tAND AWD WATER. 
January 30, 1915. 
<Ib Paris & 
Chalons 
and the 
T^ortlurn half 
of the 
French Line 
To 
Chalons 
^nd Paris 
^ 
Showmgthctiumctmis Trench cotnmunic^twti$ 
fcr rapid concentration atamj point threatened 
tn the reentrant German Line between 
St. Mihul and the Arj^onnc* 
To along the 
Southern end 
cfthe French 
Line, 
TI 
iand the isolation of Verdun would mean either the 
falling back of all the French line to the south of it 
or the exhaustion of the southern half of the 
French line in repeated attempts, at relief. In 
either case such an investment would break the 
grip in which the Germans are now held on the 
west. It may be suggested, but it is only a sug- 
gestion, that the continued activity in Argonne is 
in preparation of such a move. 
On the other hand, it is difficult to see how 
any concentration here could succeed against the 
rapid means of counter-concentration which the 
French possess immediately behind the German 
re-entrant angle. There is full railway opportu- 
nity for massing troops by the big double lines 
through Chalons and the other parallel line to Bar- 
le-Duc, and there are very numerous cross-lines, 
single and double, and for all movements vdthin 
this angle the French have obviously the shorter 
line, for they are inside the concavity formed by 
the resistance of Verdun. 
In connection with the resistance of Verdun 
there arises a point which has been put by more 
than one correspondent, and which may as well be 
4ealt with here. 
Why (it is asked) does Przemysl, which is 
quite isolated from the rest of the Austrian forces, 
still hold out, and why (it might be added) is no 
effect produced by siege work against Verdun? 
Why does that fortress continue to impose a dan- 
gerous re-entrant angle upon the German line in 
spite of the fact that modern permanent fortifica- 
tion is, as has been repeatedly pointed out in these 
columns, since the lesson was learnt at the begin- 
ning of the war, dominated by modern howitzer 
fire? Liege fell in a few days, Namur in a few 
hours, Maubeuge in something over a week. What 
is the meaning of these apparently exceptional 
cases ? 
The answer to that question is that yet an- 
other German theory has been proved true. There 
is a method of defence (alternative to permanent 
fortification) which we know that Metz has 
adopted since August, and which we may presume 
that Verdun has, and Przemysl as well, and this 
may be described as follows : — 
Since the vulnerability of a permanent work 
consists almost entirely in its restricted area, since; 
that is, an enclosed fort vnth a knowTi position 
upon .the map can 'be destroyed by distant howit- 
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