Official communiques issuing from various sources yesterday convey the following intelligence as to the progress of hostilities:
Although the official despatches from Sir John French on the recent battles have not yet been received, it has been found possible by the authorities to state in general outline what the British share in the recent operations has been. The statement, which is of thrilling interest, and which cannot be summarised without being marred, tells of the heroic behaviour of the British Army in desperate and continuous fighting during the 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th inst. The German attack for the time being had been fought to a standstill.
Over 300 wounded men from the front were brought to London yesterday.
The Admiralty have issued an account of the naval action in Heligoland Bight on Friday. It explains that it was the Arethusa and not the Amethyst which played the principal part in the action, whose object was to cut the German light craft off from their base. The Arethusa was attacked by two German cruisers once, and yet again, and contributed to the sinking of the Mainz, though her speed was reduced to 10 knots and many of her guns were disabled. She was about to be attacked by two German cruisers for a third time, when the battle cruiser squadron arrived and sank the new antagonists.
The way in which the Arethusa was fought "adds another page to the annals of a famous ship."
It is explained that only two of the enemy's destroyers were observed to sink, but that most of the eighteen or twenty boats were well punished, and only saved themselves by scattered flight. The third German cruiser sunk was the Ariadne.
The total British losses amount to 69 killed and wounded, including "two officers of exceptional merit." A first casualty list is issued. The complements of the five German vessels sunk was about 1,200, and all but 330 perished.
A casualty list issued by the Admiralty includes the names of two officers and twenty-seven men killed, and of thirty-eight men wounded.
A remarkable story is told of the risk which the British boats ran in their efforts to save the drowning German sailors, who were actually fired on by their own officers. A number were allowed to return to Germany in a British boat as they could not be taken aboard the only vessel available for conveying them to England as prisoners.
The First Lord of the Admiralty has asked the American Ambassador to to inform Admiral Von Tirpitz that his son is safe and unwounded.
The Press Beureau have issued a statement warning the public to receive with "extreme- caution" messages sent by correspondents of newspapers dealing with the recent operations, as no correspondents are at the front, and their information is therefore derived at second or third hand.
The French Embassy report that in Lorraine the progress of the French forces was accentuated on Friday, and that heavy fighting was going on. On Saturday the situation from the Somme to the Vosges remained the same, and the Germans seemed to have slackened their advance. Their losses had been very heavy.
An account by a Belgian officer of the fall of Namur is officially issued. It explains that the Germans brought 30 howitzer batteries into action against the forts, three of which they knocked to pieces. Afterwards the Germans advanced through the interval.
A statement has been issued by the Press Bureau referring to the, destruction of Louvain and commenting severely on the conduct of the Germans as "a crime for which there can be no atonement."
With regard to the fighting on the Russo-German frontier, a message from St. Petersburg announces vigorous fighting in the Soldau, Allenstein, and Bischoffsburg districts, and the occupation of Allenstein. The Germans sustained great losses between Ostend and Neudenburg, and are in full retreat.
On the Galician frontier engagements which assumed the character of a big battle are reported. The fighting continues desperately. The Russians have taken 3,000 prisoners, and a number of guns. In the district of Tornacheff entire regiments of the 15th Hungarian Division surrendered.
In Paris it is officially announced that Königsburg has been completely invested.
The Admiralissimo of the French Fleet has assumed command of the combined Anglo-French Fleets in the Mediterranean.
A telegram from the Governor of New Zealand has been received stating that Apia, in German Samoa, surrendered on Saturday to an expeditionary force sent from New Zealand.