JS^vcmber 14, 1914 
LAND AND WATEE 
The campaign in the West has proved tiirough- 
out all the last few days so complete a deadlock that 
there is verv little more that can be usefully said upon 
it at the moment of writing this, Tuesdiiy evening. 
But it may be of service to recall the general features 
of the Allied line between Arras and the North Sea, 
and to show where the main effort is now falling. 
In the foregoing map that line is approximately 
given. It runs from in front of Nieuport, cuts the 
Yser Canal, recrosses it again in fi'ont of Dixmude, 
makes a bulge round Ypres, with another bulge round 
Armentiferes, and then suffers a cousiderable and 
significant sag between La Bassee and Bethune. 
It has sufficiently been explained in these notes 
that to capture the whole north coast of France, to 
uncover Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne, and to be the master 
of the Straits opposite Dover, a successful "bolt " di-iven 
through the point C at La Bassee would have had all 
the effect required. The Allied forces to the north of 
that point woidd hardly have escaped if the Germans 
had broken the line between La Bassee and Bethune, 
Such a success would further have put immediately 
into German hands the two junctions of Hazebrouck 
and Bethune (X — X) from which no fewer than four 
lines of railway were available for the advance up(m 
the sea-coast to Dunkirk, to Calais, and to Boulogne 
itself. "\Ve have further seen in these notes how, 
instead of concenti'ating aU their strength upon this 
" bolt " at La Bass6e, a furious attempt, lasting for 
nearly a fortnight, inviting defeat and finally 
suffermg such defeat, was made by the Gei-mans uj^oa 
the front between Dixmude and Nieu^jort at A. Tl»e 
line of the Yser Canal was ultimately forced by the 
Gennans, at an expense in killed and wounded of tlie 
equivalent at least of an army corps ; but they could 
do nothing upon the further side, and were flooded 
out. This attempt has now been abandoned. 
But even so, the enemy has not concentrated, 
as one would think he should have, upon La 
Bassee. He has again divided his forces, and main- 
taining very considerable strength at La Bassee, 
he ^has poured masses of men against the Ypres 
salient at B. 
He has somewhat piished in this salient, but he 
has not quite flattened it out. By last advices 
received, he was not in Ypres, though he was shelling 
it, and the Allied forces still successfully contained 
the attack. 
7* 
