OCR Text |
Show III! KITCHENER ON PROGRESS OF M London, Jan. 0. War Secretary Lord Kitchener solzed tho occasion this afternoon at tho mooting ot the houso of lords to Inform tho nation of tho progress of tho war and ot the military situation so far as military exigencies permitted. Tho houso ot lords had reassembled for a brief session. ses-sion. Addressing It, Lord Kltchoner said: "During tho month of December tho allied forces mado Pi ogress at various points, but tho tide ot battle ebbed and flowed with varying success. suc-cess. "In splto of tho unfavorable math-er, math-er, tho French army mado noteworthy notewor-thy progress to the east of Rhelms and In southern Alsace. "Notwithstanding the transfer ot German troops to the eastern theater of the war, they left sufflolont to bold their trenches In the west. "German aspirations in Poland have suffered a severe chock, and It is evident that they realize the In-flnlto In-flnlto difficulty of winter operations In Russia. "Ono of tho brightest npots In. Ine military operations during I'eccmbor has been tho extraordinary ac'ilovo-merits ac'ilovo-merits of tho gallant Servian army'. "Last night wo recelvod neM" Lord Kltcheuei declared, "of , Itus slan victory In tho CaucuHva, which should havo a far reaching Influence on nil tho Turkish operations." The householders canvass thus far has resulted in tho registration of 218,000 men who aro willing to servo If called upon, tho war secretary said. Ho continued: "Tho great advantages which Germany Ger-many enjoyed by reason of her superiority sup-eriority of numbers and extensive war preparations havo certainly dim-i dim-i Inlshed, whllo tho allies dally aro Increasing In-creasing their resources In such a way ns to cnablo them to prosecute tho wur to a triumphant ond. Tho anticipated decreaso In tho number of recruits during Christmas weok has given place to an Incrcaso which has almost restored tho weekly vre-turns vre-turns to their former satisfactory lev-el. lev-el. I am glad to say that wo havo filled up tho officers grades of the expeditionary forco and that thoro Is a consldorablo surplus ot training officers of-ficers to draw from. SInco the war begun 29,100 olllcers havo boen appointed ap-pointed to tho army. Sir John French's forces havo been Increased by territorial units and a now division, divi-sion, attached to which is a lino Canadian Can-adian regiment." |