Evening star., 1914-10-23

LONDON, Ocotber %. 1:50 pm.-The
only rock-bottom fact which English
men are able to point to today as basis
for their belief that the climax has about
been reached in the sea. land and air
battle across the channel is that armies,
however numerous. cannot indefinitely
face the decimation of their ranks which
has marked this, the latest phase of the
great campaign.
For nearly a week now this tripartite
combat has ragged with unabated fury be-
tween forces up to the present time so
equal in strength that the fronts have
swayed back and forth without either be-
ing able to register decisive victory.
That the slaughter in these fierce efforts
and counter efforts to break through the
opposing lines transcends anything here
on both sides. Nevertheless, the terrible
effort OF the long-range British guns over
flat lands offering no natural defensive
positions, nor the onslaughts of the allied
forces ON land has yet succeeded in STEM
m.ng the hacking through tactics of
the Germans.
Tide Not Yet Turned.
English news dispatches make sweep
ing claims of annihilating successes,
German advices assert continued prog
ress and Russian kilograms report
great victories, but well defined evil
dence to support these various con-
tentions is lacking, and the real facts
appear to be that in neither the east
ern nor the western arenas of the war
has the tide yet turned decisively.
Vessels from the French navy. having
crept around the coast, were today
prtf fich ffar.s,
which are hurting shells landward be-
tween Ostend and Nieuport, on. the
Belgian coast. in continuation OF the
fierce battle between Germany and the
allies for the possession OF the North
sea and channel ports.
The Germans are hurrying forward
fresh troops and heavy guns, the latter
to make reply to the damaging fire
rom the ships, and although they have
been pushed back at certain points
they appear to be holding their line
between the sea and La Bassee with
out, however, making noteworthy
progress. The fight so far as Belgium
is concerned has now resolved itself
into a terrific artillery duel, in which II
Is claimed that the allies by reason OF
their long-range guns have had the ad-
vantage The muddy roads and the net
work Of canals doubtless nave hindered
the invaders in getting their guns OF
equal or greater range into position.
When they do accomplish this the situa-
ton will be even more acute
King Albert With Army.
Albert, king of the Belgians, who
since his retirement from Ostend has
been reported at various points in
northern France. appears to be actual
ly at the scene of fighting. This in
formation Is on the authority of the
British admiralty. Dispatches say that
the queen also is with the Belgian
army. but this must be classed as a ru-
NOR, much the same as the reports
that Gen. Won Moltke. chief of the
German general staff, is seriously i'll.
or the statement that Emperor William
a gain has moved his headquarters. The
renort that Gen. Won Moltke's son has
heen killed also Is revived, and it will
be remembered that only recently it
was rumored that Gen. Won Moltke had
been removed as chief of the general
staff.
That the German line south of Ostend
has been cut and that retirement has
set in figures among a number OF other
unconfirmed news reports this morn
ing. On the other hand. CORE
spondent of the Times says that the
Germans have not left Bruges and that
they are still in great force in the
neighborhood of Ostend. What with
drawal Of troops there has been to-
ward Bruges. this correspondent adds,
is only a precautionary measure. A
message from Havre says the Belgians
have regained the right bank of the
river, or, If preferred. the canal. User,
and this is the first Information that
they were forced to give ground there
during the recent fighting. All official
statements given out by the allies
have insisted that they were valiantly
resisting the German assaults. The
use Of the word "regained." however,