It is true the German line had been smashed,
but it had not fallen back. Instead the remnants of the line had
collected themselves in the series of independent redoubts which
had seemingly been prepared for just such an emergency. They were
so situated that it was well-nigh impossible to destroy them at
long range; but it was impossible to make any forward movement
which would not be enfiladed by them. Hence it became necessary
for the French, if they were to be really victorious, to reduce
each separate redoubt. The most prominent of these were the sugar
factory at Souchez, the cemetery at Ablain, the White Road on a
spur of the Lorette, the eastern portion of Neuville St. Vaast,
and the Labyrinth. The last named was so called because it was
an elaborate system of trenches and redoubts in an angle between
two roads. The White Road surrendered on May 21, 1915. Ablain was
taken on May 29, 1915. The Souchez sugar factory fell on May 31,
1915. Neuville St. Vaast was captured on June 8, 1915. The Labyrinth,
however, remained under German control. Part of it was fifty feet
below the surface of the earth, much of the fighting there being
carried on in underground galleries and by means of mines. It finally
was entirely in the hands of the French on June 19, 1915, after
being taken to a considerable extent foot by foot. The last of
the fighting there was in what was known as the Eulenburg Passage,
where the entire 161st German Regiment, consisting of 4,000 men,
were slain and a Bavarian regiment suffered a heavy loss in killed
and wounded. The French took 1,000 prisoners; and only 2,000 of
their own men were unable to answer roll call after the fight,
of whom many were only slightly wounded.

[Illustration: THE BATTLES IN ARTOIS]

In concluding the account of the battle of the Artois it may be
admitted that the French had won what has been called a brilliant
victory, but it had not been a complete success. They had made
an end of the German salient; and only the last defense of Lens
remained. How much they had reduced the pressure on Russia is
problematical; but there is little doubt they had prevented the
Germans from continuing the offensive on the Ypres front. They
estimated the German loss at 60,000; and, by a peculiar coincidence,
the Crown Prince of Bavaria, whose armies they fought, estimated
the French loss at the same figure--60,000. It is known they lost
many men in the hand-to-hand struggles; but their great forw