The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-09-02

Fighting hard to stem the German
advance on Paris, the French and
British troops who have been retreat
ing for the last week in the north have
dropped back to positions along the
Somme river, roughly speaking within
seventy-five miles OF the French
capital. To the east the French have
been pressed back from the line OF
the Meuse to the Disc river.
Turn in the fortunes of war in favor
of the allies is believed to have come
through the concentration of the g.
100000 soldiers on Frances second
line of defense and through the over
whelming successes of the Russians
in east Prussia.
The invasion of his eastern territory
has forced the kaiser to withdraw
nearly all the army left to occupy
Belgium.
With the consequent weakening OF
his attacking force in France by the
urgent need of meeting the czar in
battle, the kaiser is exposed to the at
tack of Frances army, which is now
operating under the protection of the
guns of the strongest fortresses in the
world.
Earl Kitchener, secretary of state
for war, issued more hopeful state
ment of the situation of the allies in
France based upon late dispatches
from Sir John French. commander in
the field. The secretary says that the
British, after struggling against
tremendous odds, retired to new line
of defense, where they have not been
molested since Thursday. Their
casualties are between 5000 and 5000.
Since this fighting ceased the French
on the right and left have brought
the German attack to standstill, 1t
is declared.
Lord Kitchener's statement, which
was issued through the medium of the
official information bureau, follows:
although the dispatches of Sir
John French as to the recent battle
have not yet been received, it is pos
sible now to state what has been the
British share in the recent opera
tions.
There has, in fact, been a four
days battle-on Aug. 23, "a, 25 and
26. During the whole of this period
tbo nr;tieh In cnnforpnitv uitb a pau.
eral movement of the French armies,
were occupied in resisting and check
ing the German advance and in with
drawing to new lines of defense.
"The battle began at Mons on Sun
day, during which day and part Of
the night the German attack, which
was stubbornly pressed and repeated,
was completely checked by the Brit
ish front. Monday, the oath, the Ger
mans made vigorous efforts in su-
perior numbers to prevent the safe
withdrawal of the British army and
to drive it into the fortress of Mau
beuge.
This effort was frustrated by the
steadiness and skill with which the
British retirement was conducted and
as on the previous day very heavy
losses far in excess of anything suf.
fered by us, were inflicted on the
enemy, who In dense formation and n
enormous masses, marched forward
again and yet again to storm the Brit.
ish lines.
"The British retirement proceeded
on the 25th with continuous fighting
though not on the scale of the previous
two days, and by the night of the 25th
the British army occupied the line OF
Cambrai, Landrecies and lie Cateau.
at had been intended to resume
the retirement at daybreak on the
26th, but the German attack, in which
no less than five army corps were en-
gagged, was so close and fierce that it
was not possible to carry out this in
tention until the afternoon.
"The battle on this day, the 26th,
was of a most severe and desperate
character. The troops offered a SUI
perb and most stubborn resistance to
the tremendous odds with which they
were confronted and at length extri.
Gated themselves in good order
though with serious loss and under
the heaviest artillery fire. No guns
were taken by the enemy except those
the horses of which had all been killed
or which were shattered by high ex.
plosive shells.