The London _Daily News_ prints a despatch from a staff correspondent
describing the recent fighting around St. Quentin. The despatch written
at St. Quentin and forwarded to London via Boulogne, reads:
“A battle is raging, with heavy fighting. It began here Saturday, was
continued yesterday, and was recommenced at dawn this morning. In a
dense wood between St. Quentin and La Fere a number of people had taken
refuge, peaceful peasantry for the most part. The wood was raided by a
band of German cavalry and, although the white flag was hoisted on the
outskirts, not the slightest notice was taken of it. The undergrowth was
as dry as tinder. The way to clear the screen was obvious, and the order
was given to fire it. This was done and in a few moments the wood was a
huge, raging fury of flames, roaring madly.
“A priest engaged in Red Cross work who had struggled through from this
desperate neighborhood told me this tale in the gray hours of this
morning.
“‘What happened to the people there?’ I asked.
“‘What happened? The good God alone knows,’ he replied as tears rolled
down his face.”