The last stand Battle on the Aisne

Allies significant movement

The statement attributed to a high authority, that the war will be over in a certain time, the exact duration was specified, but we refrain from quoting it, finds but little support in the present situation as far as it's is discernible.

If operations are proceeding, of which officially we yet know nothing, we may learn in time upon what the optimistic forecast is based, but the endeavour to keep us temporarily in the dark has certainly more or less succeeded.

In this column reference to the statements made respecting the conveyance of Russian troops through England has been rigidly excluded. No official countenance has been given to the rumours but the war office acting through the press bureau had a purpose in view in the attitude it assumed.

The belated official denial, not quite such a frank and explicit document as at first glance would suggest, does not include a contradiction of the assertion, to which we have all along given credence, that large forces were massing in the direction of the North Western coastline.

What has been done with the strong bodies which almost certainly concentrated there, there is no direct intelligence to show and it is only possible to draw deductions from what is happening below Antwerp and to the south east.

If the war is to be over within the period to which guarded allusion has been made, some big and dramatic stroke must be in contemplation and capable of achievement. We get but little assistance in but what is at present reinforced guesswork by this morning's reports with regard to Brussels.

The ‘New York World’ war correspondent declares that the Germans are evacuating the capital, falling back along the Namur, Liege line and hastily constructing fortification at the last named place.

He adds that the Belgian offensive has resulted in the recall of three German army corps to hold the line of communications and that a pontoon bridge is being built across the river near Maastricht for the retreating troop.

According to the same authority recent German losses in that area have been heavy, two German infantry regiments were entirely wiped out near Louvain and in places the German dead were placed breast high.

If the Belgians have done all these things unaided then the utmost credit is due to them.