NERVE-RACKING HAIL FROM UNSEEN FOE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2248, 7 September 1914, Page 5

NERVE-RACKING HAIL FROM UNSEEN FOE

TEN HOURS' TENSION I THE TRENCHES IMPRESSIONS OF A BRITISH LANCE-CORPORAL London, September 4. A lance-corporal of the Connaught Bangers, who was wounded, states that the disconcerting thing in the presont fighting is that the men seldom <seo the enemy. -, We lay ten hours in the trenches last Saturday," ho said, "with riilo bullets dropping like rain drops, but only saw a line of white puffs of smoke on the horizon when the Germans fired. "It is a big test of a man's fitness to be able to put up with this for a day without losing his nerve. We were lighting for throe days before we set eyes on the Germans, Then wo had plenty of hand to hand lighting. The Germans sacrifice men, for the sako of making au impression, in an appalling fashion. "Ono British position, dominated bv a German battery, clearly could riot be hold long'; yet tlio infantry attacked it in a long and never-ending stream. Our ride and gun fire toro hideous gaps in their ranks, and the Red Cross men afterwards picked up in that position alone eixteen hundred German dead and wounded. The British loss was only twenty. Wo are wondering how long the Germans can keep up this sort of thing." ' THE BRITISH RETIREMENT TO CHANTILLY. (Roc. September 6, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, September 5, morning. An English trainer described the British retreat from Compiegne to Chantilly. I'irst came motor-vans and motor-buses, like an avalanche racing down

tho road, the tooting making a deafening noise, .which echoed in the forest. The. drivers seemed to know the roads as if they had to travel them every day. Then camo tho soldiers, who had blown tip tho railway lines and bridges, and behind them tho peasants. Tho peoplo at all tho villages made a great fuss of the "Tommies," offering them eggs, butter, milk, cheese, fruit, meat, and fowls, whi'e tho publichouses offered drinks for nothing. By Tuesday evening Chantilly was ompty. Tho trainers got all tho horses away. English residents went to tho Maison Lafitte or to Paris. Every kind ot velnclo was utilised. Four hundred English stable lads were taken away by train.

GERMAN ARMY CORPS LEAVE FRANCE. ffiec. September 6, 5.5 p.m.) " „ . . ~ Paris, September 5. The "Matin's" Rome correspondent reports that five Gorman army corps, withdrawn from Belgium and the north of France, have arrived iii West Prussia. THE SEDAN ANNIVERSARY—SOME COMMENTS. , London, September 4. Berlin celebrated the anniversary of tho battle of Sedan with a military procession, in which captured French, Belgian, and Russian guns formed a prominent feaure.—("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) The "Times," in a leader, refers to the Russians' defeat of the Austrians on Sedan Day as "a fresh Sedan; the greatest defeat tho Ausfcrians have ever met on the battlefield. The. wonderful victory at Lemberg makes the battle of Wagram and Mack's surrender at TJlm small by comDarison." New York, September 4. The New York "Tribune" says: "After six months the German military bolt will be shot, but Russia and Britain will then only be beginning to exert their latent strength. Sedan Day, 1914, sees Germany confident and exultant; but what about Sedan Day, 1915 or 1916 ?" TJlm, an old-fashioned Bavarian town, on the Danube, was the scene in the autumn of 1805 of a crushing disaster inflicted on Austria. by Napoleon. The French Emperor, with a large army, had decided to invade Austria with the object of dealing a smashing blow at the Coalition of Austria and Russia, financially assisted by Great Britain tinder the policy of William Pitt, whoso S'ans were designed to crush Napoleon by mere weight of numbers. The ussians were advancing through Bohemia, to unite with the Austrians at tho junction of the Inn and the Danube on the Bavarian frontier. Tho united armies would have greatly outnumbered the French. In addition) Marshal Mack had taken up an advanced position at TJlm, with the object of gathering in all tho food supplies of Southern-Bavaria, and holding Napoleon until the allied armies came up. At Echlingeu and Heidhenhoim subordinate forces in the advance suffered reverses, and by October 16 he was surrounded in TJlm, which was bombarded by tho French. Hβ was unable with his undisciplined troops to stand a siege, and on October 22, tho day after Trafalgar, he surrendered with what was left of his array—23,ooo men. TJlm paved tho way for the crowning victory of tho Emperor, a.t Austcrlitz.on December 2, 1805, which laid tho Coalition low and all Europe at his feet. Tho battle of Wagram was fought nearly four years later. The battlefield is only eleven miles and a half north of Vienna. It was a sanguinary conflict, on July 5 and 6, 1908, and tho French, though victors, suffered oven more than the Austrians. On the French side were engaged 181,000 men, including 29,000 cavalry and 450 guns, out of which tho losses were 23,000 men killed and wounded, 7000 missing, and 11 guns. The Austrians, under Archduke Charles, lost out of an army of .128,600 (including 14,600 cavalry) and 410 guns engaged, 19,000 killed and wounded, 6740 missing, and 9 guns. Napoleon's army suffered so badly that ho was quite unable to follow' yip the tactical victory, and tho Austrian Army was withdrawn, unbeaten and still available for a renewed offensive. Wagram was won by a charge of 30,000 men under Maedonald in a hollow square, and tho Austrian artillery was so deadly that it is estimated that out of tho 30,000 only 3000 actually delivered the" attack. About , 3000 were killed and wounded, and 24,000 evaded their duty somehow. In many respects the battle was very similar to those the Germans aro fighting to-day: tactical gains at the cost of huge losses. It cannot he compared with the great Russian victory of Lemberg .

'WHEN PEAOE TERMS 'ABE MADE: ALLIES UNITED. (Rec. September 6j 6.5 p.m.) London, September 5, evening/ Official.—Britain, France, and Russia havo agreed not to coi:elude- pcaco separately during the. war. They have agreed also that when peace is discussed .none of them will demand terms without their Allies' assent. ' ,\