On French Soil.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 97, 19 September 1914, Page 5

On French Soil.

A NEW ARMY PACES THE GERMANS. IS IT THE INDIAN FORCE? THE ENEMY RETREATING. Received 18, 0 p.m. London, Sept. 17 (afternoon). The Daily News special correspondent asserts that a new army, of secret composition, has arrived against the Germen'B right, which is retreating in front el the Aisne. The battle corers over a hundred miles. GERMANS' FATAL MISTAKE. SHOOTING DOWN THEIR OWN SOLDIERS. Received 18, 9 p.m. Paris, September 17. A Saxony officer admits that the German artillery near Malines annihilated a Prussian regiment, mistaking it for the French infantry; also that near a frontier Tillage two battalions of the 28th German infantry mistook one another for French, and shot down every man.

CROWN PRINCE'S ARMT. PROTECTED BY THE RIGHT WING. Paris, September 17. Lo Matin states that the German position north of the Aisne is based upon an important junction of railways which meets the German right, and the movement seeks only to cover the Crown Frince's retreat.

BRITISH ENGINEERS' GALLANTRY. RUSHING " A GATE OF HELL." Paris, September 1". A wounded private of cuirassiers relates tha-t the cuirassiers and British Royal Engineers retreated across the Aisne at Soissons. The Germans were endeavoring to rush masses across the bridge, and several of the Royal Engineers dashed at the bridge and laid a charge, hoping to blow it up. All were killed before the fuse was lighted. Another party of engineers crept up to the bridge, despite the machine gun 3 and the German sharpshooters, bidden in a clump of trees. The whole place was an inferno. First one engineer made a rush to this gate of hell, attempting to light the fuse. A volley from the sharpshooters shot him down. A second, third and fourth ran the gauntlet, but all were killed. Altogether eleven were shot down; then the German rifle fire Blackened and a twelfth raced across and lit the fuse. The German riflemen killed him as the bridge was blown up.

HIGHLY-COLORED TRAGEDY. GERMAN OFFICERS' BRUTALITY. Paris, September 17. Senator Paullist relates that the Germans occupying Lourches were systematically drunk. A French sergeant who was lying in a house wounded was maddened at a German lieutenant's insults to a French woman and seized a revolver and sho,t down the lieutenant, whereupon the captain ordered the arrest of fifteen miners and accused them of firing on the Germans. They were taken in couples and shot. The wounded sergeant lay on the ground awaiting his turn. Emile Dcspres, aged fourteen, gave him a glass of water. The German captain beat Dcspres with the flat of his sword and said he would be shot with the rest. Finally only Despres and the sergeant remained alive. The lad's eyes were bandaged and he was made Ito kneel. The captain waited a few minutes and ordered the bandage to bo removed, and said, "You wanted to give the sergeant a drink. Give him a bullet instead, and your life will be spared if you kill him." The boy pretended to aim the rifle, but turned and killed the captain instead. Despres and the sergeant were immediately riddled with bullets and stabbed with bayonets.

REPORTED NEW EXPLOSIVE. ITS USE DISCREDITED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, September 17. Referring to a report that German dead were found standing upright in trenches, a chemist declares that the French are using an explosive invented by M. Turpin, which requires a special gun, and produces the complete paralysis of certain organs of the body, causing an absolutely painless death to everybody within reach. Other authorities consider the stories unbelievable, saying that dead bodies are incapable of remaining in the position described. French capturers instantly remove prisoners' boots. The Germans, knowing this, git down when the French approach, unlace their boots, and hand Item over as pledges of good faitb.

PARAGRAPHS FROM PARIS. Received 18, 6.30 p.m. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, September 18. Parisians are greatly interested in an exhibition of war trophies, especially iu eleven cannon. Over twenty trains of German war material have been sent to Paris since the opening of hostilities. During the last week, sixty tannon, thirty machineguns and forty motor-vans were captured. It is a curious fact that Generals Joffre, Galliene, Pau and Castellan are all Southerners. This is considered a proof that the Latin peoples can play a waiting game, besides one requiring oouragc and dash. General Joffre and General Sir John French are both remarkable for their hnmanitarianism. Both have systematically saved their men and declined (battle when victory was only purchasable with terrific loss of life. The good results of this policy are now visible. General Joffre has now an immense reserve on whieh to call, and the resources of France are bv no means exhausted.

SHOT IN THE BACK FOR KINDNESS. Geneva, Scptemcbr 17. After a fierce fight in the Vosges, the Germans found a French soldier unconfcious and shouldered him and were conveying him to the ambulance, when another German soldier, shouting, "You are carrying a dirty Frenchman," shot the German in the l>acb, and the bearer and his burden fell and lay side by side fov long hours. They were Tescned on the arrival of the French troops and sent to • hospital in Savoy, where they arc now lying in adjoining beds.