e; also
naval and military heavy guns and detachments already sent.
Headquarters Staff will be subsequently notified.

French Force:

"Territorial Division, Gen. Roy, 15,000 men, proper complement guns
and two squadrons to arrive Ostend October 6th to October 9th;
Fusiliers Marins Brigade under Rear-Admiral Ronarch, 8,000 men; grand
total, 53,000 men. Numbers are approximately correct."

In order to summarise the situation as it was reflected in my mind at
this time, I will quote two more telegrams.

Lord Kitchener wired on the early morning of the 6th:--

"Please let me have a telegraphic appreciation of the situation of the
Allied Forces for information of the Government."

To which the following reply was sent:--

"Allied line extends from La Bassee, about 14 miles south-west of
Lille on the left, through Arras, east of Albert, Bray-sur-Somme, west
of Roye, Ribecourt, Nampcelle, Nouvron, Soissons, north of
Braye-en-Laonnois, Craonnelle, Berry-au-Bac, then south of Rheims,
then east to Verdun, then south to St. Mihiel, then east to
Thiaucourt.

"On the extreme left is the 21st French Corps, with two Cavalry Corps
operating between Carvin and Lens.

"Hard fighting north of the Oise, where strength of French Force
equivalent to 12 Corps and six Cavalry Divisions. Comparative quiet on
the Aisne; British forces in progress of evacuating positions and
moving north of the Somme near Abbeville; move should be completed by
the 20th instant.

"The German line extends from about Lille, roughly parallel to the
Allies, west of Bapaume, Chaulnes, Roye, south of Noyon, thence along
the hills north of the Aisne to Craonne, Brimont, Nogent-l'Abbesse,
Somme Py, north-east of Verdun, where it turns south to
Fresnes-en-Woevre, then to near St. Mihiel, Thiaucourt, and east of
Thiaucourt.

"The strength of the Germans north of the Oise is probably 11 Corps
and nine Cavalry Divisions in position. In addition to the above
forces, one Brigade was detraining at Cambrai yesterday, and reserve
troops are holding entrenched positions about Mons and Valenciennes,
numbers variously reported from 50,000 to 70,000.

"The object of the Allies is to bring about a retirement of the
Germans from their present line by turning their north flank, and at
the same time to hold in this theatre of operations as many German
Corps as possible. French General Headquarters anticipated that the
northern turning movement would have been facilitate