September 26, 1914 
LAND AND WATEB 
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TH« TWO MAIN OEEMAN LINES OF COHMTTNICATIOK, 
town and behind it the Germans have done every- 
thing in the vray of platforms, uccumvdation of 
rolling stock, doubling of lines, &c., to facilitate 
their advance), the continuation of railway supply 
to the present German front — while Verdun still 
stands — is compelled to follow a very devious route 
which -we must carefully note to understand the 
future of the campaign. Should Verdun fall, or 
should the line of forts between Verdun and Toul be 
pierced, a whole set of new, short and excellently 
provided communications would be opened (as I 
remarked last week) to the Germans. But meanwhile 
this line of theirs through Luxemburg is their only 
second line beyond that main one through Belgium. 
Now this second line is over long and twisted. 
It cannot go through Verdun, so it has to run 
through Montmedy, down the Meuse as far as 
Mczieres. There is no opportunity for turn- 
ing back south to feed the army until Mczieres 
is reached. There is a light railway crossing the 
Forest of Mazarin and the Eiver Bar, and so uniting 
the main railway from Eheims to the frontier with 
the main railway upon the Meuse. But there can be 
no continuous traffic along it, both on account of the 
difference of gauge and on account of the very small 
rolling stock of this light railway. Supply must 
therefore come right up to Mczieres and then 
l^ainfully down again to Eheims, past Bethel. 
Upon these two main railway lines — the chief 
one down the valley of the Oise, from Belgium 
through Namur, Le Cateau, St. Quentin, Noyon ; 
the secondary one fi'om Luxemburg to Mczieres and 
then back from Mezifcres through Bethel to Eheims 
— the existence of the German army (and in par- 
ticular of its heavy artillery !) depends. A great 
number of cross lines — especially tlie main line from 
Tergnier Junction to Eheims and the very valuable 
cross line from Busigny Junction to Ilkson — relieve 
the pressure on the main lines. But for the supply 
of German material to the armies and for the 
converse evacuation of wounded and wastage home 
only these two vtain lines exist. 
The cutting of the line along the Oise, even so 
low down as St. Quentin or Tergnier itself, would be 
a disastrous thing for the German army if it had not 
before that moment succeeded in piercing some part 
of the French line. The other secondaiy main line 
Luxemburg-Mezi^res-Eheims is not as yet ap- 
proached anywhere by an Allied force, but being 
tortuous and long, it is therefore, if or when it is 
approached, more vulnerable. Now the whole peril 
of the present position of the Germans lies in the 
threat extended by a French advance from Amiens 
upon St. Quentin, and by the French advance from 
the south upon Noyon against the main Oise line. 
And all the anxiety for the Crown Prince's anuy is 
due to the fear for the Luxemburg-Mezieres line. 
Eailway communications dominate the issue. 
One point will at once occiu- to the reader, and 
that is, how far a railway, cut at its main bridges 
at least by the retreating Allies, can still be used by 
the Germans who have followed the Allied retreat ? 
Of the conditions of the railways now behind the 
Gennan position we know nothing. But even if at 
certain points the time has been too short to provide 
temporary bridges sufficient to carry rolling stock, the 
interruption at such points does not prevent the 
general use of the system. Unless b}' some accident 
(which has certainly not taken place in so rapid and 
unexpected a retirement) the whole rolling stock of 
one section isolated between two cut bridges were 
lacking, and unless such a section were innocent of 
locomotives, the whole system can be used by the 
invaders ; and the only delay in the use of it is in the 
ti'ans-shipment of munitions wherever a permanent 
breach in the line still exists. 
I will now take, section by section, the attack 
upon the German defensive position, with its various 
results, adverse and favourable, since the Aisne' waa 
reached upon Sunday, September 13th. 
6* 
