laying a part in
the war, and have been most successful in dealing with small parties of
German mounted troops. In their employment our gallant allies, the
Belgians, who are now fighting with us and acquitting themselves nobly,
have shown themselves to be experts. They appear to regard Uhlan hunting
as a form of sport. The crews display the utmost dash and skill in this
form of warfare, often going out several miles ahead of their own
advanced troops and seldom failing to return loaded with spoils in the
shape of lancers' caps, busbies, helmets, lances, rifles, and other
trophies, which they distribute as souvenirs to the crowds in the market
places of the frontier towns.

Although the struggle in the northern area naturally attracts more
attention than the one in the Aisne, the fighting in this region still
continues. Although there has been no alteration in the general
situation, the enemy has made certain changes in the positions of his
heavy artillery, with the result that one or two places which formerly
were safe are now subject to bombardment, while others which were
approachable only at night or by crawling on hands and knees now serve
as recreation grounds. At one point even a marquee tent has been
erected.

A story from this quarter illustrates a new use for the craters made by
the explosions of the "Black Marias," the name given by the men to the
projectiles of the big German howitzers. An officer on patrol stumbled
in the dark on the German trenches. He turned and made for the British
lines, but the fire directed at him was so heavy that he had to throw
himself on the ground and crawl. There was no cover at hand, and his
chances looked desperate, when he saw close by an enormous hole in the
ground made by one of these large shells. Into this he scrambled and
remained there for a night and a day. When night again came he succeeded
in reaching our lines in safety.

Official casualty lists of recent date which have been captured show
that the losses of the Germans continue to be heavy. One single list
shows that a company of German infantry had 139 men killed and wounded,
or more than half of its war establishment. Other companies suffered
almost as heavily. It further appears that the number of men reported
missing--that is, those who have fallen into the hands of the enemy or
who have become marauders--is much greater in the reserve battalions
than in the first line units. This is evidence of the inferior