New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-27
The Second Battle of Ypres.

Der fought on the same fields. In the
earlier struggle some 10000 British
troops, hastily detrained and sent into the
gap between the extreme left Of the
French and the sea, were suddenly as
sailed by something like half million
Germans, including the famous Prussian
Guard.
No opportunity came to the British to
erect permanent or semi-permanent de-
fences; they fought in hastily constructed
field trenches Much of the fighting was
bayonet work, and nothing in the whole
progress Of the war in the western field
can be compared for casualties with
this first battle of Ypres. The British
lines endured the storm. Presently, rein
forced by French army corps, they yield
ed a litce, but hung on to Ypres.
The purpose of German strategy in No
vember was plain. Calais and the other
Channel ports were the immediate objec-
tive: the destruction Of the British army
and a second advance to Paris possible
outcome. The whole Allied left flank in
France and Belgium was in deadly peril.
Not even Waterloo was a more closely run
race than the battle Of Ypres.
But a second fight on the same ground
opens wholly new horizons. First of all,
British strength in France has risen from
100000 to 100000. Not all Of the 100000
probably not more than half-are on the
firing line; but this is treble the number
that held Ypres in November. In artil-
lerv the improvement has been enormous.
To the westward about Newport, where
10000 Belgians, the remnant Of the de-
tenders Of Antwerp, repulsed the Ger
mans. there are now 10000, six divisions
reorganized supported by new artillery.
Beyond these advantages lies that Incl
dent to the fertilization Of Allied lines.
For months this work has gone on, trench
by trench one line upon another; the
British, Belgians and French have dug
themselves into a position, held once
under terrible pressure, when it was hard
ly fortified at all.
Under the circumstances 1t is difficult
to believe that the Kaiser's commanders
are undertaking TO resume the earlier and
more ambitious strategy which aimed at
Calais. Dunkirk and Boulogne. All told,
with available reserves, the British, Bel
gian and French forces must number close
to million on this narrow front, and a
German concentration of equal numbers
is not now conceivable.
On the other hand, it is plain that the
Germans have won about Ypres, to the
west Of the town, a local triumph wholly
comparable with that of the British at
. Neuye Chapele. They have won it, too,
III in much the same way. First, there has
y been the concentration Of artillery-the
great bombardment, supplemented here by
the use Of gas filed projectiles. Then has
come the great rush, as at Neuve Chapelle.
Finally tho German advance has been
checked, the Germans have consolidated
the ground taken and the Allies have re
sorted TO counter attacks, which have been
more or less successful, as German or AL
lied statements are accepted.
Now, on the present evidence this is a
perfect repetition Of the Allied tactics Of
"nibbling." which were exemplifed at
Neuve Chapelle and about st. Mihiel. 1t
is fight for local advantage, an effort to
take a position Of real but local strategic
value and to innict enormous losses on
the opponent by forcing him to make
costly counter attacks to regain his lost
ground.
The point selected by the Germans for
their attack, west Of Ypres instead of
east, where they advanced in the autumn,
is a natural target. Could they actually
break through the line here, and were
there no line of defence in the rear, they
could penetrate between the Belgians and
the British, throw the Begians back upon
Dunkirk and roll the English in upon the
French at La Bassee.
But in the whole western fighting since
the battle of the Aisne opened neither
side has succeeded in any such grandiose
operation Rods and half miles have been
the measure Of local advantages, and mo-
mentary success in piercing first lines has
ended in a dead halt upon the second or
the third.
Conceivably the Germans have again
set out to hack their way through" Elan
ders. But the last attempt, with every ad
vantage in their favor. was costly and
proftless. A general and sweeping sue
cess five months later is almost unthinka-
bic.
On the other hand by taking the often
sive now the Germans may fairly hope to
force the Allies TO conform to their at
tacks. They may expect TO relieve press
ure in Alsace and French Lorraine by
their own operations in Flanders. Above
all, they will put an end to a condition
vyhollv intolfrable 10 German high COM