ed on those dates. At this short distance of time even the
descriptive details are by no means altogether reliable, owing to the
contradictory reports that announced them. During the first week in
December, 1915, the Germans concentrated strong reenforcements and an
immense amount of artillery with the object of striking a blow at the
allied line in Flanders and Artois. In Champagne they captured about
800 feet of an advanced trench near Auberive. The French admitted the
loss, but claimed that they had reoccupied a large part of the ground
originally yielded.

Floods in the Yser region compelled the Germans to abandon many of
their advanced trenches, and two of their ammunition depots were blown
up. Near Berry-au-Bac they destroyed a French trench with its
occupants and blew up some mines that the French had almost completed.
Artillery engagements in Artois became more pronounced, especially
around Givenchy. On the 8th sixteen British aeroplanes bombed a German
stores depot at Miraumont, in the Somme district, and the aerodrome at
Hervilly. The attack was carried out in a high westerly wind, which
made flying difficult. All machines returned safely after inflicting
much damage on both objectives. A British cargo boat having run
aground off the Belgian coast, three German hydroaeroplanes attempted
to sink her with bombs. Several of the allied aeroplanes, one of them
French, set out from the land and drove the German flyers away after
an exciting fight. Deep snow in the Vosges Mountains prevented
operations beyond artillery action.

On December 16, 1915, in the course of his demand in the Chamber of
Deputies that the Chamber grant three months' credit on the budget
account, the French Minister of Finance, M. Ribot, said that while the
war expenditure at the beginning of the conflict was 1,500,000,000
francs ($300,000,000) a month, it had risen to 2,100,000,000 francs
($420,000,000). "At the beginning of hostilities financial
considerations took a secondary place. We did not think the war would
last seventeen months, and now no one can foresee when it will end."

Artillery activity of more than usual intensity at a number of points
marked the 17th, 18th and 19th of December, 1915. To the east of Ypres
French and British batteries bombarded the German trenches from which
suffocating gas was directed toward the British line. No infantry
attacks followed. By December 22, 1915, the French had gained the
summit of Hartmannsw