The Spectator., 1914-12-04
GERMANS RESUME
 THE OFFENSIVE
TROOPS BREAK THROUGH RING THAT RUSSIANS HAD DRAWN
 AROUND THEM IN POLAND.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 London.-ln northern Poland the German army, which, with the aid of from the ring the Russians had forced around 1t, has formed a new screen and at some points has resumed the offensive. The Germans assert that in this series of maneuvers by which they were able to check the Russians, they took S0,O00 prisoners.
 Military men of England believe the Germans have commenced or are about to commence another attempt to get through to the French ports. There are some important changes in the dispositions of the German troops, but what they foreshadow is known only to the German General Staff
 Military experts take opposing views, one side believing that the Ger mans will rest content with holding their present positions until the close of the battle in Poland. where they need all the men they can get, while the other looks for an immediate re- sumption of the battle in Northern France and Flanders.
 The Germans, too, according to Dutch reports, are strongly fortifying Zeebrugge and other Belgian ports against a renewal of the attacks by the allied fleet. The fighting which has occurred around Ypres was due to the allies pushing their lines for ward.
 Inhabitants of all villages within one hours march of the Yser battle front have been sent away.
 Field Marshal French speaks in an optimistic vein concerning the po- sition of the allies in a report issued by the Official Press Bureau. The re- port covers in a general way the activ- ities of the British troops from Octo- Der II to November 20.
 Summing up the situation in his re- port, Field Marshal French says:
 AS l close this dispatch signs are in evidence that we are possibly in the closing stages of the battle from Ypres to Armentieries For several days past the artillery fire of the en- emy has slackened considerably, and his infantry attacks have practically ceased
 Tn remarking upon the general mil itary situation of the allies as it ap- pears to me at the present time, it does not seem to be clearly under have been engaged reach nearly all the central parts of Europe. in the East and in the West. The combined French, Belgian and British armies in the West and the Russian army in the East are opposed to the united forces of Germany and Austria, act ing as combined armies between us
 "Our enemies elected at the com mencement of the war to throw the weight of their forces against our ar mics in the West and to Getach only comparatively weak force composed of very few of the first line troops and several corps of second and third line troops to stem the Russian ad- vance until the Western forces could be completely defeated and over whelmed. Their strength enabled them from the outset to throw great ly superior forces against us in the West. This precludes the possibility of our taking vigorous offensive ac- tion except when miscalculations and mistakes are made by their command CTS, opening up special opportunities for successful attacks and pursuit"
 The German naval authorities are concentrating their building activities on submarines and aircraft.