The lull

Good work on the right

Russian strategy

Allies’ significant progress

AT the time of writing this there is very little news of any importance.

The comparative lull has now been of several days’ duration and, of course, various interpretations are placed upon the fact.

The bad weather is in some quarters held responsible, and certainly the initiative is not forever with the enemy and there may be surprising developments before we are much older.

It is not permissible to put the matter in plainer language.

If there is any lingering doubts about the strength, the impregnability of the positions held by our much attacked left wing, it will be dissipated by a perusal of eye witnesses’ reports.

Apart from the details given of excellent work achieved, there is the distinctly pleasing paragraph which speaks of hot baths provided for our men.

Another interesting announcement is that trench mortars, which the enemy introduced a month ago, have now been used by our own troops with good results.

In an official communique the most significant statements are those bearing on the superiority of the allies’ artillery.

This appears to be now an established fact and it means a very great deal.

So far as actual fighting is concerned in the western battlefield the lull apparently continues.

What little activity there is, is centred in artillery fighting of an intermittent character on both sides in which the French claim to have established an advantage.

Several lines of German trenches have been demolished by the French guns and the enemy are now constructing fresh ones to the rear.

The eleven o’clock bulletin shows that the bombardment of Ypres has resulted in the destruction of famous buildings, the Halles and the Hotel de Ville.

The Halles, the most considerable edifice of its kind in Belgium, dated from 1200 and was completed in 1304.

Following the defeat of the Prussian guard by the British troops an order was issued by Lieutenant General Sir Douglas Haig, commanding the 1st army corps, stating that General French had desired that his congratulations and thanks should be conveyed to the troops.

The attack was delivered, says the Order, by some 15 battalions of the German guard corps which had been especially brought up to carry out the task in which so many other corps had failed, to crush the British and force a way through to Ypres.

After noting the fact that one active corps, three reserve corps and the Prussian guard had been met and beaten by Lord Cavan’s command, General French goes on to say that he doubted the annals of the British army contained any finer record that this.

The Germans are making another desperate effort to reach Warsaw and we have news that Berlin is waiting with tense anxiety for news from the Russian front