ines near La Poisselu and bombarded the German trenches north of
Fromelles and east of Ypres, the Germans responding vigorously.

The British also attempted a night attack near Frelinghien, northeast
of Armentieres, which failed in its purpose. German troops cracked a
mine at Hulluch and captured a French trench at Hartmannsweilerkopf
with 200 prisoners. The French heavy artillery in Champagne directed a
strong fire against some huts occupied by Germans in the forest of
Malmaison. A German attack with hand grenades in the vicinity of the
Tahure road did little harm. Between the Arve and the Oise artillery
exchanges were in continual progress; between Soissons and Rheims a
series of mine explosions; and in the Vosges the French artillery
roared in the vicinity of Muehlbach. A German long-range gun fired
about ten shots at Nancy and its environments, killing two civilians
and wounding seven others.

In the north, again, we find the German artillery making a big
demonstration on the front east of Ypres and northeast of Loos; the
British destroying the outskirts of Andechy in the region of Roye.
French and Belgian guns batter the Germans stationed to the east of
St. George and shell other groups about Boesinghe and Steenstraete.
South of the Somme the German first-line trenches near Dompierre are
receiving artillery attention, and a supply train south of Chaulnes is
shattered. In Champagne the Tahure skirmish goes on, while in the
Vosges an artillery duel of great intensity rends the air in the
Hirzstein sector.

Along the Yser front the Belgians are shelled in the rear of their
lines, and a German barracks is being bombarded. On the southern part
of the British front bomb attacks are being carried out. With all this
sporadic and disconnected expenditure of life, energy and ammunition
little damage is done, and the losses and gains on either side are
equally unimportant. The Germans are tapping against the wall, looking
for weak spots. By the 5th, however, when General Joffre's New Year's
message appears, in which he tells his armies that the enemy is
weakening, that enemy suddenly grows more active and energetic. German
artillery fire increased in violence throughout Flanders, Artois,
Champagne, and the Vosges. They launched infantry attacks against the
French between Hill 193 and the Butte de Tahure. North of Arras the
French bombarded German troops in the suburbs of Roye; in the Vosges
they shelled German works in the