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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 180, 4 September 1914, Page 6

Belated news which filtered through to-day suggests impressively the mauling the British troops were subjected to the week in August. The latest messages recount the capture of Amiens by the German right wing, which is levering the Allied left steadily round on Paris. According to one such report, the advance screen of . the German right has passed well beyond the La Fere terminal of the liue of forts that extends in front of the chief French concentration area. News as to what was actually occurring on the right was up till this morning charmingly indefinite, but information has since been received which shows that terrific fighting took place in and about the valley of the Oise 011 Sunday. If the facts of the "Daily Telegraph" correspondent are correct, the German main army (the centre) has deyeloped the dreaded wedge formation, and is moving slowly forward with irresistible force. Before this, the Allied centre will have received the first great shock, since the right wing of the Germans has got down so far through Amiens. It was always intended that as soon as the right had delivered a heavy blow to the Allied left, the concentrated strength of 'the main attack would be pushed through from Belgian Luxemburg. Fugitive references to the combatants' movements in this area have been passed along, but ere this the crucial engagement along the whole battle front must have begun. Across the Aisne is the shortest way to Paris, and it is in this vicinity, after the Germans force the Meuse and compass the wooded country at the rear, the Argonne Forest, that the thrust will be made. Mention of the success of the huge Krupp howitzers will recall the various "expert" comparisons that have been made as to the effectiveness of the French and the German artillery. Clearly these '' experts" knew very little; it is very evi-, dent that the Krupp factories have bean working overtime the last twelve months turning out these huge engine? o/f war without the external world being any the wiser. And the same with the Zeppelins and aeroplanes —the boasted French superiority in the matter of aircraft existed only 011 paper. So far, the Germans have had much the better of things in the air—their scouts must have' rendered the German Staff invaluable assistance.