quality
of some of the reserves now being brought up to reinforce the enemy
field army, and it is all the more encouraging, since every day adds to
our first line strength.

The arrival of the Indian contingents caused every one to realize that
while the enemy was filling his depleted ranks with immature levies, we
have large reserves of perfectly fresh and thoroughly trained troops to
draw upon.

X.

*Nature of Fighting Changes.*

[Dated Oct. 26.]

Before the narrative [Transcriber: original 'narative'] of the progress
of the fighting near the Franco-Belgian frontier subsequent to Oct. 20
is continued a brief description will be given of the movement of a
certain fraction of our troops from its former line facing north, on the
east of Paris, to its present position facing east, in the northwest
corner of France, by which a portion of the British Army has been
enabled to join hands with the incoming and growing stream of
reinforcements.

This is now an accomplished fact, as is generally known, and can
therefore be explained in some detail without detriment. Mention will
also be made of the gradual development up to Oct. 20 in the nature of
the operations in this quarter of the theatre of war, which has recently
come into such prominence.

In its broad lines the transfer of strength by one combatant during the
course of a great battle which has just been accomplished is somewhat
remarkable. It can best be compared with the action of the Japanese
during the battle of Mukden, when Gen. Oku withdrew a portion of his
force from his front, moved it northward behind the line, and threw it
into the fight again near the extreme left of the Japanese armies.

In general direction, though not in scope or possible results, owing to
the coast line being reached by the Allies, the parallel [Transcriber:
original 'parellel'] is complete. The Japanese force concerned, however,
was much smaller than ours and the distance covered by it was less than
that from the Aisne to the Franco-Belgian frontier. Gen. Oku's troops,
moreover, marched, whereas ours were moved by march, rail, and motor.

What was implied in the actual withdrawal from contact with the enemy
along the Aisne will be appreciated when the conditions under which we
were then situated are recalled.

In places the two lines were not one hundred yards apart, and for us no
movement was possible during daylight. In some of the trenches which
were under enfilad