But these were no new

town seemed so barren, I met new ideas and weapons which, 20 soon as the Boohe thinks his ban along a level; or supply; or those everything. The hilla smoked and

there a French general whom I mastered them, are discarded for eternal big gana coming round shook and bellowed. An obser- warriors. The record of their mere pitched battles would have

would have gone very far to have with trees chained on their loog|vation balloon climbed up to sea;

encountered. He, like the others, backs to puzzle aeroplanes, and while an aeroplane which had satiated a Napoleon. Their regi

"The Boobe is above all thing1 their leafy, big-shell limbers snort- nothing to do with the strife, but ments and batteries had learnt to

created and tempered an army for The big guns followed them,

certain work in a certain place, observant sad imitative," aid one ing behind them. In the rare was merely training a beginner, achieve the impossible as a mat- breathing-spaces men with rollers ducked and swooped on the edge or of contine, and in rolo with that long-sosed air of detach

and its hand had been heavy on who counted quite a few "Boobss months they had scarcely forament peculiar to the bread. The

the Boche. We talked of what dead on the front of his sector. and road-metal attacked the road. of the plain. Two rose-pink pil-week, lost direct contact with gunuer at my side made no com-

the Frenchwoman was, and had when you present him with a In pease the roads of France, lars of crumpled masonry, guard- thanks to the motor, were gone ing some onefully-trimmed ever death. We went down the line ment. He was content to let his

done, and was doing, and extolled new idea, he thinks it over for a too good. In war they stand the | gresos on a lawn half buried in and looked into the syes of those Army speak for itself, but when handles material and troops. With her for her goodness and her day or two. Then he presents incessant traffic far better than they rubbish, represented a hotel me with the usul bayonets and one big gun in a sticky place fell her, as with us, the wounded splendid courage. When we part is riposte.

ad I went back and made my pro- did with the tourist. My imprea where the Crown Prince had once ria; the packs that could almost out of alignment for an instant I fier of experience goes back to sion-after some 700 miles print stayed. All up the hillside to stow themselves on the shoulders saw his eyebrows contract. The the drill-ground to train the new foundest apologies to Janny, who ed off on ma at between airy and our right the foundations of that would be strange without Artillery passed on with the same lovies. But it was alwaye the must have had a mother. The them; at the splashed guns on inhuman speed and silence as the little crowded, defiant villages, pale, overwhelmed town did not METODty kilometree-was of uni-houses lav out, like a bit of tripe. their repaired wheels and the Line; and the Cavalry's shattering and the civil papalation waiting now any longer resemble a wo- form excellence. Nor did leame with the aarabine in their square

unweariedly and cheerfully on the man who had fainted, but one apon any smashes or breakdowns hollows. Suddenly a bad began easy-working limbers. One could trumpets closed it all,

feel the strength and power of the

They are like car cavalry in anwearied, cheerful army, that who must endure in public all to play up the hill among some in that distance,and they were certainly trying thom hard. Nor, reee, and an officer of local one feels the flush of heat that their horses are in high con- went closest to the heart. Take manner of private woo, and still which is the greater marvel, did guards in the new steel sati- the generals' cars arrived there getting past the barbed wire one where during a journey: A knot ing, keeps her soul and is clearly

from off sean-baked wall. When dition, and they talk hopefully of these pictures, caught almost any with handa that never cease work we kill anybody; though we did shrapnel helmet, which is like the mirsoles down the streets to avoid seventeenth century ellat, sugas no load word or galloping of those daye and coming into af little children in difficulties strong for herself and for her babes, kittens, and chickens. The gested that we should climb and about. The lakes of men gather their own. Meantime, they are with the village water-tap or high-men.

ed into straight-edged battalions; employed on" various work as re- bandlad pamp. A soldier, beard- land is used to every detail of war, and to its grime and horror and kindly man, and to speaking Eng-the batteries aligned a little; aquisite," and they all sympathise ed and fatberly or young and

The guns began to speak again makeshifts, but also to war's on-lish had disoɔvered (as I do when quadran re ned back or spurred with our roughrider of dragoons slim and, therefore, rather shy of among the hills that we dived ventures. They long-suffering, and the gaisty that ler to stick to one gender. Himooth a the certainty with spare in the trenches. If he had toward and lifts the pail or swingselimbed; forest and wet rooke twenty-one, possessed of the sin. comes, thank God, to balance over-choice was the feminine, and the drewe and levele it at the required wasn't going to be buried as such. smallest babe swang high in air the sound of waters trickling follow with men se single-minded 8 man used to the pistol die as a damned infantry man, he the bandle. His reward, from the closed round us in the mist, togle ideal to kill-which they whelming material loss.

