FOCH’S LONG SUIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4846, 18 April 1918, Page 5

FOCH’S LONG SUIT.

NOT A CARD YET SHOWN

BATTLE IN ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE.

Router's Telegrams. (Received April 17. 9.45 p.n;.) ■LONDON. April 17. Reuter’s British correspondent, writing on the evening of the 16th says The enemy is continuing his forcing tactics, employing large masses of fresh troops. Since the opening of the western offensive, the enemy has thrown in 120 divisions, of which many have been thrown in twice or. thrice 7 , Since the fall of Bailleul, the Germans have been- fighting up the Ravelsberg. Up to the piesent, however, they have advanced only a few hundred yards. The enemy this morning made, renewed assarilts on employing fresh troops. To-day’s news is not so good as we could wish, but he suggests the following viewpoint:— We are confronted by enormous concentrations of men and guns. The purpose of the enemy has been revealed as the separation of the French and I2nglish armies and the crushing of the English army. General Foch, in closest agreement with Sir Douglas Haig, is aiming not only at arresting the enemy, but at a counterattack which shall defeat the Germans. Therefore, within certain limits, it is sound policy to allow the Germans to spend their surplus power as lavishly as possible in order to reach the stage of equality, or even inferiority. On the other hand General Foch is endeavoring to avoid the enemy obtaining a great strategic advantage simultaneously, .placing a definite price upon certain places as worth such and no more in defending. Thus, when the price of defending Bailleul had been paid, Bailleul was evacuated. General Ludendorff has practically laid down all his cards, but General Foch has not yet shown his hand. What little I know of General Foch’s dispositions inspires a degree of confidence which the situation in Flanders seemingly does not justify.