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Show GERMAN ARMY 13 IN GRAVE DANGER Topography of Country s Argued as Being Against the Teutons London, Feb. 20. It is held, onco a rcsoluto offensive is offered by tho allies both on land and sea, that tho Germans will speedily bo obliged to ovaeuato West Flnndors, which in I eludes tho littoral. A study of a map of Belgium shows that tho principal river in tho west Is tho Scheldt, a broad and dcop river navlgablo for Its entire courso through Uio country Into Franco. From tho Dutch frontier fron-tier through Antwerp up to Tamlso, It Is navigable to largo sea going steamers, and aftor that for tho usual usu-al largo barges. Us courso from tho estuary Is, roughly, north to south till tho fortifications of Antwerp are passed, then It boars west to Ghent, nnd from that city Its courso goes again southward. Detween this part of tho rlvor and tho coast, and practt cally parallel with It, flows tho Lys, u river of little iniportanco except lu si wet season. From Ghent to tho Dutch frontier, almost duo north, is tho rccontly opened ship canal to Tornouzen. Tho first serious German defenso is expected ex-pected to take tho lino of this canal from Sas von Gent, on tho Dutch frontier, to Ghent, and to continue tho courso southward of tho Scheldt, via Audcnnrde, Tournnl (Mont St. Aubcrt behind tho town commands tho country for many miles In all dl rectlons), Condo and Valenciennes. Then via tho reconstructed and formidable for-midable fortress of Maubeugo to Hlr-eon Hlr-eon and Mezleres, and along tho lino of tho upper Mouso to Metz. The second Hue will probably bo as follows: Starting in tho west from tho now rofortlfled nnd lmpregnablo Antwerp, along tho Scheldt and tho Ruppol up to Boom it runs along tho lino of tho ship canal to Brussols via Vllvordo. Then southward along tho lino of tho Charlorol, and from thoro via tho Sambro to tho fortress of Namur and tho Middle Mouse. To thoso who know tho country theso two lines of defenso appear 1m pregnable, but tho Gorman staff has something clso up its sleovo. Stfll taking Antwerp and tho Ruppel ns a "point to depnrt," aftor passing Doom nnd following tho rirer Dylo up to tho unhappy city of Mallnes an already foi:'iled position guards this rlvor, which runs between high banks to tho still more unhappy remains of Louvnin, and from there, still taking tak-ing advantago of tho Dylo, via Wavre and Ottlgnlos, and Gombloux to Namur, Na-mur, thoro runs an extremely sclentl fie lino of trenches, much of it reinforced rein-forced concrete. This forms a barrier bar-rier not easily crossed; In front tho giound Is prepared with pitfalls, mined min-ed areas, and other traps for tho un-wnry; un-wnry; though, as yet, no entanglo-ments entanglo-ments have been mado, except near Namur, whoro tho whole- woods hnvo been sawed down, wlih tho trunks left Btnndlng nhout two feet high nnd a regular maze of entanglements nl-ready nl-ready exists. Tho country along this l'no Is undenting, un-denting, nnd advantage kas been taken tak-en to prepare emplacements for heavy guns. Since August G00O sklllod en glneers, us well ns n wholo army of laborers, hnvo been working on theso deu-nsesi. Tho forts of Llego, Namur and Maubeugo were completed in September, and thoso of Antwerp by tho end of November. The third lino, Inst mentioned was completed in Septcmbor, and is now grass sown and practically invisible It Is not considered likely that a lino furthor north will bo prepared, as tho ground is very flat and marshy, but Immediately behind tho third lino nro very good roads and railways and It Is an Ideal spot for a defensive campaign. |