A few pessnot women A troop horse of a fi saking squad-cr, if he is an order man, pressed alongaida; there was a tang ofse themselves. Battlefield tactics saw the generals slight. The ron decided that he had had against his knees, is a kies. Then wet forn, cat pine, and the first do not exist. When a whole há ming low as swallows along the Lot's wife. His rider(we all watched aeroplanes, which had been akim. enough of war, and jibbed like Bobody langue. *

breath of autumn when the road tion goes to ground there can be Or a fat old lady making entered a tunnel sad a new world none of the victories" of the

wicked-Alsace. root of the line (their's must have him) ranged about till he found a oration against some

old bookish days. But there is boon a superb view), ascended stick, which be asad, bat without young soldiers who she says, leisurely, and waited on" like effect. Then he got off and lod know what has happened to a parts thoughtfully: "The min ohemed amashing of a fall trench, Said the Governor of those always the killing the well. harks. Then followed the in the horas, which was evidently certain Lottle of wine. "And I thing was to get those factory the rashing out and the mowing spection, and one saw the two what the brate wanted, for when meant it for all-es, for all of chimneys smoking again." (They downing of its occupants; the gara, tall and short, growing the man remounted the jibbing you this evening, instead of the were doing so in little fits and ansuspicions battalion far in the smaller side by side along the began again. The last we saw of thieves who stole it. Yes, I tell villages all along.) "You won't rear, located after two nights ex- white roid, till far off among the him was

one immensely lonely you-atole it!" Toe whole street see any girl, bessuse they'io a treme risk alone among rubbish cavalry they entered their cara figure leading one had but happy bears her; so does the officer, who work in the textile factories. Yes, of masonry, and wiped out as it mant; P. When they had finished path among the trees, stood again, and moved along the horiz-horse aorces on abaniqtely emply pretends not to, and the amused it isn's a bad country for summer cate or washes itself; and, more one; they reached back and pulled priest and three or four officers, to another rias of grey-greau world. Think of his raception half-battalion up the road. The hotels, but I'm afraid it won't do rarely, the body-to-body encounter out another through the window. They watebed the battle, and

the sole mar of 40,000 who had young men express penitence; she for winter sports. We've only with animals removed from the "The army will move aorosa fallenont hole behind them, talking and claimed the great barse of smoke where you are standing. Get to

growls like a thunderstorm, bat, matra of snow, and it doesn't lie, protection of their machinery, laughing the while. A cart had for one side or the other, at the

softening at last, cuffs and drives a flank," somoone said, to be manoeuvred out of what had some time as they kept an eye on

them affectionately before her except when you are hauling when the bayonets get their Then, of chance, The Boobs does not at An Army in Motion,

Tasy are all one family.

gone up mountains. been a farmyard to take the hope the f ckering aeroplane. "Oare," to market. A thick broad, fair they said half ander their breath. of that immobile host when it all and the Minister for Wor; the in a ploughed field that is dotted below there. Pity it's too misly to mutilated, or used as a protection

We were no more than well clear

Or a girl at work with horses courap, it drifts and freeze like all like mesting men whose wo Davos. That's our new railway menfolk he has dishonoured or haired wench, of the sort that "Theirs," "No, not ours that surged forward, headed by mas army passed out of sight oror the with graves. The machine must Millet drew, flung all her weight one-theirs!... Thrt fool ia ed bands playing a tune that rides to the mosth; the peasant avoid eaob sacred plot. So, hande

pen the view."

against ballete, It is not that on a spoke and brought the cart banking

too steep... That'e sounded like the very pulse of women atooped again to their on the ploughstilte, her hair dr. nothing in the Governor to show They do not waste time in that Bat for his medals, there was these men are angry or violent. forward into the street. Then she Boche shrapnel. They always France,

work on the fields, and wet misting forward, she shouts sad that he was not English, He WAY. They kill him. shook herself, and, bandaoo bipe, buret it high. That's our big. danced a little defiant jig in berguo behind that bill.... Hell Staff, and the French Minister of ozo tingled with the electricity rane up and swings the team out Indian frontier command.

The two generale, with their shut down on all the plain; bat wrenches till her little brother might have come straight from an The Business of War, abots as she went back to get the drop his machine in the street if War, were on fuo: orar a patob that bas passed. Now one knows of the furrow. Every sepect and

The French are less retisant horro. Another girl came across he doesn't take care.... There of very green luc:rue. They what the solidarity of civilies ion detail of life in France seems over of type

One notices this approximation than we about strooition commit a bridge. She was precisely of cosa a trench-swooper. Those made about twenty figures in all. ane. Later on the civilised laid with a smooth ratius of long-ranks, and many of the janiors atrocities form part of their lives. in the higher ted by the Boche, because those the opposite type, slender creamy last two were theirs, but that”- The care were little grey blocks nations will know more, and will continued war everything except re skinned, and delicate-featured. it was n'fall roar—“was ours."

against the grey skylito. There wonder and laugh together at the spirit of the people, and that game cloth an aure. They get ports of Commissions and vague. of the very They are not tucked away in re- Aho carried a brand-new broom

was nothing clae in all that groat their old blindness. When Lord is as fresh and glorious as the whatever fan may be going; their y referred to as 300 awful." over her aboulder through that

plain except the army; no sound Kitchener went down the line, sight of their own land in sun-performances are as incredible Later on, perhaps, we shall be bat the changing notes of the before the mob past, they say bine. aeroplanes and the blasted im-that he stopped to speak to

and outrageous as the language reserved in our turn. But they

Farm Life Amidst War.

