rs and men have been accustomed.

"The value of such preparation is as noticeable on the side of the enemy
as on our own. The phenomenal losses suffered by the Germans' new
formations have been remarked, and they were in part due to their lack
of training. Moreover, though at the first onset these formations
advanced to the attack as gravely as their active corps, they have not
by any means, shown the same recuperative powers. The Twenty-seventh
Corps, for instance, which is a new formation composed principally of
men with from only seven to twelve weeks' training, has not yet
recovered from its first encounter with the British infantry around
Becelaere, to the northeast of Ypres, a month ago. On the other hand,
the Guards Corps, in spite of having suffered severely in Belgium, of
having been thrown headlong across the Oise River at Guise and of having
lost large numbers on the plains of Compiegne and on the banks of the
Aisne River, advanced against Ypres on the 11th of November as bravely
as they did on the 20th of August."

The Allies, continues Col. Swinton, have made great sacrifices to defend
against tremendous odds a line that could only be maintained by making
these sacrifices; but the fact that the situation has been relieved is
no reason for assuming that the enemy has abandoned his intention of
pressing through to the sea. The writer points out that the Germans
continue to attack with great courage, but little abated by failure,
and, while they have not succeeded in gaining the Straits of Dover, they
have been enabled to consolidate their position on the western front and
retain all but a small portion of Belgium.

"As well as they have fought, however," continues the narrative, "it is
doubtful if their achievements are commensurate with their losses, which
recently have been largely due to a lack of training and a comparative
lack of discipline of the improvised units they put in the field."

Col. Swinton concludes with the statement that, as the war is going to
be one of exhaustion, after the regular armies of the belligerents have
done their work it will be upon the raw material of the countries
concerned that final success will depend.

XIII.

*The Lull in November.*

[Dated Nov. 29.]

General inactivity is recorded along the English front, with the Germans
pressing the attack in one quarter against the Indian troops, who have
been extending their trenches in an endeavor to get in close q