WAR NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 75, 18 August 1914, Page 3

WAR NOTES

"l-N'DER THE MAILED I'IST." OUS'TKASTEI) WITH BRITISH FREEDOM. One of tTre most stirring speeches made recently at a meeting of Feilding farmera recently was given l>y -Mr Oscar Monrad, of Palmerston. Ho referred to the true national spirit tint was growing, 'but the full extent, he said, h«d not yet been expressed. It was experience that taught, and he could speak .feelingly on the matter. He was not a German, but a Dane, he said, and he 'proceeded to refer to the fact that the provinces of Schleswig-Holstein were .taken from the Danes by Germany after 'the war of lSiil. That was fifty years .ago, but the people of Schleswig still bated the Germans, who ruled with the "mailed fist." Contrast that feeling with that of the Boers, he said. It was only a few years ago since the British conquered the Boers, and had given them .their liberty. Now what did we lind? The Boers were actually wanting to light for good old England and the liberty her subjects enjoyed. If it had not been for Germany's accession of SchleswigHolstein, then: would he no Monrad in ,K(!W Zealand. This, he continued, was going to he a big fight. There was no , room for the shirker, but Britain would 'conquer. He prayed to Ciod that the world would never see such a conflict again, and if it was His will that the German aims should now gain the victory, we must abide by it. However, speaking from the experience of his .people in Denmark, he sincerely trusted that that day would never come, and -that England would find in her far-off Dominions a band of loyal p'eacc-loving people willing to make' all manner of sacrifice that British rule and liberty might still obtain. (Applause). THE FRAXCS-TIREURS. Already Germany has threatened to punish inexorably—and that means shoot on the spot— apy Francs-tireurs captured. In the campaign of 1870-1871 the Prussians did the same thing, for tne Francs-tireurs proved themselves a terrible force. They really are "freeshooters." or irregular troops. Originally they were rifle clubs or unofficial military societies, and prior to 1870 they were very 'popular. Many of them have characters which could not be examined too closely, but their patriotism is undoubted. They wore no uniforms, elected their own officers, and insisted on procuring the very best rifles. When war broke out with Prussia these expert riflemen worked in small bands, and the,- levied toll upon the invading armies. They blew up culverts on the German' lines of communication, cut off small reconnoitring parties, rushed small posts, anil even the Germans admitt"! that these intrepid civilians paralysed large detachments of the invaJing force. Their most (taring success war when they blew up the Moselle railway bridge at Fontcnay, but oftentimes tney fought valiantly. Active bands of Francs-tireurs hung about the flanks and rear of the German armies, and anv of them that fell into the hands of the enemy were, as a rule, very promptly shot. OBSTACLES IK BELGIUM. Even with Liege in their possession the Germans have not overcome every obstacle in the line of their advance through Belgium. Further up the valley of the Mouse, at the .junction of that river with the Sambre, is the town and fortress of Xamur, distant from Liege about forty milei. To any army invading Franc.'. N'amnr is a place of supiein.' importune!-. Xear it are several line bridges crossing either the Meuse or the Sambre. and railway lines run north, we-4, and south, and these lines, together with branch lines, make the town one of strategical value. From Nanuir to the French frontier near Manbcic'c. a place mentioned as one of the objectives of the German forces, is only about thirty-live-or forty miles, while th,i 'frontier to the sout/h near Ginet is much nearer. Xamur has been the scene of many battles. In ISSS the Belgians iidopted a new system of defenoe, so abandoned the old citadel, and in its place constructed nine modern forts at a distance of from three to five miles from the town. All these forts, which nre claimed to be bomb-proof, occupy elevated positions, and are as follow: — St. Ilerikerl, Mabonne, Snarlee. Lmnies, Cogucllc.-, Gelbressee, Maizeret, Amlov and Dave. Xamur, in addition to its forts, possesses many natural advantages for deience. and in the hands of a pluckv garrison may cause the invaders much'trouble AIODKRX EXPLOSIVES. Till uixnit forty-eight years ago, gunpnv.'dcr p-mained the greatest force that jnau could safelv use. More powerful explosives have been discovered, but they weie 'not used owing tn the danwr incurred by handling them. In ISCfi the

