ur taking a vigorous offensive, except when the
miscalculations and mistakes made by their Commanders opened up
special opportunities for a successful attack and pursuit.

"The Battle of the Marne was an example of this, as was also our
advance from St. Omer and Hazebrouck to the line of the Lys at the
commencement of this battle. The _role_ which our Armies in the West
have consequently been called upon to fulfil has been to occupy strong
defensive positions, holding the ground gained and inviting the
enemy's attack; to throw these attacks back, causing the enemy heavy
losses in his retreat, and following him up with powerful and
successful counter-attacks to complete his discomfiture.

"6. While we have been thus engaged, the Russian Armies in
the East, numbering some three to four millions of men, have had time
to mobilise and concentrate their immense forces scattered over all
parts of their vast Empire. Our Eastern Allies have already inflicted
a series of crushing defeats on the Austro-German forces, and are now
rapidly advancing on East Prussia and Silesia in great strength.

"7. The value and significance of the splendid _role_ fulfilled since
the commencement of hostilities by the Allied Forces in the West lies
in the fact that at the moment when the Eastern Provinces of Germany
are about to be overrun by the numerous and powerful Armies of Russia,
nearly the whole of the active army of Germany is tied down to a line
of trenches extending from the Fortress of Verdun on the Alsatian
frontier round to the sea at Nieuport, east of Dunkirk (a distance of
260 miles), where they are held, much reduced in numbers and _morale_,
by the successful action of our troops in the West.

"8. What the enemy will now do we cannot tell. Should they attempt to
withdraw their troops to strengthen their weakened forces in the East,
we must follow them up and harass their retreat to the utmost of our
power. If they make further futile attempts to break through our
lines, they must be again thrown back with greater and greater loss.

"The Armies of Russia are at their Eastern gates and will very soon be
devastating their country and overthrowing their Armies.

"The great fight which you have so splendidly maintained against
superior numbers in the Western theatre will be decided and completed
by our brave Allies in the East, and I think that we on this side have
reason to hope that we have completed the most severe and
arduous p