"RIVER OF BRIDGES"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3007, 19 February 1917, Page 7

"RIVER OF BRIDGES"

As ;i result of the Crown Prince's protracted' and costly assault on Verdun, the Mouse, in tho immediato vicinity, could to-day very consistently ohango its namo into that of "tho River of the Bridges." Venice, with its multitudinous canals and its oven more multitudinous bridges, cannot present a single kilometre of water that is as he-spanned with bridges as is any one kilometre of the Menso. Tho construction of those bridgos, which is one of tho most remarkable _ engineering feats of the entire war, is another of the veritable miracles of genius and'

organisation which the French Army performed to save Verdun. On every foot of tlio Mouse, extending north and south of Verdun, was kept by the Germans under a terrificbombardment. Coupled with' this i'nending hail of bursting shells came also tlio frequent inundations to which the Mouse- is subject, especially in the spring. Day after day spans of the bridges would be washed out before they could bo anchored firmly enough to misuro their permanency. Bursting shells likewise carried away span after snan, sqmetimos, just at the moment oT completion, sometimes while work was still progressing, and sometimes long after tlio entire bridge had been completed and was in liso. Yet never for an instant did the French engineers relinquish their work. The bridgOß promise to remain for a long time as a lasting tribute and monument, to the geiiTiis and perseverance of tlio French Army engineers.