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Show oo A BY THE TEUTONS By LEONARD SPRAY. Rotterdam, Julyl6, Sunday midnight mid-night The British'' army's new blow has caused the deepest anxiety in German hearts when the forward movement, perhaps, is only in Its first stages. It Is fully realized that this success Is not only of Importance itself, but has infinitely a greater significance than the assault on the first line. Whilst German headquarters were prepared for the necessity of giving way at some points when the British Brit-ish offensive was first launched they believed that the second lino would be able to withstand all pressure. The positions just captured were defended with great strength. After the taking of the first line by the British tremendous efforts were made to reinforce the second line with men and guns and troop3 brought up, noj from other fronts, but large drafts of even fresh formations from depots behind the front and also in Germany. The Germans reckone don a repetition repe-tition of Neuvllle Chapelle-Loss.Cham-paign when, by concentrating troops at the points threatened, they prevented pre-vented any further advance. That the second British blow succeeded suc-ceeded is recognized as the most significant sig-nificant fact associated with any of tho allies' military operations since the beginning of the war. It is possible pos-sible that the Germans did not realize real-ize in time the tremendous force tho allies would put Into their blow and they did not abandon tho offensive against Verdun. Although a certain number of troops was hastened away to some districts they were quickly replaced with drafts from depots. The German government, through tho press, Is representing the fighting fight-ing on the Meuse as of real importance import-ance in the situation on the western front On tho successful British offensive of-fensive the military critics are silent with unanlmltv which cannot be accidental, ac-cidental, whilst all the newspapers give prominence to trivial German successes suc-cesses in the Verdun district . no |
