New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-02
KAISER LOST 80
OF EACH 100 WEN
IN LOOS BATTLE
French Tells How British
Artillery Moved Down
the Enemy.
ONE COUNTER DRIVE
COST 5000 MEN
Field Marshal Describes How
Fire Was Expanded by
New Methods.

London. Nov. 1.-The heavy cost of
the German counter attacks in Elan
ders and Artois, where the Kaiser's
troops are engaged in determined eff
threatening Lens. is told in a long
official dispatch from Field Marshal Sir
John French to Earl Kitchener, pub
lished tonight under date OF Octo-
Der 10.
For the first time London has re-
allied the intensity of these counter
attacks, which have been frequent
from the day OF the first British Of
fensive. on September %. Until Octo-
Der 8 the German assaults on the Brit
ish lines were almost continuous.
Then" the field marshal writes,
"the Germans delivered an attack, with
twenty battalions in the front
line and with larger forces in support,
which was preceded by very heavy
bombardment on all parts of the Ger
man front.
AT all points of the line except two
the Germans were repulsed with ire
mendous loss, and il is computed on
reliable authority they left some 5000
or 5000 dead in front Of the British
and French trenches"
Losses Were so Per Cent.
And again, in his report OF the oper-
atons Of the last few days, the held
marshal says:
"The returns OF casualties for seven
German battalions winch took part in
the Loos fighting, as published. show
Lot h. nv
of the strength Of these battaliOns."
For the repulse of these attacks Sir
John French gives great credit 20 the
artillery. In his report of October 10
lie tells how the British strengthened
their fire by the introduction of new
weapons and the skilful handling OF
the old. The dispatch is mainly
technical military review of the in
ception, the carrying out and the al
termath of the fighting around La
Bassee, Loos and Hulluch, but it gives
testimony as TO the ferceness OF the
battles.
Dealing with the British losses in the
action of September 25, the field mar
shall says:
81 deeply regret the heavy casualties
incurred in this battle, but in view OF
the great strength of the positions, the
stubborn defence of the enemy and the
powerful artillery by which he was sup
ported / do not think they were ex-
cessive. | am happy TO be able TO add
that the proportion Of slightly wound
ed was relatively large, indeed"
Field Marshal French here refers TO
the improvement in the artillery and
the arrival Of British reinforcements,
saying:
"Since my last dispatch the army has
received strong reinforcements, and
every reinforcement has had its quota
Of field artillery. In addition, numerous
heavy guns and howitzers have been
added to the strength of the heavy ar
tillery. The arrival of these reinforce
ments in the field tested the capacity OF
the artillery as a whole to expand and
meet the requirements of the army.
Artillery Greatly Expanded.
"Our enemy may have hoped-and
not perhaps without reason-that 1t
would be impossible for US, starting
from such small beginnings, to build up
an efficient artillery to provide Tor q
very large expansion of the army. II
he entertained such hopes he now has
good reason 70 know they have not been
justified by results.
"The efficiency of the artillery and
the new armies exceeded ali expecta-
tons, and during the period under re-
view excellent services have been rem
dered by the territorial artillery. The
repulse of the enemy attack on OCTOBER
8 in the neighborhood of Loos and HUI
luch. with such very heavy losses, shows
the capacity of the artillery to concen-
trate It's fire promptly and effectively
ut q ,oomant's notice"
or the use by the British forces of
gas. Field Marshal French says the re-
heated use of gas by the Germans COM
pelled him 10 resort to similar
method.
Gas Squad Beats Enemy.
"A detachment was organized for this
purpose and took part in the operations
commencing September 20 for the hrst
time" says the field marshal. Al
though the enemy was known TO have
been prepared for such reprisals. our
gas attack met with marked success,
producing n demoralizing effect IN some
of the opposing units, OF which ample
evidence was forthcoming IN captured
trenches. The men undertaking TINS
work carried out their unfamiliar duties
with conspicuous gallantry and cool
ness. and are confident OF their ability
TO more than hold their own should the
enemy again resort to this method OIL
warfare"
In the concluding paragraph Field
Marshal French pays tribute TO the CO.
operation Of the French troops with
the British and refers to the arrival IN
the field from Canada of new divi-
sion, which he says is composed Of ex-
al