llustration: H.M. CHRISTIAN X

King of Denmark

_(Photo from Paul Thompson)_]

[Illustration: PRESENT AND FUTURE QUEENS OF THE NETHERLANDS

Queen Wilhelmina with Her Little Daughter Juliana, Princess of Orange]

Sir John French's Own Story

Continuing the Famous Dispatches of the British Commander in Chief to
Lord Kitchener

The previous dispatches, reviewing the operations of the
British regular and territorial troops on the Continent under
Field Marshal French's chief command, appeared in THE NEW YORK
TIMES CURRENT HISTORY of Jan. 23, 1915, bringing the account
of operations to Nov. 20, 1914. The official dispatch to Earl
Kitchener presented below records the bitter experiences of
the Winter in the trenches from the last week of November
until Feb. 2, 1915.

_The following dispatch was received on Feb. 12, 1915, from the Field
Marshal Commanding in Chief, the British Army in the Field._

_To the Secretary of State for War, War Office, London, S.W._

_General Headquarters,_

Feb. 2, 1915.

My Lord: I have the honor to forward a further report on the operations
of the army under my command.

1. In the period under review the salient feature was the presence of
his Majesty the King in the field. His Majesty arrived at Headquarters
on Nov. 30 and left on Dec. 5.

At a time when the strength and endurance of the troops had been tried
to the utmost throughout the long and arduous battle of
Ypres-Armentieres the presence of his Majesty in their midst was of the
greatest possible help and encouragement.

His Majesty visited all parts of the extensive area of operations and
held numerous inspections of the troops behind the line of trenches.

On Nov. 16 Lieutenant his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G.,
Grenadier Guards, joined my staff as aide de camp.

2. Since the date of my last report the operations of the army under my
command have been subject almost entirely to the limitations of weather.

History teaches us that the course of campaigns in Europe, which have
been actively prosecuted during the months of December and January, have
been largely influenced by weather conditions. It should, however, be
thoroughly understood throughout the country that the most recent
development of armaments and the latest methods of conducting warfare
have added greatly to the difficulties and drawbacks of a vigorous
Winter campaign.

To cause anything more tha