Swedish chemist, Nobel, mixed nitroglycerine oil with a porous earth, pro,ducing a material resembling sawdust in Hppcareance. This substance he called d.\ namite. In the ordinary way dynamite may !):> kicked about and set alight and even fired from a gun without exploding. But. by using a small quantity of fumilttte of mercury, expanded suddenly in a gaseous form, a pressure of more than half a million pounds to the square inch is obtained. The explosive wave set up is too strong to be resisted even bv tlie dynamite, the gases of which expand with smashing force. Purely by accident Xobel. discovered a still more powerful explosive, half as strong again as dynamite, which he termed gelatins. .This is a mixture of gun-cotton and nitro gl'. cerine, and this mixture, under the mime of cordite, is used in practically all modern guns. Cordite looks something like a cord of gntta pcrc.ha, varying in color from light to dark brown, and is slightly elastic. This compound has revolutionised the science of warfare on land and sea. When lired, jit produces comparatively little smoke to cloud the scene of 'battle, and yet it can drive bullets to a distance undreamt of by riflemen of 50 years ago, and can discharge a broadside of several tons of steel to a distance of over SO miles. More terrible still than the cordite used in our guns and firearms is the 'picric acid explosive that is employed to burst the shells sent from our great guns. But pierie preparations have too smashing an effect to serve as propellant explosives. They shatter any gun, but they can be placed inside a shell fired by a tremendous charge, of cordite, and they will not explode until the shell strikes -home with devastating effect. Yet picric acid was employed solely for years as a yellow dye. No thought was given to its terrifically destructive properties until its latent powers wero revealed by .a disastrous explosion in a dyeing factory. HOW TO HOLD AN EMPIRE. .. AGAINST A COVETOUS SIIVAL. "It is an. undeniable conclusion," stated a shrewd authority over two years ago, "that although the size of contemporary armaments, the interrelationship of the European and their knowledge of 'One another, render war unlikely on frivolous grounds, yet the possibility of it ia constantly 'resorted to, and the power to wage it is the only final appeal when nations disagree. In these conditions of international existence it is perfectly plain .0 all who do not refuse to understand palpable -nibs that an Empiie such as the British, which has conquered and annexed harbors and territories now coveted by growing and restless rivals, , can only continue to exist if it is prepared to put forth superior strength in defence, than is available to attack KAt present a fraction of the British resources seems sufficient for the purpese. i . . . Bu.. a time is rapidly approach- : ing when a strictly .economical «om- , bination of 'her financial, naval and 1 military po»cr will riot be in excess of j tlie forces reuuired to maintain her high position among tli<e naJona." THE POSITION IN JAPAN. Upon the. declaration of war between Britain and Germany, Japan declared that she was prepared to act in accordance with the spirit of her alliance' with Britain. By the terms of the An-glo-Japanese Alliance of MUG, which was ruicwed in 1911, Britain and Japan pledged themselves to preserve the common interests of sill Powers in China by insuring her integrity and independence, as well as tilt, principle of equal oppoi'- ■ tunitius for the commerce and industry of all nations within her borders. They agreed, on the other; hiand, to maintain their own territorial rights in 'J'ji.ster'n Asia and India, and to come to ea*-h other's armed assistance in the event of those rights 'being assailed by uny olhier Power, 'Cr Powers. Thenava! strengtii of Japan is as follows:--Four Dreadnoughts, six (battle-cruisers, 10 i pi'e-Di'ciulnoug'ht 'battleships', nine armoured cruisers, 13 cruisers, 55 destroyers. VA submarines, 03 torpedu-hoats. Two of the Dreadnoughts, the Scttsu and Kawae'ii, carry each 12 li'in guns, while the Aki and Satsuma have four 12in and 11 loin guns. Five of the pre-Dreudinught battle-ships ;,u about equal to the British King Edward mounting foui 12in, with a heavy bit. tery 'of §in guns. The battle-cruisers Kongo and Ifiyel are very powerful vessels of their class, each, carrying eight •14m and l(i din guns. The other four are less powerful than the Australia, each carrying four l2in as their main tironament, with secondary batteries of Bin or Oin weapons. The Japanese Army comprises 10 divisions, and it is estinifl.ed that the mobilisable tvi'.v strength is 1,40U,(1!W men. of which the peace, strength is about 2811,000. Japa.ii has n fine auxiliary Heel, comprising II) modern liners, ranging froon 3(10(1 to 2il.llli:i toiin. These vessel.