FRENCH ASCENDANCY.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 August 1918, Page 3

FRENCH ASCENDANCY.

QEFEAT OP THE GERMANS. LONDON, July 30. The Ti'mes," in a leading article today states: —The idea is current that the Germans will not stay on the 'Vesle, but "will return to the Aisne, which is one of the finest defensive positions in France, where it would" be difficult to dislodge them. The complete abandonment of the new salienY would depress Germany, but the 'general staff is still able to bamboozle the civilian population. It is doubtful whether the relative success of the retirement will continue. The dense masses packed into the narrowing salient may suffer heavily as the pursuit develops. The Paris .correspondent tof, the. Times states that expert comments reviewing the latest phase of the battle reflect the marked sense of the French ascendancy, and the readiness to meet any enemy stand. General Maistre, interviewed, said: "The incomparable dash and vigour of the Americans will enable us to illustrate Napoleon's aphorism that victory rests with the big battalions. The Germans have suffered a great defeat."

M. Henri Bi9u, in the Journal des Debats, says: "The enemy reports the occasional capture of a hundred 01 so, but we are taking five or ten times that number."

Le Temps believes that the Germans are planning an attempt at fierce revenge, for which the Allies are fully prepared. The news of the German retreat is the most momentous since Focn made his counter-attack, for it is tantamount to an enemy admission of defeat. The obstinate resistance which the Germans opposed to the patient, but relentless, pressure exercised by ! the Allies led many to believe that the enemy command would rather sacrifice its troops in a hopeless struggle than order a retirement, which would finally shatter the belief of the Ger- ' man people in the invincibility of their leaders. It had even been suggested that the enemy was preparing a coun-ter-attack, or at least that he~ might stand on a new line from Soissons to Cataillon, for the ruggedness of the country and the huge" forces at his disposal made a surprise not out of the question. The successful British advance west of Rheims, after the capture of Vrigny, was the first blow which made the enemy realise the danger to his forces in the south. Then followed the faii of vital points on the west of the salient —Ville Montoire and Oulchy le Chateau—while the capture of Reuil and the French advance north of Pbnt au Binson gave the Allies a new section of railway, and enabled an incessant and murderous cannonade of the five-mile strip" on the Marne. between Verneuil and Chatillon, to which the. Germans were still desperately clinging.-

The position of the Crown Prince's troops absorbs interests beyond any phase of the war since von Kluck was racing the British and French for the coast.