Hammering again

Germans wasting line

Flank movement extending

Russian invasion of Germany

Von Kluck has succeeded in getting his line straight or comparatively straight once again but his attention, while it has temporarily arrested the enveloping movement can have little bearing upon the final issue of the battle.

The general expectation as was mentioned here four days ago was that this week the allies would push home the advantage which it was known, rested with them, and bring the prolonged struggle to an end.

When it was announced that the day was at hand and that a period would shortly be put to fighting which appear to be even in character, first one side and then the other achieving minor successes, it was known, and the time for secrecy has passed, that considerable reinforcement had reached the allies lines and that a determined effort was to be made to thrust the enemy back at much greater pace than formerly.

We had been officially told that hitherto every inch of ground had been fought over a dozen times and only last Saturday there had been the ominous announcement that the allies had given back. The news produced a feeling of depression greater than the events justified.

The explanation was the German right had been strengthened and that we were not at that moment in sufficient force to deal with the augmented enemy in the fashion desired.

Later however fresh troops reached our lines and additional men have been arriving every day since.

By Wednesday last we were in a position to fully meet any attacks the desperate foe might organise, and in addition were strong enough to assume an even more rigorous offensive than hitherto.

Since then quite in accordance with expectations matters have gone exceedingly well and the official reports have chronicled very significant successes on both our wings.

The German concentration is in the Roye district but their line in their desperate effort to escape the tentacles enfolding them has been stretched further North.

Two however can play at the enveloping game and the allied generals may be depended upon to exercise caution as well as dash. The argument thus baldly presented may not appeal to the military critic but it is understandable not to be too explicit, too lucid and a careful examination of our position should able the blanks to be filled in.

The odd thing so far as the general public are concerned is that bad news is borne better than good.

At all events the welcome intelligence of the past few days seems to have created a feeling of impatience an eagerness almost an irritability to see the end of things.