-, s'ome of which are on the Australian run, in time of emergency iv-ould carry Oin \ind 12-pounder guns. SAFETV OF MAILS. UNDER, HAGUE CONVENTION. : The Postmaster-General thinks it will allay public, anxiety U> publish an extract: from the Hague Convention '(l!)tl7) relating to the inviolability of postal eori'.esp; ndenee, as fol.ows: "«.onveiition (No. 11l relative to certain Ri-s.rk-tioiis on the Exc-rci.-;.. d.f the Right of Capture in 'Maritime War. ' "tIIAPTER T.—POSTAL CORR.E--■SPaVIJKNUO. "Article I. ' "The postal correspondence, of neutrals or belligerent.-, whatever its of'ficial or private character, found on board a. neutral (>■• enemy ship on U'e 'uigH sen- i( inviolable if the ship 's 'detained, the correspondence, is forward, d bv the. captor with the leas'. ] ossihli- delay. -The provision-- of the preceding paru'griph do not. in case of violation of blockade, aptly to con'c-po.iitH'/.'e proceeding to oi i'l'oni a blockaded port. Article 2. "The inviolability i f post:il corrcspoii'deiiei» il-es not exempt a neutral nr.iiib ship from 11-. laws anil en..Hints of I'inal war i < - '.:<•• t.iiiir neutral ncivliantmav no lie searched excetit when ab-o Irte'.v nr.-essa'.'V. and lilieti onl.- With a-

much consideration and expedition as possible." This, was signed by German.,, Au-irja, Hungary, Italy, Great Britain, France, 'Belgium, Japan, Netherlands, Seivia, iSwi.zurUuHl, Turkey. THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY. A FAIt-SEEING FOLIC*. In an editorial published a couple of 'daya .before Britain's participation in the European war was unncmiiecd, the -Mel'bouinii Age remarked thai should •the Empire become involved, Australians would ht.vu good cause to bless tin. far-seeing policy which induced them to undertake military training and to build up a local navy while peace still reigned ocrosti the world. "Noni of her Dominion*," the article proceeds, served Britain one tiithe as-well as we did when we assumed the bi.rdeii of icur own defence—awl mane especially by sett. Small as is our flcec, its presence here to-day mease an enormous, 'deal to England. It frees ler from fairs on our account. ' I* relieves her of the responsibility to wo.il-en her Home Fleets by sending sMps to guard our coasts and commerce; an J above all it has given Britain for immediate r&e in [European waters the imperial war ships that otherwise would be here and six weeks' journey distant from the scene of any possible naval battle. For our own part, the presence in Australian waters *>i our little navy handsomely guarantees us from the only danger that can, ibe immediately -apprehended—attack by raiding cruisers or armed privateers. It is a peril that, without • a navy of our own, .might conceivably reduce Australia to ruin. As v/e have shown ibefove, one hostile cruiser—iuul ■we no for:« to drive, it away—coul.l easily bottle up in port the e.iiole mass •f our mercantile marine, and bring the industrial and commercial life of the Commonwenith to a complete stop. Happily no such danger can beset us—■while we have our fleet; nor thottld we ever need to 'beseech japan, Britain's loyal Asiatic ally, to preserve us from disaster. THIB OFFICERS OF THE BIG ARMIES' The Austrian army inspectors are tlie Archduke Frederick, General von Brudermaim, Marsltal Poxiarek, General von Auffenbtrg. At the wheel of ,thv machine is the "genial hangman," Hoefzcndorf, Beneath General Joffre, chief of the general staff of the French Army, are the following "generals of armies":— Generals Gillicmi, Archinarl, Michel, Marion, Ghomer, Meunier, l/iffon de 'Lade-tat, Lumgle de Gary, Carricres de Castelnan, and Ruffey. Again, according to a reliable authority, the commanders of •the Russian military circles likely to take part in the war are:—General Balza (Karan;., General IvancfT (Kieff), Genen.l Plewe (Moscow), .General Nikitiri (Odessa), General Ska lcm (Warsaw-), General lenncnkampf (Vilna).