repulsed with severe French
losses."

The following two interesting reports were issued on October 27, 1915:

_Paris_

After having exploded in the neighborhood of the road from Arras to
Lille ... a series of powerful mines which destroyed the German
intrenchments ... our troops immediately occupied the excavations.
They installed themselves there, notwithstanding a very violent
bombardment and several counterattacks by the enemy, who suffered
serious losses. We captured about 30 prisoners.

_Berlin_

After the explosion of a French mine on the Lille-Arras road an
unimportant engagement developed, which went in our favor.

An important event happened in France on October 28, 1915, when the
Viviani Cabinet resigned, much to the general surprise of the nation.
The result of the change of government was that M. Aristide Briand,
one of the aggressive and militant members of the Socialist party,
succeeded as Premier and Foreign Secretary, M. de Freycinet became
Vice President of the Council, and General Gallieni Minister for War.
It was not a "political crisis," but a union of the parties--a
coalition, such as the British Government had already adopted. The
change implied a distribution of responsibility among the leading men
of all parties, a useful measure to stifle criticism and insure
unanimity of purpose. M. Viviani reentered the new Cabinet as Minister
of Justice. For the first time in the history of the French Republic a
coalition ministry of all the opposing factions was formed.

Some stir and much speculation was caused when General Joffre visited
London at the end of October and held another conference with Lord
Kitchener. It was generally understood that some scheme for central
military control was being promoted, to render quicker decisions and
coordinate action possible. It was obvious that matters of vital
interest had brought the French Generalissimo to London. Shortly
before his departure it leaked out that the British Government had for
some time contemplated the creation of a new General Staff composed of
experts to supervise the prosecution of the war, and it was believed,
perhaps with justification, that General Joffre had come to give his
opinion on the matter. On November 17, 1915, the first meeting of the
Anglo-French War Council was held in Paris. The British members in
attendance were the Prime Minister, Mr. Arthur James Balfour, First
Lord of the Admiralty; Mr. David Llo