ed.

Our progress, although slow on account of the strength of the defensive
positions against which we are pressing, has in certain directions been
continuous; but the present battle may well last for some days more
before a decision is reached, since it now approximates somewhat to
siege warfare.

The Germans are making use of searchlights. This fact, coupled with
their great strength in heavy artillery, leads to the supposition that
they are employing material which may have been collected for the siege
of Paris.

The nature of the general situation after the operations of the 18th,
19th, and 20th cannot better be summarized than as expressed recently
by a neighboring French commander to his corps: "Having repulsed
repeated and violent counter-attacks made by the enemy, we have a
feeling that we have been victorious."

So far as the British are concerned, the course of events during these
three days can be described in a few words. During Friday, the 18th,
artillery fire was kept up intermittently by both sides during daylight.
At night the German centre attacked certain portions of our line,
supporting the advance of their infantry, as always, by a heavy
bombardment. But the strokes were not delivered with great vigor, and
ceased about 2 A.M. During the day's fighting an aircraft gun of the
Third Army Corps succeeded in bringing down a German aeroplane.

News also was received that a body of French cavalry had demolished part
of the railway to the north, so cutting, at least temporarily, one line
of communication which is of particular importance to the enemy.

On Saturday, the 19th, the bombardment was resumed by the Germans at an
early hour and continued intermittently under reply from our own guns.
Some of their infantry advanced from cover, apparently with the
intention of attacking, but on coming under fire they retired. Otherwise
the day was uneventful, except for the activity of the artillery, which
is a matter of normal routine rather than an event.

Another hostile aeroplane was brought down by us, and one of our
aviators succeeded in dropping several bombs over the German line, one
incendiary bomb falling with considerable effect on a transport park
near La Fere.

A buried store of the enemy's munitions of war was also found, not far
from the Aisne, ten wagon loads of live shell and two wagon loads of
cable being dug up. Traces were discovered of large quantities of stores
having been burned--all