Evening star., 1915-11-02
NOT A FOOT NET GAIN
BY GERMANS SINCE APRIL
Premier Submits to Parliament
Long-Promised Review of
War Conditions.
TAKES DARDANELLEs BLAME
Expedition Decided Upon, He Says,
Though Some Naval Experts
Were Doubtful as to
the Outcome.

the Outcome.
LONDON, November 2, All
p.m.-In his address before the
house of commons this afternoon,
Premier Asquith stated that Field
Marshal Sir John French, COM
mander of the British forces on
the France-Belgian front, was
now in command of nearly
100000 men.
Mr.. Asquith said the total
casualties in France and Flanders
amounted to $4,000.
He asserted the Germans had
not made net gain of a foot Of
ground since April.
Failure at the Dardanelles.
The premier accepted his full share
of responsibility for the first attack on
the Dardanelles, which resulted In fall
ure. with the loss of several capital
ships.
He said this attack was made after
full investigation and consultation with
naval experts and that it was sane
toned by the government notwith-
standing some doubts in the mind of
the governments principal naval ad-
wiser.
Reviewing the work of British sub
marines in the Turkish campaign. the
premier said that in the Sea or Mar
mora they had sunk or damaged two
battleships, five gunboats. one torpedo
boat. eight transports and 1877 supply
ships. .-gf.., +..
Financial Condition Serious.
The premier asserted the financial
situation of Great Britain was serious,
to make far greater sacrifices than 1t
had yet done to enable it to sustain the
burden imposed by the war.
| Mr.. Asquith said there was full
agreement between Great Britain and
France to maintain the independence
of Serbia and not let her become the
prey of the sinister and nefarious COM
bination of Germany, Austria and Bull
garia.'
Hopes to Avoid Conscription.
! Premier Asquith said he strongly be-
lieved the recruiting plan of the Earl
of Derby would succeed, and that COM
pulsion would be unnecessary
Mr.. Asquith asserted he was as con-
fident as ever that the allies were go
ing to carry their righteous cause to
a triumphant issue, and he was not GO
| ing to shift the burden from his shoul-
ders until satisfied he was unable to
bear it. He would not surrender the
task as long as he enjoyed health and
the confidence of the king and the
country.
Carson to Explain Resignation.
Sir Edward Carson is expected to fol-
| low Premier Asquith with a speech ex-
! planatory of his resignation as attor-
| ney general and in a large measure
| critical of the governments policy, al
though his friends repudiate on his be-
| half any desire to act as leader or even
| a member of an opposition party In the
| house.
| According to the Times, Sir Edward
holds very definite Views. both on the
| machinery of government and on the
| Balkan situation. 1t remains to be
| seen how far Premier Asquith will per-
NIT discussions and criticisms to pro-
ceed. but If the Dardanelles expedition
| comes UP for debate some important
explanations are expected from Wins
| ton Spencer Churchill, former first lord
| of the admiralty. rumors of whose res
| ignation as chancellor of the duchy of
| Lancaster are still current
More Freedom in Lords,
The house of lords of late has been
| the arena for a freer discussion of the
events and policies of the war than the
! house of commons. The Marquis of
| Lansdowne's speech on the Balkan
| situation was far more illumina tin q
than Sir Edward Grey's brief and for
NAL statement, which. in reality, told
| the members of the house of commons
| nothing the whole country had not al
ready learned from the newspapers.
| Other members Of the house Of lords
ton. while the members of the lower
house were asked in the national inter-
est to refrain from debate.
| Two prominent liberal papers. the
Daily Chronicle and the Daily News,
predict the formation of a new general
| staff, which probably will be a small
body The old war council, which en-
joyed considerable power when Lord
Haldane administered the war office,
has gradually fallen into disuse, and
during this war Earl Kitchener has
virtually held supreme authority over
all the military plans.
Solidarity Not Endangered.
| Andrew Bonar Law, the unionist
leader who now holds the portfolio of
| minister of the colonies. writes to the
| agent general of Tasmania in London
| who sought from him a statement re.
futing the reports published in the Do
| minions that the political warfare in
England was endangering imperial sol.
| idarity:
II have now been a member of the
present cabinet for more than four
! months and can say with absolute con-
fidence that during the whole of that
time no political issue of any kind has
ever been raised. This is true OF the
government, and. so far as can Judge
it is true also of the country.
1.-The whole nation is absolutely
united in it's determination to carry this
war to a successful termination. The
only difference Of opinion among US II
as to whether the strength which ought
to come from this material unity is be
ing mostneniciently used In the prosecu
! tion Of war;"