NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE new German offensive—the fifth in this year's campaign— opened on Monday to the east and west of Reims. The attack was delivered with vast forces on a front of over fifty miles from the Marne almost to the Argonne, and it met everywhere with a magnificent resistance on the part of the French and American troops. The German intention was to break through to Mont- mirail, Epernay, and Chalons, thus isolating Reims and the wooded hills south of it, and also outflanking from the north the French eastern defences, which stretch from the Argonne and Verdun down to Belfort. It was a great plan, but we may say already that it has proved a great failure. The French have never fought more superbly. Well supported by large forces of Americans, they inflicted a complete defeat on the enemy to the east of Reims on Monday, and resisted him so stoutly to the west of Reims that after three days his grand offensive had lost its momentum and had been broken up into local attacks. As we write on Thursday morning the situation is most encouraging, for the French have felt strong enough to start an offensive north of the Marne.
