ary force in France, but at this time it has been out of the question for a complete statement of our operations to be more than indicated. I have therefore had prepared a chronology of the major American operations in France, covering the period from the first occupation of a sector of the line by American troops in April, 1918, to the time of the armistice, which is appended hereto as a matter of historical interest.

America's Pride in Her Armies.

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The conduct of the American troops France, their progressive development in military experience and ability, the fine staff work and the modesty and gallantry of the individual soldier are a matter of pride to all Americans. Gen. Pershing and his command have earned the thanks of the American people.

The work of Gen. Tasker H. Bliss as military representative of the war department with the American section of the supreme war council at Versailles has been of greatest value to the war department.

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I cannot close this report without making of record the appreciation of the war department of the work of the many trained and patriotic officers of the army whom the destiny of war did not call to France. These officers, forced to remain behind in the United States by the imperative necessity of having trained men to keep the machine moving, have kept up their work with such intelligence, zeal and devotion to duty as to show a high order of patriotism. The officers and men who have not been able on account of the armistice to be transported to France deserve also, with their comrades in France, the thanks of the American people.

P. C. MARCH,
General, Chief of Staff.

Chronology of Major Operations. The chronology referred to in the foregoing report follows:

April 28-29-A sector in the vicinity of Breteuil, northwest of Montdidier, was occupied by the 1st division.

May 28-Cantigny was captured by the 1st division. A detachment of our troops, reenforced by French artillery, successfully attacked the enemy on a front of about 2,220 yards. We occupied Cantigny, captured some 200 prisoners and inflicted severe losses on the enemy.

June 10-The 2d division attacked in Bois de Belleau, advancing the line 900 yards on a front of one and one-half miles, capturing 300 prisoners, thirty machine guns, four trench mortars and stores of small arms, ammunition and equipment. Held all of Hill 204 down to the village on the northeast slope, thus preventing the enemy from concentrating his forces in the northern part of Chateau Thierry.

June 11-The 2d division continued its advance in the Bois de Belleau, capturing more prisoners and machine guns and two 77 millimeter fieldpieces. Our aviators executed their first bombing raid, dropping numerous bombs on the railway station at Dommary-Barancourt, northwest of Metz. All of our planes returned in safety. The artillery of the 2d division shelled the enemy in their areas, preventing concentration near Torcy, Monthiers, Hill 128 and La Gonetrie farm. It discovered and dispersed a group of 210 machine guns in the wood south of Etrepilly. The 2d division captured the last of the German positions in the Bois de Belleau, taking fifty prisoners, machine guns and trench mortars.

July 18-French and American troops advanced under the cover of a heavy storm on the front between Soissons and Chateau Thierry. The greatest advance was in the northern part of the sector, where a depth of five miles was attained, and we reached the heights southwest of Soissons, dominating the railroad and highways.

July 24.-The advance of the Franco-Amer-'

ican forces continued and in the evening_the line ran east of Buzancy to Tigny, to Hartennes, Grand Rozoy, Ouichy-le-Chateau Armentieres, Coincy, Courpoil, and then joined the old line at Jaulgonne. West of Reims, Marfaux was retaken and the line ran from Autilly, through Mezy, and joined the old line at Coulommes.

July 25-The line ran from the Ourcq to the Marne, where the allied troops advanced six kilometers in the center and three to four kilometers on the flanks. The line in the evening ran from Armentieres to Bruyeres, the eastern edge of the Bois de la Tournelle, the eastern edge of Beuvardes, the eastern edge of Le Charnel, the crossroads at Gros Chene, La Boulangere, the northern edge of Treloup. Chassins.

Dame, Hill 123, Hill 118, La Misere, Hill July 26-The line ran: Nanteuil, Notre 100. southwestern part of Bois de la Tournelle, Hill 111, Le Charnel. Hard fighting continued all day and the French and Americans steadily advanced on Fere.

July 27-The 42d division tried to cross the

Ourcq, but was driven back by heavy artillery fire.

July 28-The 42d division renewed the asfighting took Seringes-et-Nesles, sault, crossed the river and after vigorous Nesles and

Sergy. The 28th division held the line about day slow progress was made, the enemy slowly one kilometer north of the Ourcq. During the falling back after bitter rear guard action.

July 29.-Franco-American troops advanced three kilometers from Oulchy to Villers Agron and Bougneux, Saponay, Seringes. Nesles and Clerges were included within our lines. bank of the Ourcq. July 30-Our pressure continued on the right The railroad station at Fere and Cayenne farm remained in our possession. We lost Seringes-et-Nesles. but reoccupied Sergy. Hill 312 and the woods eight kilometers north of Roncheres.

