WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 155, 26 November 1914, Page 6

WAR NOTES.

SIR PERCY SCOTT RETURNS. Tho appointment of Sir Percy Scott to [ an important position at the Admiralty is not surprising when it is considered that Lord Fisher is at the head of affairs, as these two naval veterans were in harness at the Admiralty before. It is only fitting that Admiral Scott should bo in a position when he can take some of the honors which will fall to our fleet in battle, for the reason that no officer in the navy has had much to do with the proficiency of our gunlayers as Sir Percy. et*rt'i»3 vMi the gunlayen, af4 placing the dotter and deflection teacher in their hands to improve their shooting, he went further, and invented a machine to facilitate and improve the speed of loading operations. Finally, re invented an instrument to find the range for the men at tho gun. How he succeeded is shown by the battle-firing results of late years. Now all the bigger class of battleship are fitted with Scott's director, which enables the ofiicer controlling the firing to obtain such an accurate range than an erro rof 25 yards 'in 10,090 is an exception. No appointment, from a gunnery point of view, could have given greater satisfaction.

THE FORTRTSS OF VERDUN. Verdun has been a sensitive point in French military history from the earliest times, and in more recent years during the various wars between Franco and Prussia its position on the frontier on a line between Paris and Metz has naturally made it a position of great value. In Franco-German disputes, indeed, Verdun has a remarkable history, and in the wars of 1702 and IS7O, and now in the present conflict, it has been the scene of important operations. The Prussians took the town ill 17A2 and held it for 43 days, the French commander, General Beaurepaire, committing suicide before the place surrendered. The opening of the gates to the Prussians on that occasion greatly incensed the Revolutionary Government, who ordered the execution of a large number of inhabitants, including 14 ladies, whose crime was that of soliciting from the King of Prussia bis clemency for the town. Again, in the war of IS7O, Verdun figured prominently. The Prussians attempted to take the town by assault, but a brave resistance geatthem off, whereupon they invested and bombarded the place. For a time, the French held out, and one or two vigorous sallies were made, but in the. end they were forced to surrender. Over 400-1 men and a large quantity of ammunition fell to the victors, and the town was at last to be held by the Prussians, being relinquished by them in September 15 and 111, 1873. Its present position, and its strong fortifications make it a fortress of great value to the allies. Tt stands near the frontier, and overlooks the formidable German fortress—'Metz. The town is well surrounded by forts and. military works, there being' a line of some, sixteen large forts and "about a score of smaller ones around the town. The perimeter of the line of fortifications is about 50 miles.

WIIV ANTWERP FELL. The defences of Antwerp, especially regarding the arrangement or the. outer forts, were not planned to enpe with such artillery as the Germans used, says the London Times. The early davs of the siege showed that the outer forts were helpless against modern great guns. The weight of ti ;r , attack was primarily directed against Forts Waelhem anil \\ avre St. Catherine. These were defended with conspicuous gallantry. Many incidents were truly heroic in a defence which, from the first, was absolutely hopeless. When these forts had fallen the defence was concentrated on the line of the River Nethe. With anything like approximately equivalent artillery, the river might have been held indefinitely, even though the biggest German howitzers could have bombarded the city itself without crossing the river. The Belgians had not equivalent artillery. The experiences of the Belgian troops occupyng those trenches were terrible. The British marines, on their arrival, were immediately sent to relievo tiie Belgians, and occupy the same trenches, and they had to submit to the same experience. Nevertheless, both British and Belgians showed great pluck, and| when a chance came to use their rifles, beat back repeated attempts of the Germans to cross the river on the nights of October o and (i. Neither Belgians nor British need have any feeling but pride in the courage with which a desperate and forlorn hope was clung to. Many of the Belgian troops defending the city had been almost literally continuously under hre since Namur. The British troops were placed suddenly in a most trying situation. Both failed only because their task was beyond human capacity. Both deserve nothing but honor and admiration.