October 31, 1914 
LAND AND WATER 
south of St. Peter's by night and succeeded in getting 
across the re-entrant angle or loop of the canal we 
have just been discussing. 
The estimate of the Germans who got over at 
vai'ious places, and pai-ticulai"Iy inside the bend of the 
loop, in the darkness of Satui'day, is not more than 
5,000 men; of those 5,000 hardly any got back. 
They were either killed or taken wounded and un- 
wounded. But on the next day, the Sunday — at 
what hour we have not yet been told — the water was 
forced again, and a permanent footing established by 
the Germans upon the western bank. Thirty-six 
houivs passed, and the advantage produced no fruit. 
It is more probable that the effect was exhaustive and 
that the defensive holds it own in spite of this cross- 
ing, expecting to take the counter-offensive at 
any moment. Still it is wise, in judging aay 
strategical problem in action, to consider all possible 
developments. 
Supposing that the line of the canal is forced, 
and that the AUios evacuate Dixmude and Nieuport, 
will the next defensible line be one that covers 
Calais ? What does the nature of tlie ground 
offer for defence between the Yser and that line? 
What chance of retardation in a successful enemy's 
advance ? 
As to the first question, what line beyond the 
Yser Canal defends Calais ? There is between this 
frontier country and Calais one first rate line, and 
only one. It is the line of the River Aa carried 
on by the Canal to St. Omer (and from St. 
Omer, south-east again, out of the map, towards 
Bethune). This line between St. Omer and the sea is 
strong not only in one straight line of water running 
without re-entrants and fairly broad for the whole 
20 miles between St. Omer and the coast, but it is 
further strong in being covered, through all the 
lower or sea coast and Calais part of it, by a network 
half dried marshes and draining ditches, which make a 
belt miles wide upon either side ; while immediately 
in its centre, where the River Aa leaves a gap before the 
line of the St. Omer canal begins, where the wet country 
is therefore at its narrowest, you have a conspicuous 
group of heights which afford excellent defensive 
positions all round the village of Watten. This 
position is far stronger than anything which the 
Germans have had in force in Flanders. It thoroughly 
covers Calais ; but there is no corresponding position 
covering Dunkirk. 
'Dhcmude 
i 
Ostcnd 
^RouJler^ 
Dylced MarsAjss 
ShOtmr 
2jO 30 
so 
n. 
7» 
