NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE news from the Western front tells us of a continuous pounding of the German line, and of German counter- attacks which, though—with two exceptions—they have all been unsuccessful and costly to the enemy, prove that the Germans have not lost their moral. The very fact, however, that the German High Command are willing to lose so many men in order to try to save the Oppy line shows what groat importance they attach to this part of their defences. They are still saving time to prepare the unfinished defences behind. The Germans never look like winning back any great area of importance. The days of advance are over for them. Their recapture of Fresnoy—the chief of the exceptions referred to above—was accomplished at groat sacrifices, end is not regarded by a single British soldier as being anything but a temporary and local advantage, and even that has already been partly yielded by the enemy.