There was a village that bad boon stamped flat, till it looked older than Pompeii. Tuers were Dot thres roofs left, nor one whule house. In most places you saw straight into the cellare. The hope were ripe in the grave-dotted ids round about. They had been brought in and piled in the bere agiling of a dwelling,

Women sat on chairs on the pave

picking good

desolation, and bore herself with the pride and grace of Queen Iseult. The furm-girl came out

ading the boree, and as the two young things passed they roddet

Boche described 89 "she!" throughout made me think batter

of myself, which is the essence of friendship. We olimbed a fight of old stone steps, for generatione the playground of little children, and found a round shore, and batalion in billets, recreating sucmselves with excellent music and a little horseplay on the outer edge of the crowd. The trouble is the hills was none of their busi

ness for that day.

Still higher up, a

Behind the German Lines.

The valley held and increased the sounds till they seemed to hit our bill-ide like a sea.

asked.

and smiled at each other, with the feet. delicate tangle of the hoprinee at their foot,:.

The guna spoke earnestly in the where the Crown Prince was hinsi north. That was the Aronne ly getting rid of a few thousands

which

moment.

plain.

The Boche as Mr. Smith.

The commander of that army Corps came up to salate. The cars went away with the generals

B

cut out

эго

inventive

plios

A change of light showed pression, rather than noise, of the general who had been Mars' and's A City and Women, in which they describe them do not talk of them with sny bab villago, exquisitely pencilled atop feet of men on soft ground. They Chief of Staff at the time of bills which knew itself to be a ing, and I overheard the tail end little appeals in a "public opin We found a oily among afterwards ie bald, but contine bling heat or bleat or make funny of a bill, with reddish baze at its came over a slight ridge, so that Fashoda. And Fashoda was one prise greatly coveted by the Kai- of a yarn told by a child of twenty on that, like the Bob, e

one saw the curve of it first fur- [of several cases when civilisation "What is that pleas?" rad, then grassed, with the tips of very nearly manoeuvred into fight. at, a desirable, and an insolent veiled in the obscurity of theme that this must be pro hav ser. For, truly, it was a pleas to some other babes. It was gone underground. It occurs to bayonete which immediately growing with itself for the King of The prices replied in a voice as to full baight, and then beneath Prussia," ad the saying goes. The city. Ite streets were full of life; French tongue, and the points overy Frenobman has hith sint. It is in the loche lines fantry. The epend, the thrast, Bicho is best fealifed from French moet sa big as Harrod's and full but I imagine them beltern among soil alles. Whether be live ons deep se an organ: That is the poured the wonderful in all embracing vileness of the it boasted an establishment al-were loss in shouts of laughter and his chenos, direct or indirect, Its condition is pitisbla

the drive of that broad blue mass oil, where they have had large of buyere, and its women dressed his equals displays just as much till alive. Whether be lice out order to secure himself the rever. 'rolled up and diminished and re- the sea grand how such speed someone oburved; "we ought to } grace, as bofits ladies who, at any ters as out, own, boys do. The weats the big guns ap tha'arents': The thunders and the smokee was like a tide-race up an arm of experience of it. "And yet,” me / and shod themselves withesreand reverence for his elders and bet in a sandwich of damp earth, oF. sion of his father's throne. No newed themselves, but the small could go with such weight, and have known that s race who have bombs from seroplanes, And both armies so dass loaded barge into the very we

may be ripped into rage by apilogus, at least, was as old as behind the trees, or brings the fat, man likes losing his job, and when children romped up and dawn bow auch weight could be in it- bought anonymous letter-writing atlast the inner history of the old one meps; the beginner's self so absolutely under control, to the highest pitch in their own there was nother city whose po- “And what did he say then 7" of the city, where the thill- this war coches to be writion, we aeroplane unsteadily based its filled one with terror. All the dirty Comit affairs would certain palation seemed to be all soldiers "Ou, the meal thing. He gone wait, or spende may find that the people we mis own shadow over, the folds; and while the band, ons for headland, |ly usa the same methods in their training; and yet another held his breath till I thought he'd pled years at the harvest, he is do- Book for principale and prime the soldiers in billets asked the was telling them and telling them foreign politics. Why dión's wa / Hiven up to big guns ind ammu- burst, Then be damned me in ing his work to that end

of his father's faithful subfots in

agents were only average incom- band for their favourite tunes.

- if they did not knowi➡of realise 7

Time

mition-an er raordinary might. hope, and I took good care to! (Go

ast ori