troops was justified, and a day or two
later he reported that the Indians were doing well and that he was
full of confidence in them.

On the night of the 3rd, I issued two Special Orders of the Day to the
troops.

They ran as follows:--

"Special Order of the Day.

"By Field-Marshal Sir John French, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G.,
Commander-in-Chief, British Army in the Field.

"1. The sphere of operations over which the British Army in France has
been operating is now much contracted and rendered more compact. Since
October 21st it has been possible to keep a considerable force in
general reserve.

"2. For several days past the enemy's activities against our front
have been sensibly slackened, and it is quite possible that we may
have entered upon the last stage of the great battle in which we have
been engaged since October 11th.

"At this moment I am anxious to address a few words to the splendid
troops I have the great honour to command.

"In view of the magnificent way in which the troops of the British
Army have fought, the hardships they have had to endure, and the heavy
losses they have suffered, it is right that all ranks, collectively
and individually, should form a just and reasonable conception of the
general situation and the object which we are endeavouring to attain.

"3. It is necessary for this purpose to realise in the first place the
true limits of the theatre of war as a whole, and then to take a
comprehensive view of the entire course of operations as they have
proceeded up to the present moment, in order to estimate the
value of the results attained.

"4. It must clearly be understood that the operations in which we have
been engaged embrace nearly all the Continent of Central Europe from
East to West. The combined French, Belgian and British Armies in the
West and the Russian Army in the East are opposed to the united forces
of Germany and Austria acting as a combined Army between us.

"Our enemies elected at the outset of the war to throw the weight of
their forces against the Armies in the West, and to detach only a
comparatively weak force, composed of very few first-line troops and
several Corps of the second and third line, to stem the Russian
advance until the Western forces would be completely defeated and
overwhelmed.

"5. The strength of our enemies enabled them from the outset to throw
greatly superior forces against us in the West. This precluded the
possibility of o