to the Allies, as it afforded an excellent view over
a wide stretch of country occupied by the Germans.

The German Staff headquarters were removed from Roulers, which is
about twelve miles distant from Ypres, on December 8, 1914, from
the vicinity of Ypres, while their own forces had been concentrated
upon Dixmude, twelve miles to the north. This town had suffered
severely before, but the allied forces using what shelter they
could improvise, were doing considerable damage from this point.
Therefore the Germans began to bombard the place.

On December 9, 1914, the Germans succeeded in gaining slightly
toward Ypres. Farther north they were by this time also in a position
to take Furnes under fire. This town lies on the frontier between
Belgium and France, in the path of some of the most savage onslaughts
on the part of the Germans to break through the allied lines in
order to reach the channel towns of Dunkirk and Calais.

On December 10, 1914, the allied forces made an ineffectual attack
on Roulers, which the German General Staff had just left. South
of Ypres the allied forces made a severe attack upon the town of
Armentieres, about eight miles from Ypres, but gained no permanent
advantage.

During this time the Germans had also so far succeeded in consolidating
their positions in the neighborhood of Ostend, that they could
put their heavy guns in position near the shores of that famous
watering place. This was a very necessary precaution to meet the
attacks of English gunboats, and even larger cruisers that were
patrolling that coast.

On December 12, 1914, the severest fighting was along the Yser Canal,
which was crossed and recrossed several times.

On December 13, 1914, the Allies succeeded in repulsing the Germans
on the River Lys, where for three days the Germans had inaugurated
a hot offensive. These engagements were exact counterparts of the
fighting at other points in Flanders, where both opponents were
apparently well matched, and where advantages were won and lost
in rapid succession.

There was severe fighting also on December 14, 1914, extending
along the entire front in Flanders from Nieuport to below Ypres. In
the north the Germans made severe onslaughts, all more or less held
up or repulsed by the Belgians, French, and English. The fighting was
hottest near Nieuport, where the Allies made some small temporary
gains. Besides the three armies participating in the conflict,
the British fleet also