There has been a varied discussion both in and out
of Parliament as to whether we do or do not bold Hill 70, near Loos, as the result of the recent British advance. In the Commons Mr. Tennant explained that Sir John French's report about "the capture of Loos and the mining works round it, and Hill 70" should have been printed without the comma. That is to say, Sir John French did not profess to have captured Hill 70, but only the mining works round it. This explanation, however, left untouched the fact that Sir John French, in his Special Army Order of September 30th, stated explicitly that the "commanding position known as Hill 70, in advance of Loos, was finally captured." The papers of Wednesday published a further message from Sir John French in which he precisely defined the new British line. From the flanks of the old line it runs out to an apex, and the apex, so far as we can judge, is on the slopes of Hill 70. Thus in a sense we are on Hill 70. No doubt words have been used all round with less than scientific accuracy. But we cannot imagine why there should have been so mueh fuss about the matter. One would think that some people are really looking for sticks to beat the Government with—a strange frame of mind at such a time as this.
Previous page
