WHERE THE FIGHTING IS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 115, 8 October 1914, Page 8

WHERE THE FIGHTING IS.

THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTRY. Properly to appreciate how it came about that a long and stubborn battle had to be fought along the line of the Aisne, it is necessary to study a relief may ot Northern France. West of; the , 0 lhc country lies low, except for downs near the Oise and rising ground on cither, sido of the Somme. But to the east and north-east of Paris theis upland country that lends itself to defence The important points in the line he.d by the Allies are Soissons and Kueiins. These towns do not grow ud by accident. Definite reasons are ahvat's to be found to account for tiie growth ot settlement, and the importance of Kheiins and Soissons in ancient times—both were tribal capitals in the days of tie Roman -occupation-lay in the fact that they were built where trade could conveniently be transacted and where there was much passing to and fro; The steep chalk country near Paris facilitated defence, and still serves that purpose, and this chalk ring extends for many nines, l.aon, built 011 a limestone liiii, boissons, Kheims and Epernay all control gaps in the chalk ring. Further out, •Sedan, Verdun, Cha!ons-sur-Alarne and | Troycs control,gaps in the limestow ring. It is precisely because they ,were suitable localities for the concentration of settlement in the ancient days that these places are strategically important to-day. Between Rheima and the Aisne there is high land, more -than 500 ft above sea level, and that is why the Germans have been able to hold on'so long to the south of the river at that point. Near Soissons the high ground is to' the north of the river, and so the line of the river-

there is held by the Allies, while the Germans are, entrenched to the north. Tracy-le-Mpnt, where the Germans made a fierce attempt to break the Allies' line, lies in the angle between the Oise and the Aisne, but even if thef had compelled the Allies to fall back they would have found the defenders occupying * still stronger position along the river eastward from Compeigne. If the Germans should be driven from their entrenchments, they will have nj convenient halting place till tfcey reach the edge of the Ardennes. Prom Laon, past St. Quentin, and out to the norta and west the country is all easy, so that lh« retreat would necessarily be to the north-east.