Ominous calm

New German plans?

Goeben caught and battered

British activity in Persian gulf

Yesterday was particularly quiet and there was nothing to report. Thus reads the French official report issued late at night and it may be taken to mean one of two things.

Either the Germans are completely exhausted, or while their artillery continues to thunder they are hatching plans for a new offensive, concentration perhaps on a new point.

The allies, however have held their own so farad may be depended upon to counter any move the enemy may have.

Some day we shall hear of something even better than magnificent defence but General Joffre it is imagined does not wan to. I’ve until he sure of success.

Men and still more men are required and it is likely that weeks will pass before the Anglo French forces are at the desired strength.

Possibly too, the scheme which will ultimately be put into operation could have been carried on earlier had not the Germans either accidentally or as the result of acute military insight, made dispositions to avert it.

Their strategy has undergone several sudden, and to the mere onlooker, inexplicable changes, but the fact remains that their new dispositions including their coastal campaign have forced corresponding changes in the plans if the allies.

New moves and new counter moves may indeed be expected for some time, until General Joffre and French have at their command armies great enough to obviate all difficulties and to carry out the supreme purpose.

A more prosaic view of the inaction of yesterday may be that the heavy state of the ground has rendered It next to impossible to move heavy masses of troops but it has also to be remembered that on the previous days a certain liveliness manifested at certain points.

An incident selected for mention concerns the warfare that has raged around the village of Eracy le Val, near the bend of the battle line of Compiègne.

A determined effort was made by the Germans to recapture the place which they lost a few days ago, and they succeeded in storming the outer trenches but thanks to the work of the Algerians the ground was recovered, the enemy being driven back with heavy loss.

The Goeben, the German battle cruiser which passed into the Turkish navy after her escape from Messina, has been badly damaged in an engagement with a division of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The British troops operating in the Persian Gulf have defeated a Turkish force of over 8,000 strong after an advance over open country.