September 5, 1914 
la:n"d and water 
But it is not to be believed that a Gennau Array cotild resist tbe temptation, if ihe 
oppoi-tunity offers, of a niarcb upon Paris, strategically useless as such a mai-ch would be. It is 
hardly any more to be believed that a modem French Army, engaged in this wai' upon the 
stupendous task of saving the culture of Christendom from dissolution, and historic France from final 
disaster, wonld hesitate to sacrifice the capital, and to presen'e the sti-ategic advantage such a saciifice 
■would involve. In plain English, the German advance is now in contact with the outer defences 
of Paris. This means that we must expect' as a possibility, or a probability of the immediate 
future, a falling back of the whole defensive line from Verdun to Paris through, or perhaps south of, 
the Eeims Camp, abandoning La Fere, and rougldy following the A^alley of the lower Marne. That 
advance shoulil, before these lines appear, have reached the outer ring of forts in front of Paris. 
Though the foi-ts will be dcfende<l, I do not believe that a French armed force of any size will allow 
its'.li to be detached and contained within that entrenched camp. 
Suuu^us laze stM held IcLSf rr. . 
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SKtiCU OV TUB TWO LIXE3 OV THK Al.i;.I£D BKTIKEUKXT IX THE COCRSS 01' THi5 L.'.SX SIX DAYS, AND] OF THB HXE THAT WILL 
ritOBAELY BE HELD- AVirEM OB IT TEB ALLIES BEPOSB THCIB LIFT OK PAEI8. 
I conceive that the next phase ^vill consist in a withdrawal of the Allied Army in the field, its 
left based on the resistance of the forts round Paris — short or long — its main object a prolongation of 
the struggle with the enemy draivn further and further in, and with the army preserved intact to take 
a counter offensive, however belated, at last. Strategically, the Germans should mask Paris, and not 
waste time, space, and men in a diversion towards that particular area of ground. The moral effect of 
then* entry into Paris is ah-eady discounted. WLether their dramatic instinct can be conquered 
by their strategical reasoning in this matter remains to be seen. They know, as strategists, that their 
one and only business is to put the Allied Army out of action, not to enjoy the baiTen effect of an 
occupation. It will be a waste in any case. How much of a waste only the length of the resistance 
can show. Perhaps they will not so waste their remaining energy. We cannot tell till the event. 
"Whether their brains will master their appetite we shall know in a very few days, 
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARY POINTS. 
There are many matters in connection with this rapid German advance, the check received eight 
days ago, its resumed heavy pressure upon two points, the sinuous line of advance thus hammered out, 
and the present advance on Paris, while subsidiary to the main issue, are of poignant interest to the 
people of this country. 
Tlie first, of course, is the nature of the casualties suffered by the English contingent, their 
proportion and their meaning. 
With regard to these the following points should be noticed : 
(1) The total casualties, when they are known, will considerably exceed 6,000, the first figure 
given. Over 5,000 have already been received for rather less than three-foui-ths and rather more than 
two-thirds of the British forces engaged. 
(2) Whenever a force re/ires fighting before another force wliich ackances fighting and which 
presses upon the retirement of its opponent, much the gi-eatcr numl^er of casualties of the retiring force 
must bo marked " missing." This distressing word docs not mean that the men are lost, still less that 
they are killed ; it does not mean tliat they are wounded in so rapid a retirement. Men who cannot 
b* 
