"
I saw French soldiers there every day. They were defending the place.
His way of putting it stands the facts on their head.
"And (is noted) for the 'Battle of the Dunes' in 1600."
That is where the printer falls down. I was there during the Battle of
the Dunes. The nine is upside down in the date as given.
I wouldn't object so much if he were careless with facts that were
harmless, like his hotels and his dinner and his dates. But when he
gives bad advice that would lead people into trouble, I think he ought
to be jacked up. Listen to this:
"We may turn to the left to inspect the locks on the canals to Ostend."
Baedeker's proposal here means sure death to the reader who tries it.
That section is lined with machine guns. If a man began turning and
inspecting, he would be shot. Baedeker's statement is too casual. It
sounds like a suggestion for a leisurely walk. It isn't a sufficient
warning against doing something which shortens life. The word "inspect"
is unfortunate. It gives the reader the idea he is invited to nose
around those locks, when he had really better quiet down and keep away.
The sentries don't want him there. I should have written that sentence
differently. His kind of unconsidered advice leads to a lot of sadness.
"The Rue Longue contains a few quaint old houses."
It doesn't contain any houses at all. There are some heaps of scorched
rubble.
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