The Spectator at war: The matter of attrition

From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 17 July 1915:

ON the western side trench warfare continues on the familiar lines of attack and counter-attack. On the whole, however, we are not, we think, unduly optimistic when we say that on the balance the Allies once more have had the advantage, not only in the matter of small successes, but still more in the matter of human attrition. We and the French both lose heavily in men, but the Germans lose more and can worse afford it. We ought, however, to add that, according to a Berlin wireless telegram, the Crown Prince’s attacks in the Argonne have been very successful, and that he has taken a large number of prisoners and put several guns out of action. Against this, the French declare that the enemy’s gains have been of a trivial character.. In the British lines it is admitted that we have not only repulsed a severe German attack in the direction of Pilkem—i.e.,