Enemy still retreating

Vigorous advance of the British

The Empire’s call

The battle is not yet over and indeed may not be for several days yet, but the allies continue to gain ground all along the front and certain suggestions made to this column yesterday may prove to be well founded.

So far as can be gathered at no point in the long line of battle is there cause for uneasiness although in the centre it would seem that the French have a stiff task. General Joffre may however be depended on to through available reinforcements into the position where they are most needed.

On the right the Germans appear to have weakened considerably while to the extreme right, if we may call it for convenience of reference, that is the Vosges and Alsace, the report is no change.

We are of course concerned with the whole battle front but while this is so, it is also the fact that we are peculiarly interested in what is taking place on the allies’ left and the German right. The French have been fighting with wonderful bravery and the fortunes the whole are the fortunes of a section but it is only human that our thoughts should be largely centred on what our troops are doing.

Yesterday we spoke of the new moon formation of the advancing allies and it will now be seen that the left horn is curving inwards and the peril in which this movement places the barbarians is apparently resisted by them. Hence their desperate attempts to break the advancing line near the centre.

The Kaiser's troops evidently fear something approaching them from a North westerly direction and this mysterious terror might by this time be more than a shadow. We must not underestimate the enemy’s power of resistance and it is at this point that they seem to have been able to call up extra support, despite which the enemy is falling back before the British troops.

It is quite clear that the Germans right may by this time have been cut and that the enemy has been separated from his line of communication.

Meanwhile that advance of the allies is correctly described as slow and general and that sounds very much like slow and sure. There is every reason for confidence and the only depressing influence is the press bureau. Despite certain suppressed items of news the outlook was never brighter or more encouraging.

All that is left of the enemy is an attempt to achieve the impossible, to secure in one blows the defeat of the allies and an open way to the Rhine. It is looking ahead, but retreat is a word which might be putting too much gloss on his retirement.

In the other theatre of war, Germany’s last hope do assistance from Austria has vanished.

The rulers of the native states in India who number nearly 700 have with one accord rallied to the defence of the Empire and offered their personal services and the resources of their states for the war. Among them is the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

A number of chiefs and nobles are proceeding to the seat of war with the expeditionary force now on its way from India including Sir Pertab Singh who though 70 years of age would not be denied his right to serve the King-Emperor.

He is accompanied by his 16 year old nephew. Already 70,000 Indian troops have been despatched and more are to follow. The King has sent messages to the people of the Colonies and India expressing appreciation of the manner in which they have demonstrated the fundamental unity of the Empire.