THE ENTERPRISE OF KRUPPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2303, 10 November 1914, Page 7

THE ENTERPRISE OF KRUPPS

,; FACTORY NEAR. MAUBEUGE. ' The siege and fall of Maubeuge haa thrown a curious light on the methodical and unscrupulous: manner in which Germany prepared for her invasion of France. Modern fortifications are proof against everything except the heaviestsiege artillery, and, as is well known, before it can bo mounted against a town gun platforms, carefully 'levelled, supported with masonry, and . accurately calculated to lake the weight of the gun, must be prepared. Tins is a long and delicate operation. In 1870-71 the big Krupp' guns of the Catillon batteries were brought up to Paris about the end_ of November. The weather was against them, and none of them were able to fire a shot until the very end of December. At Maubeuge the heavy artillery opened fire immediately it was brought up. As soon as the guns arrived via Belgium they were mounted on their carriages, which were already in place on . platforms that had been got ready and had been waiting for them for several years. The "Matin" gives tho following explanation of .this amazing fact. The woods of L'aniores,' which cover, an area of about 1000 apres, four miles from tlifi fortross of.Maubeuge, wore in 1911 put up for sale in lots. , The largest of thesu lots, with an area of nearly 600 acres, passed into the hands of a certain 'Gilbert Marty, landowner at Brussels," hut its real purchaser was Frederick Krupp. This fact, announced by the "Matin at the time, was confirmed by notes in the "Cologne Gazette," the "Cotirrier de la Bourse," and by the circulars of a French bank at Nancy. Moreover, the Krupp Company publicly announced its intention of building on the land in question a locomotive faotory. Unfortunately engines were not the only output of that factory. Silently and l secretly in time of peace it constructed all the gun platforms required for the Imperial siego artillery, which, when the day came ti.bombard Maubougo, found them all ready waitiilg on the spot.