July 31-The 28th division retook Seringeset-Nesles. The 32d division attacked in Crimpettes woods with success: the woods were taken, and troops advanced to Cierges. German counterattacks were brilliantly repulsed with the bayonet, and an immense amount of materiel and equipment was taken from the

enemy.

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Aug. 3-After continuous fighting late in the evening Soissons was taken, and a line extending along the Vesle to between Braisne and Bazoches was being consolidated. of the Aisne our troops drove back the enemy rear guard. Acting with the 4th division, the 32d division reached a line from Ville Savoye to a point just north of St. Gilles.

Aug. 4-A large enemy patrol attacked in the vicinity of Coulees, but was driven off by a combat group of the 5th division, which had been re-enforced. Our troops were very active in patrolling, having sent out over seven reconnoissance, combat and ambush patrols. The 32d division took Fismes. In an eight-day battle this division forced the passage of the Ourcq, took prisoners from six enemy divisions, met, routed and decimated a crack division of the Prussian guards, a Bavarian division and one other enemy division, and drove the enemy line back for sixteen kilometers.

Aug. 6-The 28th division launched an attack the objective of which was the north bank of the Vesle. The attack was met by exceedingly heavy machine gun and artillery fire. On the right our troops succeeded in crossing the river and advancing to the highway which runs from Reims to Soissons. the left the advance was held up by the enemy's fire.

On

Aug. 7-The units on the left advanced across the river and occupied the railroad lines on the north bank. The casualties resulting from this operation were considerable. A violent enemy counterattack was completely repulsed and a number of prisoners and machine guns were left in our hands.

Ang. 8-As a result of successful operations on the evening of Aug. 8, eleven companies of

infantry and some machine gun attachments of the 28th division reached the north bank of the Vesle.

Aug. 10-The 28th division launched an attack in Fismette. A creeping barrage moved ahead of them. They made some progress, but were soon exposed to flanking fire from both the east and the west and were forced to fall back into Fismette. The position here was very difficult. Flanking machine gun fire came from both sides and heavy casualties were reported. A box barrage was placed around the town and ammunition was sent up. The town was held by one battalion, with one machine gun platoon, which received orders to hold the position at all costs.

Aug. 17-After strong artillery preparation the infantry of the 5th division captured the village of Frapelle and consolidated the lines north of the road running into the town from the southeast.

Aug. 19-The enemy continued shelling Frapelle positions and the artillery of the 5th division replied actively.

Aug. 21-The 5th division repulsed hostile attack with heavy loss to the enemy and with no casualties to ourselves. The 32d division, acting with the 10th French army, advanced to and held Juvigny. The 77th division cleared the small wood between the Vesle and the railroad west of Chateau du Diable.

Sept. 27-The 107th regiment of the 27th division attacked east of Bellicourt and attained its objectives. Sept. 29-In the Argonne the Americans met with furious resistance. Their losses were heavy, and they were unable to do more than hold their own.

Sept. 30-The 27th and 30th divisions took prisoners north of St. Quentin totaling 210 officers and more than 1,200 men.

Oct. 1-The 28th division repulsed a hostile counterattack on the entire divisional front in the Aire valley, with very heavy losses to the enemy.

Oct. 3-The 2d division, operating with the 4th French army, made an advance of two kilometers, reaching Medeah farm in the afternoon. In the evening the 2d division advanced about three kilometers, and their line ran from Medeah farm southwest, along the road to Blanc Mont. They captured 1,000 prisoners and casualties were estimated at 500. Oct. 4-The 1st division attacked on both sides of Exermont and made progress in spite of strong opposition from the enemy, who resisted with machine guns in organized opposition. Approximately 300 prisoners were taken and our casualties were 1,500.

farm and the line was advanced 400 yards Oct. 5-The 1st division captured Arietal beyond. The 6th division repulsed a larger enemy raid on Sondernach.

Sept. 6-The artillery of the 28th division directed harassing and destructive fire on the Aisne bridges, while the enemy harassed the villages in our rear areas, using a great number of gas_shells.

Sept. 7-The 28th division repulsed two enemy counterattacks. The 77th division drove the enemy out of La Cendiere farm and passed the Aisne canal.

