The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-25
Difficult to Judge From Laconic Reports Real Progress on the French Frontier
GERMANS TAKE
 OFFENSIVE ALONG
 WHOLE BATTLE LINE
French Commander Admits Slight Reverses-Neither Army Is Able to Gain Dis tinct Advantage

London, October 24.-1,he immense Grmies of the belligerent powers con tinue to hammer each other ceaseless- Iy on lines extending from the North sea to the Swiss frontier in the west and from the Baltic sea to the Car pathians in the east. The net result, however, so far as can be judged from official reports issued tonight, is that they gain little here only to lose little elsewhere.
 The French commander-in-chief is the only one to admit reverses in the western war theatre and he does so only in cryptic sentences. It is difficult to judge, there- fore. how the battles in France and Bel gium are progressing but it is certain that up to this evening none of the armies has succeeded in pushing its offensive far enough to bring appreciably nearer the end of engagements that have been go. ing on for so many weeks.
 Germans on Offensive
 The Germans have taken the offensive against both ffse right wing of the allied army, which rests on the sea, and that part of the French army defending the line of Notifications between yerdun and Toul. In the former operations in which every German soldier at the command of the officers in Belgium is taking part, the French report admits that the Ger mans have made progress at some points, hut aIo ha al l been just as successful.
 It Is evident that along the coast the Germans have found it difficult to ad- vance in the face of the hard fighting force drawn along the Yser canal aided V the British and French ships, which are bombarding them from the sea. It probably Is the most picturesque battle ever fought. On shore the troops of five nations are fighting-the Austrians and Germans on one side and the French, Bel 0lAn and British on the other.
 Fight Side by Side
 At sea, British monitors, gunboats, de- otroyers and submarines are fighting side by side with French warships, while at the same time they are being subjected to attack by German submarines and air Chips.
 Thus far the warships have had the bet ter of it. for while they are reported tc have inflicted terrible losses on the Ger mans trying to advance along the roast they themselves have suffered little or nc damage and have warded off submarine attacks.
 The British admirality has issued an in. teresting account of operations of this fleet. explaining that the ships have fired or the German batteries in the vicinity o1 Ostend. It probably was this which led to reports from Holland that the Ger mans have been driven back in that di- rection and also to the statement that the allies had reoccupied Ostend.
 Around Lille, which the Germans hold there have been unusual fluctuations, thu French gaining in one area, and the Ger mares in another not far distant. There as further south, toward Arras and Rove wounded beiag taken daily to the hos oitals cannot be exaggerated.
 The same can be said of the district be tween the fortresses of Verdun and Foul where two armies have been battling for many weeks with gains and losse, amounting to virtually nothing as far al distance is concerned.
 Both Claim Successes
 Today both sides claim success in tims that the Germans asked for true,
 (COntinued on Page Ten)