belonging to the general retreat, which made its execution
doubtful even in an hour of Victory. The capture of Charleroi, of
course, dissipated it as a dream. That General French realized
the superiority in numbers of Von Kluck's advancing army both in
infantry and artillery is nowhere suggested. His airmen had merely
brought in the information that the attack would be in "considerable
force." The French Intelligence Service were led to believe and
informed the British commander that Von Kluck was advancing upon him
with only one corps, or two at the most. Some of General French's
cavalry scouting as far toward Brussels as Soignes, during the 21st
and 22d, confirmed it. But the British proceeded to prepare for
attack immediately on taking position. They set to work digging
trenches.

While continuing their defensive efforts through Saturday, August
22, 1914, there floated to them a distant rumble from the eastward.
Opinions differed as to whether it was the German guns bombarding
Namur, or a battle in progress on the Sambre. For the most part
British officers and men had but a vague idea of their position, or
the progress of the fighting in the vicinity. Even the headquarters
staff remained uninformed of the desperate situation developing on
the French right at Charleroi.

The headquarters of the British army was at Mons. It lies within
what is known as "le Borinage," that is the boring district of
Belgium, the coal-mining region. In certain physical aspects it
much resembles the same territory of Pennsylvania. Containing one
or two larger towns such as Charleroi and Mons, it is sprinkled
over with villages gathered near the coal pits. Everywhere trolley
lines are to be seen running from the mines to supply the main
railways and barge canals.

Formerly the people were of a rough, ignorant and poverty toiling
type, but of late years have greatly improved with the introduction
of organized labor and education. Previous bad conditions, however,
have left their mark in a stunted and physically degenerate type of
descendants from the mining population of those times. In contrast
to later comers they resemble a race of dwarfs. The men seldom
exceed four feet eight inches in height, the women and children
appear bloodless and emaciated.

The output of the Borinage coal field exceeds twenty million tons
a year. Its ungainly features of shafts, chimneys, and mounds of
debris are relieved in places by woodlands, an appearan