Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-07
BRITISH SUCCESSES
|NFRANCE CLAIMED
Official War Information Bu-
reau Reviews Operations
! Since August 80.
SAYS FORCES OF ALLIES
GUTNUMBERED BY ENEMY
Germans Reported to Be Neglecting
Paris and Marching Southeast
Toward the Marine.

Toward the Marine.
LONDON September THE opera
lions Of the British army in France
last week are reviewed in a state
nent issued by the official war 1nfor-
nation bureau yesterday. The state
ment reads:
TT, is now, possible to make another
general survey in continuation OF that
issued August 80 of the operations OF
the British army during the past
week
mo new main trial of strength mas
taken place There have, indeed, been
battles in various parts Of the I'M
mense front which in other wars would
have been considered operations OF the
first magnitude. But in this war they
are merely incidents of strategic With
drawal and contraction of the allied
forces, caused by the initial shock on
the frontier and begun by the enormous ous
strength which the Germans nave
thrown into the western theater, whiie
suffering heavily through weakness In
the eastern
The British expeditionary army mas
conformed with the general movement
of the French officers and acted IN mar.
mony with the strategic conception OF
the French general staff Since the
battle at Cambria August .26, where
the British troops successfully guarded
the left flank of the whole. line OF
French armies from a deadly turning
attack, supported by an enormous
force, the seventh French army has
come into operation on the British
left. ~
Germans Driven Back.
This, in conjunction with the fifth
army on our right. has greatly taken
the strain and pressure of our left.
The fifth French army, in particular.
August 20 advanced from the line of
the Disc river to meet and counter
the German forward movement, and
considerable battle developed to the
town of Guise. In this the fifth
French army gained a marked and
loss and in disorder three German
army corps-the tenth, the guard and
a reserve corps. 1t is stated that the
commander of the tenth German corps
was among those killed
I'm spite of this success, however, and
all the benefits which followed from
it, the general retirement to the south
continued. and the German armies.
seeking persistently after the British
troops. remained in practically contin-
uous contact with our rear guard.
August 30 and 81 the British covering
and delaying troops were frequently en-
gagged. September I vigorous effort
was made by the Germans which brought
about a sharp action in the neishbor-
hood of Compiegne. This action was
carried through by the list British cav
airy Brigade and the 4th Guards Brigade,
and was entirely satisfactory to the
British.
'.The German attack, which was strongly
pressed, was not brought to a standstn
until slaughter had been inflcted upon
them and ten German guns had been
captured. The brunt of this creditabie
affair fell upon our Guards brigade,
which lost in killed and wounded ABOUT
200 men After this engagement our
troops were no longer molested. Wednes-
day September Q was the first quiet
day they had since the battle at Mons,
August o.
During the whole Of this period
marching and fighting have been con.
British casualties, according to the
latest estimates. have amounted to
about $1,000 officers and men.
The fighting having been In open
order upon wide front, with repeated
retirements, has led to large NUMBER
of officers and men, and even small
parties, losing their way and getting
separated 1t is known that a very
considerable number of those now in
cluded in the total will rejoin the COL
ors safely.
Spirit of Troops High.
these losses, IL heavy in SO small
q force, have in no wise dampened the
spirit Of the troops. They do not
amount to one-thfrd of the losses In
ficted by the British force upon the
enemy, and the sacrifice REQUIRED OF
the army has not been out Of proper
ton TO It's military achievements.
Drafts of $4,000 have reached our
army or are approaching the men on
the line of communication. and advan.
tage has been taken of the five quiet
days that have passed since the &C.
ton September 1. to fill up the gaps
and refi1 and consolidate the units.
The British army Is now south OF
the Marine, and is in line with the
French on the right and left.
The latest information about the
enemy is that they are neglecting Paris
and are marching in southeastern di-
rection toward the Marine and toward
the left and center of the French lines
The first German army is reported te
be between La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre anG
Effises Boffart. The second German
army. after taking Rheims, is advanc-
ing on Chateau Thterry and to the
east of that place.
The fourth. German army Is report.
ed to be marching south and on the
west of the Argonne between Fuippes
and vilis Jourbe. All these points were
reached by the Germans September 3.
The seventh German army has been
repulsed .hy "A French corps near Diem
vile. 1t would, therefore, appear that
the developing movement on the Anglo.
French left flank has been abandoned by
the Germans because it was no longer
practicable to continue such great ex.
tension or because the alternative to q
direct attack upon the allied lines is pre-
ferred.
Whether this change of plan by the
Germans is voluntary or whether it has
been forced upon them by the strategic
situation and the great strength of the
allied armies in their front will be re-
vealed by the course Of events.
British Conscious of Superiority.
There is no doubt whatever that on,
men have established a personal as
cendancy over the Germans and thai
they are conscious of the fact that witt
anything like even numbers the result
would not be doubtful The shooting Of
the German infantry is poor. while tn,
British rifle fire has devastated every
column Of attack that has presented
itself.
Their superior training and intelligence,
have enabled the British soldiers to US,
the open formation with effect. and thu
cope with the vast numbers employed
by the enemy. The cavalry who have hat
even more opportunities for displayini
personal prowess and address hav,
definitely established their superiority