of self-sacrifice and achievement. In the giant struggle against Napoleon, England's own safety was secured by the demoralisation of the French fleet. But in this contest the German naval authorities have at their disposal a fleet of extraordinary efficiency, and have devised for use on an extended scale the most formidable and destructive of all instruments of marine warfare. In previous coalitions England has partially financed her continental allies; in this case the expenditures have been on an unheard-of scale, and in consequence England's industrial strength, in men and money, in business and mercantile and agricultural ability, has been drawn on as never before. As in the days of Marlborough and Wellington, so now, England has sent her troops to the continent; but whereas formerly her expeditionary forces, although of excellent quality, were numerically too small to be of primary importance, at present her army is already, by size as well as by excellence, a factor of prime importance, in the military situation; and its relative as well as absolute importance is steadily growing.

And to her report of the present stage of Great Britain's effort in the war, Mrs. Ward has added some letters describing from her own personal experience the ruin wrought by the Germans in towns like Senlis and Gerbéviller, and in the hundreds of villages in Northern, Central, and Eastern France that now lie wrecked and desolate. And she has told in detail, and from the evidence of eye-witnesses, some of the piteous incidents of German cruelty to the civilian population, which are already burnt into the conscience of Europe, and should never be forgotten till reparation has been made.

Mrs. Ward's book is thus of high value as a study of contemporary history. It is of at least as high value as an inspiration to constructive patriotism.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

SAGAMORE HILLS,

May 1st, 1917.

CONTENTS

No. 1

England's Effort—Rapid March of Events—The Work of the Navy—A Naval
Base—What the Navy has done—The Jutland Battle—The Submarine
Peril—German Lies—Shipbuilding—Disciplined Expectancy—Crossing the
Channel—The Minister of Munitions—Dr. Addison—Increase of
Munitions—A Gigantic Task—Arrival in France—German Prisoners—A Fat
Factory—A Use for Everything—G.H.Q.—Intelligence Department—"The
Issue of the War"—An Aerodrome—The Task of the Aviators—The
Visitors' Chateau.

No. 2

A French School—Our Soldiers and French Children—Nissen Huts—Tanks—A
Primeval Plough—A Division on the March—Significant Preparations
—Increase of Ammunition—"The Fosses"—A Sacred Spot—Vimy
Ridge—The Sound of the Guns—A Talk with a General—Why the Germans
Retreat—Growth of the New Armies—Soldiers at School.

No. 3

America Joins the Allies—The British Effort—Creating an Army—L'Union
Sacrée—Registration—Accommodation—Clothing—Arms and Equipment—A
Critical Time—A Long-continued Strain—Training—O.T.C.'S—Boy
Officers—The First Three Armies—Our Wonderful Soldiers—An Advanced
Stage—The Final Result—Spectacle of the Present—Snipers and
Anti-snipers—The Result.

No. 4

Vimy Ridge—The Morale of our Men—Mons. le Maire—Ubiquitous
Soldiers—The Somme—German Letters—German Prisoners—Amiens—"Taking
Over" a Line—Poilus and Tommies—"Taking Over" Trenches—French
Trenches—Unnoticed Changes—Amiens Cathedral—German Prisoners
—Confidence.

No. 5

German Fictions—Winter Preparation—Albert—La Boisselle and
Ovillers—In the Track of War—Regained Ground—Enemy
Preparations—German Dug-outs—"There were no Stragglers"
—Contalmaison—Devastation—Retreating Germans—Death,
Victory, Work—Work of the R.E.—A Parachute—Approaching Victory.

No. 6

German Retreat—Enemy Losses—Need of Artillery—Awaiting the
Issue—Herr Zimmermann—Training—A National Idea—Training—Fighting
for Peace—Stubbornness and Discipline—Training of Officers
—Responsibility—The British Soldier—Soldiers' Humour—A Boy
Hero—"They have done their job"—Casualties—Reconnaissance—Air
Fighting—Use of Aeroplanes—Terms of Peace.

No. 7

Among the French—German Barbarities—Beauty of France—French
Families—Paris—To Senlis—Senlis—The Curé of Senlis—The German
Occupation—August 30th, 1914—Germans in Senlis—German Brutality—A
Savage Revenge—A Burning City—Murder of the Mayor—The Curé in the
Cathedral—The Abbé's Narrative—False Charges—Wanton Destruction—A
Sudden Change—Return of the French—Ermenonville—Scenes of
Battle—Vareddes.

No. 8

Battle of the Ourcq—Von Kluck's Mistake—Anniversary of the
Battle—Wreckage of War—A Burying Party—A Funeral—A Five Days'
Battle—Life-and-Death Fighting—"Salut au Drapeau"—Meaux
—Vareddes—Murders at Vareddes—Von Kluck's Approach—The
Turn of the Tide—The Old Curé—German Brutalities—Torturers
—The Curé's Sufferings—"He is a Spy"—A Weary March—Outrages
—Victims—Reparation—To Lorraine.

No. 9

Épernay-Châlons—Snow—Nancy—The French People—L'Union
Sacrée—France and England—Nancy—Hill of Léomont—The Grand
Couronné—The Lorraine Campaign—Taubes—Vitrimont—Miss Polk—A
Restored Church—Society of Friends—Gerbéviller—Soeur
Julie—Mortagne—An Inexpiable Crime—Massacre of Gerbéviller—"Les
Civils ont tiré"—Soeur Julie—The Germans come—German
Wounded—Barbarities in Hospital—Soeur Julie and Germans—The French
Return—Germans at Nancy—Nancy saved—A Warm Welcome—Adieu to Lorraine

No. 10

Doctrine of Force—Disciplined Cruelty—German Professors—Professor von
Gierke—An Orgy of Crime—Return Home—Russia—The Revolution—Liberty
like Young Wine—What will Russia do?—America joins—America and
France—The British Advance—British Successes—The Italians—A
Soldier's Letter—Aircraft and Guns—The German Effort—April
Hopes—Submarines—Tradition of the Sea—Last Threads—The Food
Situation—More Arable Land—Village Patriotism—Food Prices—The Labour
Outlook—Finance—Messines—The Tragedy of War—A Celtic Legend—Europe
and America

TOWARDS THE GOAL

No. 1

March 24th, 1917.

DEAR MR. ROOSEVELT,—It may be now frankly confessed—(you, some time ago, gave me leave to publish your original letter, as it might seem opportune)—that it was you who gave the impulse last year, which led to the writing of the first series of Letters on "England's Effort" in the war, which were published in book form in June 1916. Your appeal—that I should write a general account for America of the part played by England in the vast struggle—found me in our quiet country house, busy with quite other work, and at first I thought it impossible that I could attempt