Sept. 12-After four hours' bombardment our troops advanced on the south and west flanks of the St. Mihiel salient at 5 a. m. By 7:30 a. m. the forces operating on the south had reached the southern edge of the Bois Juli, the Quart de Reserve, and the northern edge of the Bois de Mort Mare. By noon they had reached Essey and Vieville and the army operating in the difficult ground in the west had captured Les Eparges. At 6 p. m. the troops had reached a point one kilometer east of Senzey and had taken St. Remy and Combres. During the night the troops on the western flank of the salient advanced five miles in five hours, reaching Vigneulles by 3 a. m.

Sept. 14-There was general advance along the entire line, and the American army established itself on the following front: Monheulles, Fresnes, Pintheville, St. Hilaire, Doncourt, northeast of Woel, south end of the Etang de Lachaussee, Vandieres and across the Moselle at Champey.

Sept. 17-American troops advanced along the Moselle within 300 yards of Paguy.

Sept. 18-The 26th division made two raids during the night. One against St. Hilaire was without result, as the enemy had retired; the other against the Bois de Warville resulted in the capture of fifteen prisoners.

Sept. 19-The 92d division repulsed an attempted enemy raid in the St. Die sector.

Sept. 20-The 92d division repulsed two enemy raids in the region of Lesseux.

Sept. 26-The 1st army attacked northwest of Verdun on a front of twenty miles and penetrated to an average depth of seven miles.

Oct. 8-9-The 2d corps advanced about seven miles on a front of 4,000 yards and captured about 2,000 prisoners and thirty guns.

Oct. 9-In spite of strong resistance the 1st division advanced in the sector east of Fleville and captured 230 prisoners. The 33d division, operating with the 17th French army corps. attacked early in the morning north of Consenvoye and reached its final cbjective about 9 a. m. About 650 prisoners were taken.

Oct. 10-The 1st corps reached Cornay-La Besogne ridge and passed Malassise farm, east. of Grand Ham. The 60th brigade of the 30th division advanced six kilometers, reaching the Selle river, and held the St. Bemn-St. Souplet-La Haie-Menneresse line. Up to the evening of the 9th, fifty officers., 1.800 men and thirty-. two guns were captured.

Oct. 12-The 4th division repulsed two coun-terattacks by machine gun fire, with severe loss to the enemy.

Oct. 13-An attack on Grandpre this morning met very heavy machine gun fire and troops of the 2d corps were finally forced to retire south of the Aire. A hostile counter-. attack at 8 p. m. south of Landres-et-St. Georges was repulsed. The 81st division_repulsed an enemy raid in St. Die sector. The 77th division took Grandore.

Oct. 17-The 29th division advanced to the summit of Bois de la Grande Montagne, east of the Meuse. The 42d division took Cote de Chatillon. The 2d battalion of the 76th division reached the northern edge of Bois des Loges, west of Champigneulle. In an attack on a 4.000 yard front from St. Souplet to Molain our troops advanced 3,000 yards against very stiff resistance. All counterattacks repulsed. Prisoners taken were estimated at 2,500.

Oct. 19-The 30th division attacked with the British at dawn and advanced 2.000 yards. Prisoners captured since the morning of the 17th totaled forty-four officers and over 1,500 men. The 78th division pushed its lines for-

ward to Bellejoyeuse farm and began to mop up the Bois des Loges.

Oct. 21-In attacks on the Bois des Rappes the 5th division met with stubborn resistance by machine guns, supported by artillery and infantry fire. It captured the entire position with 170 prisoners, including five officers. An enemy counterattack, supported by heavy artillery fire, was repulsed with heavy losses. The 5th and 3d divisions took Hill 297 and Bois des Rappes. Attacking in the evening, the 89th division occupied the northern and eastern edge of the Bois de Bantheville.

Oct. 23-Troops of the 3d corps reached the ridge north of the village of Bantheville, taking 171 prisoners. The 29th division captured the ridge of Bois d'Etrayes and Hill 361.

Oct. 27-The 78th division entered Bellejoyeuse farm, northeast of Grandpre, and found it unoccupied. The occupation of the right of way north and northwest of Grandpre was completed.

Oct. 30-On Oct. 30 patrols were active along the entire front of the 28th division, The 33d division, in the face of heavy artil lery and machine gun fire, north of Grandpre, advanced its lines and occupied the BelleJoyeuse farm. On Oct. 30 2,000 high explosive and gun shells fell in the vicinity of Fresnes. One of the divisional patrols captured five prisoners.

