Fresh leaves for Britain's laurels

Fleet's fine achievement

Early yesterday morning a concerted operation of some consequence against the Germans was attempted in the Heligoland Bight. A strong force of destroyers supported by light cruisers and battle cruisers, working in conjunction with submarines, intercepted and attacked the German destroyers and cruisers guarding the approaches to the German Coast.

According to the information that has reached the admiralty so far, the operation has been Fortunate and fruitful. The British destroyers have been heavily engaged with the enemy's destroyers, all the British destroyers are reported to be afloat and returning in good order.

Two German destroyers were sunk and many damaged. The enemy's cruisers were engaged by the British cruisers and battle cruisers, all the German cruisers which engaged were disposed of. The battle cruiser squadron although attacked by submarines And floating mines, successfully evaded them and is undamaged HMS Liverpool reports that she is returning with nine German officers and 81 prisoners, many of whom are wounded. There is reason to hope that this is not a complete list of German survivors of the sunken ships, but that other lives have been saved.

German alarmed at Russian advance Some ominous rumours We have had a month of war which by this time was to have seen the investment, if not the fall of Paris, the downfall of France and the return of the victorious German hosts to crush Russia.

Instead we have seen the original plan of conquest thwarted by the Belgians and the reconstructed campaign brought almost to nought by the wonderful fighting of the British troops against the numerical odds of three to one. We have seen the German tradition of her invincible army resolve itself I to the baseless fabric of a dream and British prestige enhanced a thousandfold.

Our losses have, alas, been terribly heavy, we hesitate to give the figure that has un officially reached us, but the enemy must have suffered to an enormously greater extent. On the a Water the German navy which was to have pricked our "bubble reputation" at the cannon's mouth has skulked away and we have driven nearly every German ship from the seas. Our fleet, by a daring raid destroyed five enemy warships in an areas where they fondly assumed they were free from attack.

We must not lose sight of the fact that with regard to fighting on the French frontiers we have had very little news over the past two days , and this dearth of intelligence is somewhat ominous.

Boulogne, has it been abandoned?

Rumours are current that Boulogne has been abandoned, passengers arriving at Charing Cross from France said that the Governor of the town had left and the Uhlans were thought to be within miles of the port. French troop trains were being rushed through Amiens with heavy guns on the railway wagons.

Back from battle

Officers lips sealed

No measures are being omitted by our military authorities to guard from the enemy from the knowledge of the movements of our troops in France. A journalist attempted to speak to injured officers returning home at Folkestone, they all said they had given their word not to recount even their personal experiences to their own friends until 14 days had elapsed.

Turkey's attitude

The Observer says that there is no longer any room for doubt that Turkey intends to intervene in the Great War on the side of Germany and Austria. The Triple Entente has made the most strenuous efforts to warn her of the risk to the Ottoman Empire of the departure from the policy of strict neutrality but German influence among the military party at Constantinople is so very strong that hostilities may break out at any moment.