In the eastern theatre of the war the Germans continuo
to claim great successea, or, rather, continue to boast daily of the successes announced at the beginning of the week. They allege that in their East Prussian operations they took sixty- five thousand prisoners and seventy guns. No doubt the Russians, face to face with a furious German attack in great strength, were forced to retire on a long front, but those stories of vast captures should be received with considerable reserve. The German official reports are very cleverly con- structed. They are seldom pure inventions, but rather artful exaggerations of admitted facts. By this method, and by a rigid suppression of all really bad news, they contrive to announce results which are very pleasing to the German mind, and will continue to please till the final and inevitable disillusionment comes. In regard to the East Prussian operations, it should be remembered that, even if the Russians have lost a large number of men in killed, wounded, and prisoners, as no doubt is the case, the Germans, a week before, lost almost as many in their great but unsuccessful attempt to reach Warsaw aid the Bzura line.
