TURN OF THE TIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 136, 2 November 1914, Page 6

TURN OF THE TIDE.

THE'GERMAN RETREAT. I j LURED INTO A TRAP. SUCCESS OF ALLIES' STRATEGY. How the Germans were lured toward Paris until the moment came for the Allies to sfrike is finely told by a correspondent of the London Times, writing from France on September 6. The narrative is as follows:-^-The German advance on Paris was pushed forward towards the end of last week with tremendous speed and force—a fact testified to by the stream of refugees which flowed in front of them. It was not, however, a direct advance. Thanks to the steady pressure of the French and English, and to the fact that the main body of the Allied forces was, known to have retired to the southeast of the capital, the invaders decided to sweep down and surround before attacking the city. It seems clear that they expected to pierce the Allies line at a point to the cast of the Forest of Fontainebleau, and that at the same time the French forces along the River Oourq, close to its junction with the Marne, would be -pierced. That is to say, it was proposed to cut the (Allied army in two—drive one part of it in disorder into the capital and surround the other part in the open country.

UHLANS IN CHANTILLY. Very sure were theso arrogant Teutons that no serious obstacle lay in their path to the coveted prize—Paris. Ten days ago a body of them entered the town of Chantilly, the French racing centre, and I have it from an Englishman who was present and who witnessed the scene that the idea seemed to prevail that all serious opposition was at an end.

I Skirmishing and looting—though II must be acknowledged that ,in many cases payment was oll'erod by the invaders —the host of General Kluck made its way down across the Marne and the Grand Morin to Sezanne and Proving. The crossing of these rivers was always a difficult matter because the French in their retreat had blown up the bridges. But little opposition was met with. Opposition, I believe, was not intended at this stage. The Allies, on the contrary, led their enemies straight into the trap. I witnessed a little of this work, and I know of a splendid "lead" which tho British cavalry gave to the Germans — how, in a style that is good to think of, they fetched these over-eager Teutons mile after mile "across country"— tho Germans believing that the Englishmen were running away. With overweening confidence the mighty host of the Kaiser rolled down to 'Proving. All was swept away before it. The stream of refugees which passed me night and day during the week-end, and which I encountered at a hundred different points, tohls its own sad tale. Everywhere was terror and despondency. "Fly," they told me. "They are hero." From Troyes the story came, from No-gent-Sur-Seine, from Koniilly.

SCENE OF THE BATTLES. The land upon which the great battle, changing the aspect of the war, was fought, consists of high plateaux, woods and streams running betwixt deep banks. It is amongst the most beautiful in France. Forming a great loop to the north is the Marne, whieh flows into the Seine just outside of Paris. This river gives off at Meaux a tributary, the i Ouraj, which runs at first due north and , then west. Sweeping south-east, tha : Marne passes by Vitry-le-Francois. The country south of the Marne, which up till Sunday was occupied entirely by tho enemy, is intersected from east to west 1 by to the North the Petit Morin, flowing into the Marne, and to the south the Grand Morin, flowing into the Seine, which latter river flows through Sezanne. To the east near the Marne the the great swamps of St. Gond, to the west tho Seine and the forest of Fontiiinebleau, This we have a series of rivers running east to west, while encircling the whole are- the &><9nc to file- south and the Marne to the north and east. Between the rivers are woods and plains.

THE EXCOrXTKIt BEGINS. On Friday, September 4, the encounter may be said to have begun. On that day in the neighborhood of the Grand Morin River the Knglish attacked the Germans, who had advanced somewhat too hurriedly for their artillery to be able to keep pace 'with them, and took a number of prisoners. The engagement was an exceedingly hot one, and as a result of it the enemy were cheeked to some extent in their forward movement. •Saturday, however, saw the advance continued, and .it was not until Sunday morning that the great attack on the exposed right wing of the enemy began. This right wing lay in ,the region of Meaux at the junction of the Oiircq and the Marnc. Simultaneously with the attack irpon it battle was joined along the whole front Meaux, Esternay, Sezanne, Vitry-le-Francois, and extending to Verdun. The sound of cannon became audible from where I was, and it was clear by many signs that the tremendous encounter was in progress.

GEKMAXS GIVE WAY. i On Sunday night the Germans began to go back. They re-crossed the Grand Morin and removed to the plateau above Sezanne. The battle, nevertheless, went on furiously—as the trainloads of wounded which kept passing me all night showed only too clearly. "It was a snowstorm of shells,' one soldier told me. The fighting that Sunday was of terrible character. It began at dawn. In the region of La Fcrte Gaucher the Allied troops, who were drawn up to receive the Germans, understood that it would be their duty to hold on to the rery last in order that the attacking force at Meaux might achieve its task in security. "And we held on!" Meanwhile the cannonade to the north-west was terrific. Even after the resistance at La Forte Gaudier had grown weak that other continued. li lasted all night and until late on Monday. The enemy were repulsed then on the south. At the same moment they were being hotly attacked on the west at Meaux and on the banks of the Ourcq. On Monday the lighting around 'Meaux reached'a terrible pitch of ferocity. The Germans had determined to cross the Manic here so ns to break up the Allies and open the .way to Paris. They made tremendous attempts to construct bridges over the river. The French had blown up all the existing bridges, and covered the river with their heavy guns. Time a'fter time the enemy's engineers attempted to place their pontoons in position. Each time as soon as the work began, a hail of shells descended. Tho losses were terrific.