l, and the Council of the Seine
Department, who were empowered to direct civil affairs under the
authority of General Gallieni as military governor, the prefect
of Paris, and the prefect of police.

On his appointment to the command, Gallieni did what he could to
strengthen the defenses. Trenches were dug, wire entanglements
were constructed; and hundreds of buildings that had been allowed
to spring up over the military zone of defense were demolished in
order to leave a clear field of fire. The gates of the city were
barred with heavy palisades backed by sandbags, and neighboring
streets also were barricaded for fighting. Certain strategic streets
were obstructed by networks of barbed wire, and in others pits
were dug to the depth of a man's shoulders. The public buildings
were barricaded with sandbags and guarded with machine guns.

But while Paris was preparing for siege and assault the French
staff were concentrating their efforts on making a siege impossible
by a decisive stroke against the German advance.

Hardly had the Government left the city when tidings arrived that
instead of marching on Paris, General von Kluck had swung southeastward
toward the crossing of the Marne. This news was obtained by the
allied flying corps, which had made daring flights over the enemy's
line.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XII

THE MARNE--GENERAL PLAN OF BATTLE FIELD

On September 4, 1914, the bugler of Destiny sounded the "Halt!" to
the retreat of the armies of the Allies from the Belgian frontier.
The marvelous fighting machine of the German armies, perhaps the
most superb organization of military potency that has been conceived
by the mind of man, seemed to reach its limit of range. Success
had perched upon the German eagles, and for two weeks there had
been a steady succession of victories. Nevertheless the British
and French armies were not crushed. They were overwhelmed, they
were overpowered, and, under stern military necessity, they were
forced to fall back.

Day after day, under the swinging hammer-head blows of the German
drive, the flower of the forces of the Allies had been compelled
to break. A little less generalship on the part of the defenders,
or a little more recklessness behind that smashing offensive might
have turned this retirement into a rout. Even as it was, the official
dispatches reveal that, while occasional and local retirements had
been considered, such a sweeping ret