Official communiques issuing from various sources yesterday convey the following intelligence as to the progress of the war:
A supplement to the London Gazette issued early yesterday morning contains a despatch from Sir John French recounting the progress of operations by the British Expeditionary Force from the moment of its landing in France.
The despatch, which is of historic interest, tells the thrilling story of the great retreat from Mons, through days of desperate and continuous fighting. It shows that nothing but fine generalship and leading, with splendid courage and endurance on the part of the heavily outnumbered British force, saved our troops from being overwhelmed by the enemy.
Front the theatre of war in France the news continues to be encouraging.
Yesterday afternoon the Press Bureau issued a statement to the effect that the battle continued, and that the enemy had been driven back all along the line. The British troops have crossed the Marne in a northerly direction.
Sir John French reports that both the First and Second Army Corps have made captures of guns and prisoners. The Germans, who suffered severely, are said to be very exhausted.
On the centre and right of the Allied line there has been no change, but on Wednesday it was reported that the German attempts to break through the French troops on the right bank of the Ourcq had failed.
Last night an additional list of casualties was issued giving particulars of killed, wounded, and missing up to September 7. The list includes 10 officers killed, 63 wounded, and 61 missing; and other ranks, 61 killed, 510 wounded, and 2,883 missing.
From the four returns now issued it appears that the casualties up to September 7 are made up of 589 officers and 18,140 other ranks.
The names of six officers wounded are given and of two officers missing, together with corrections in respect of three other officers.
An official statement from Antwerp says that the German forces in the neighbourhood of Ghent have left in a southerly direction with the goods they levied on the city. Other troops have been observed moving towards France.
There is news from the North Sea.
The Admiralty announce that on Wednesday and Thursday strong and numerous squadrons and flotillas made a complete sweep of the North-Sea up to and in including the Helioglond Bight. The German Fleet made no attempt to interfere, and no ship of any kind was seen.
With regard to the loss of the Oceanic, it is now stated that the vessel ran on a rock on the West Coast of Scotland.
The Admiralty announces that his Majesty's ship Vindictive has captured a German collier in the Atlantic. The prize had 5,000 tons of Welsh coal on board.
It is confirmed that his Majesty's ship Pathfinder, recently lost off St. Abb's Head, was sunk by a German submarine, and not by a, mine.
Messages have been received from the Governor of Nyasaland reporting heavy fighting on September 8 and 9 against a force of the enemy, some 400 strong, which attacked Karonga. The enemy fought with great determination, and had to be dislodged by bayonet charges. The enemy's losses were heavy.
On the Galician frontier the great battle that has been proceeding for nearly a fortnight still rages.
The Austrian centre has been broken, and large numbers of prisoners and immense quantities of munitions have been captured.
Reinforcements have been hurried up from Germany, but it is doubtful whether the Austrian Army can be saved from its perilous position.
In Petrograd the news is expected at any moment that the Russians have broken through the last defences of the combined Austrian and German foroes, which a few days ago numbered half a million of men.
Our Petrograd Correspondent gives a vivid and detailed account of the fighting and of the situation which has been reached.
Consternation prevails at Cracow, it is said, now that Lembcrg has fallen. The evacuation of the town has begun.
With regard to operations on the Servian frontier, an official report from Nish states that the Servian troops crossed the Save in great numbers on the 5th inst. One detachment near Movritza was repulsed with loss.
The Montenegrins have occupied territory over the Bosnian frontier and have joined the Servians before Vishegrad.
The bombardment of Belgrade has been renewed with greater intensity.
Speaking in the Union Parliament on Wednesday, General Botha identified South Africa with the cause of the Empire without reserve and announced that, in response to the request of the Imperial Government, the Union Government was undertaking measures against German South-West Africa, from which an attack had already been made on Union territory.
On the motion of the Prime Minister the House of Commons yesterday voted an additional 500,000 men for the Army.
The German Emperor's message to President Wilson has now been received at Washington. It charges the Allies with using dum-duim bullets and expresses regret at the necessity for the destruction of Louvain.
Japan has joined in the agreement of the Triple Entente not to conclude peace without the consent of the other parties to the agreement.
The Prince of Wales's National Relief Fund amounted yesterday to £2,438,000.