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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 198, 25 September 1914, Page 6

Sir Jolyi French's expression of appreciation of the magnificent work done by the British troops both on the Maine and the Aisne, contains the following significant statement:—"l feel sure we have only to hold on with tenacity to jthe ground we have, woti for a veiy short time longer, when the Allies will be. again in full pursuit, of a beaten enemy." Such a prediction throws a flood of light on the operations that have been going forward the last few (toys between Peronue and St. Qucntin, where, after fierce fighting, the Allies' left has once more endangered the position of the German-'right wing, whi-h, according to report wiil have to work desperately to avoid being rolled up. The cables arc silent as to what is taking place in the centre and on the right wing, but it may be assumed that in these quarters the' enemy is beingsqueezed back towards the frontier. The German right wing has been pelted from pillar to post ever since von Kluck was caught napping near Paris, as the allied left, once they got . their _ opponents on the run, have given ,-them L little peace. The entrenched.. German-

the bayonet, and the German General Staffi, must be hard put to. to devise I means of defence by which the steady pressure of the Allies may he Math--stood. General French's statement suggests strongly that, unless anything im-: foreseen should occur, the enemy will not glimpse Paris again. In hand-to-hand engagements, spread over days and weeks of persistent battling, the Germans have been worsted. All things point to the invasion of France being at an end. The Belgians are worrying the enemy's forces east of Brussels, and the Bussian Hiyjasion has necessitated the •withdrawal of Army Corps from the western to the eastern theatre of war. Once Lord Kitchener throws through Belgium on Northern France the oversea contingents, then the Germans must, inevitably retire along their lines of communication before the new force flung against their front. That time is not yet, but the pertinacity of the allied forces, which is steadily pushing the enemy back, is bound to affect the morale of his troops, who must be already discouraged and disheartened by the desperateness of the attack4o which they '-have- been subjected with such persistence.