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Show BRITISH LOSSES NEARLY mm I WEST FRONT Situation Declared Acute Unless Reserves in Sufficient Suffi-cient Numbers Are Forthcoming. OFFENSIVE WILL CONTINUE, BELIEF Casualties in Striking Contrast Con-trast to Immense Cost to Germans in Recent Drives. WASHINGTON, May 4. British losses in men killed, wounded, captured cap-tured and missing on tho western front since the German ol'fensive began, March 21, are estimated at nearly 250,000. In a statement today giving this calcination, cal-cination, it is said everything indicates indi-cates tho offensive will be continued almost immediately, and that if the brunt of the attack is borne again by the British, the situation will become serious unless tho British troops are supported by sufficient reserves. This estimate would appear to be in remarkable contrast to the enormous German losses in the drive. The German Ger-man war office, of course, has not disclosed dis-closed to the world wnat its losses in the great battle have been, but the estimates of allied observers have placed the loss of German life at a staggering figure. An inkling of how serious the German losses are came some time ago, when it was reported that the German military chiefs dared not disclose their extent to the German people and therefore were sending the wounded to Belgium. All British Engaged. "The casualties in the British army ore emphasized, ' ' the statement said, ' ' by the German wireless. Although figures from German sources would be undoubtedly much exaggerated, yet it is certain from the severity of the fighting and from the fact that the entire combatant forces of the British army have been almost continuously engaged, that the British -losses in proportion pro-portion to reinforcements immediately available, must be very heavy. It is probable that one would be approximately approxi-mately accurate in quoting these as close on a quarter of a million. "Everything points to the German offensive being continued almost immediately, im-mediately, and should the brunt of the attack again have to be borne by the British the situation will be undoubtedly undoubted-ly serious unless sufficient troops are available close at hand in reserve to strengthen the line as required and bring relief to the British divisions which have been in the line almost continuously con-tinuously since the beginning of the present battle. Should the Germans determine de-termine again to attack in Flanders, it is certain that any advance in the direction di-rection of the channel ports will be made at great cost to themselves and over the bodies of the British army, which has so often shown in tho past such bulldog determination in the defense. de-fense. ' ' Losses Are Cited. ' As examples of what the British have gone-through, the statement cites two divisions which lost a large percentage per-centage of their effectives. The" Twenty-fifth, a new division in tho fighting between March 22 and 26, lost 4000 men. Put in tho fighting again from April 10 to April 19, it lost 5000 more. Despite theso losses, it was brigaded , with the French for a counter-attack and still later it beat off four 'heavy German attacks. The Twenty-first division fought continuously con-tinuously from March 21 to March ''S and lost 4000 infantrymen, of a total strength of 9000. Later it drove back a German attack in which five German divisions were engaged, and increased its losses to 5000. "Statistics such as these," said the statement, "bring home to the military mili-tary mind the terrible ordeal through which the British armv is now passing. pass-ing. Britain at this very moment is making the supreme sacrifice of endurance en-durance for right against might, and now, shoulder to shoulder with the famous fa-mous French fighting divisions, is prepared pre-pared to hold the German masses in check until the right moment arrives tor the great revenge. " |