HOW GERMANY PREPARES FOR WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2339, 4 November 1908, Page 7

HOW GERMANY PREPARES FOR WAR.

SYSTEMATIC THOROUGHNESS. A striking illustration of the quiet but determined manner in which Germany strengthens its military position in Europe is supplied by an -anonymous, but evidently well-inform-ed, writer in the July “Fortnightly.” About 12 years ago there was quite a flutter in French military circles at the announcement that the Germans were . establishing a camp at Maimed v, close to the Belgian frontier. It was at onco realised that such a position would make an excellent base for a dash through part of Belgium, over the Ardennes, into France. The German- Government at once hastened to explain French fears away. It pointed out that the camp was not to be at Malmedy, hut on the wild moorland 10 miles and a half from the nearest railway, and that was only a branch of a comparatively unimportant line from Cologne and Bonn to The Eiffel. To remove all suspicion, the Germans declared that the E-lsenborn camp was only a small and tentative enterprise, that it had been selected as a -place for making artillery experiments, because the region was barren; and practically uninhabited. The French were invited to go and see for themselves, .and some of the officers did. Thus all apprehension was lulled to rest. Now,. it seems, startling developments have taken place at Elsenborn. The writer of the article has recently visited it, and describes the once “harmless and inoffensive camp” as being rapidly converted into a formidable menace. It has -been -brought into direct communication with the general railway system of Germany, and now lies only about two miles from iSourbrodt, a station whence trains run into Germany -and into Belgium. “In addition to a fine metalled road, a tramway for the conveyance of stores, ammunition, and building material has been laid down alongside the .road, and establishes steam communication, rigidly reserved for the military, between a siding at Sourbrodt and the interior of the camp.” The secrets of the camp are considered important enough to be carefully guarded from the world, but our writer managed from outside the cordon of sentries to see barracks capable of accommodating 20,000 men. Besides these, it Fas provision for two regiments of cavalry, and for several batteries of artillery, also an aerostatic station, and a gasometer for inflating balloons. “"With regard to the garrison permanently quartered here,” says the writer, “it is difficult to speak with positive assurance, hut. there are certainly two cavalry regiments—one of the Cuirassiers and the other of Hussars. But the strongest arm of all is the artillery, and its three branches —viz., horse, field, .and siege or fortress, are all represented. The due. complement of engineers and train is not wanting, so that the force at .Elsenborn. is one fully equipped to take the field at an hour’s notice. As to its strength, there can never be less than 8000 men in the camp, and its present dimensions are equal to the accommodation of a force at. least three times that number. Besides, the unoccupied portion of the heath is available for an improvised encampment, and quite 100,000 men could he collected .and kept there without the least difficulty.’ the point is that the camp cannot be required for defensive purposes. It is out- of the possible line of a French invasion of Germany. The . obvious conclusion is that the camp is a factor in some offensive scheme of strategy. It must be meant as the takeofF or base for an advance through a corner of 'Belgium upon Franco. A remarkable side-feature of the situation is that Belgium has taken no step to interpose any obstacle to the contemplated violation of its neutrality in. the event of war. between France and -Germany. “Without believing in the literal accuracy of the statement that a secret offensive and defensive treaty has for some time existed between Belgium and Germany, I have reason,” says the “Fortnightly” contributor, “to know that the relations between the Governments of the little State and the big Power hive long been most cordial, ancl I do not think it would require 24 -hours to conclude and sign a treaty of that purport, not secretly, but openly.”