Nov. 1-The troops of the 1st army captured Clery-le-Grand. North of Ancreville they took fifty-three additional prisoners and continued their advance into the Bois de Bantheville. During the night of Nov. 1-2 the troops of the 37th division consolidated their positions and effected a crossing of the River Scheldt, confronted by enemy machine gun and rifle fire. The 91st division, supported by artillery and machine gun fire, rapidly advanced over six kilometers in spite of enemy artillery and machine gun fire. The enemy was driven from the west bank of the Scheldt and at noon the heights northwest of Audenarde were taken.

Nov. 2-On the evening of Nov. 2 the troops of the 78th division drove the enemy from the Bois des Loges and closely followed his retreat. The 92d division, in spite of machine gun resistance, pushed forward and advanced, the line three kilometers.

Nov. 3-The 91st division, in spite of active machine gun resistance, forced its way toward the bank of the Scheldt in the vicinity of Eyne.

Nov. 4-On Nov. 4 a brigade of the 79th division attacked an enemy sector, taking eighty-one prisoners and eight machine guns, encountering strong resistance and repulsing several counterattacks.

Nov..5-On Nov. 5 the troops of the 77th division engaged in severe fighting, overcoming strong enemy resistance along the entire line. The artillery was active, firing on the enemy's retreating columns. Harassing artillery fire was returned by the enemy. Aviation was active on both sides. The enemy flew our front lines and delivered machine gun fire on our advancing troops. Two enemy planes were brought down.

over

Nov. 6-Our troops of the 1st corps continued their successful advance, forcing the

enemy to retire. The towns of Flabas. Raucourt, Haraucourt and Autrecourt were taken and patrols pushed on as far as the Meuse. Large quantities of materiel were captured during the advance. Following heavy bombardment on the enemy's divisions, the troops of the 5th division attacked, rapidly overcoming the enemy's resistance, capturing Liondevant-Dun, Murvaux, Fontaine and Vilosnessur-Meuse, taking more than 250 prisoners.

Nov. 7-The troops of the 2d division cleared the west bank of the Meuse of the remaining machine guns and snipers in the vicinity of Mouzon. The 5th division, supported by artillery fire, continued its advance despite the enemy's continued resistance, principally with machine guns. Most of the artillery crossed to the east bank of the Meuse, following in support of the infantry. Additional prisoners were taken, including two officers and 132 men.

Nov. 8-The patrols of the 2d division crossed the Meuse south of Mouzon. The troops of the 33d division, aided by barrage fire, carried out a successful raid on Chateau Aulnois capturing one officer and twenty-two men. Strong combat patrols were sent out from the lines of the 92d division (colored). Prisoners were captured and casualties inflicted on the enemy.

Nov. 9-On midnight of Nov. 9 the patrols of the 5th division drove back the enemy, inflicting many casualties and capturing six prisoners. The troops consolidated and, despite stubborn resistance, principally from machine guns, drove the enemy from Bois du Canol and La Sentinelle and captured Brandeville. In these operations forty-seven prisoners, 125 machine guns and other materiel were captured. A strong combat patrol was active along the entire front of the 33d division, meeting with heavy machine gun resistance from the enemy, and a patrol of one company captured eight prisoners in the Bois de Warville. The troops of the 79th division advanced in a generally northeasterly direction, with the right flank in Bois de Damvillers. The 42d and units of the 1st seized the heights south of Sedan.

Nov. 10-The 33d division carried out a successful raid on Marcheville, occupying the town and taking eighty prisoners, including three officers. Strong patrols from the line engaged in sharp fighting. The 37th division, operating with the 34th French army corps, attacked in order to force a crossing of the Scheldt. Violent enfilading machine gun fire, heavy artillery and the flooded condition of the terrain delayed the construction of bridges and crossings. In the face of continuous heavy artillery fire, supported by machine guns, the troops advanced about two kilometers. The 90th division advanced toward Baalon, encountering no resistance. The 92d division reached Bois Frehaut and captured 710 prisoners.

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Nov. 11-The 3d division advanced kilometers east of Breheville. Despite increased resistance by machine gun and artillery fire the 5th division continued to advance, capturing eighteen prisoners, three large caliber guns, six minenwerfers and considerable ma teriel. In accordance with the terms of the armistice hostilities on the front of the American armies ceased at 11 a. m.

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No great naval battles occurred in 1918, but there were two events which will have prominent place in the naval history of the world. One was the bottling up of Zeebrugge and Ostend on the Belgian coast, and the other the surrender of a large part of the German fleet in accordance with the terms of the armistice signed on Nov. 11, 1918. The official stories of the attacks on Zeebrugge and Ostend issued by the British admiralty follow:

BLOCKING OF ZEEBRUGGE.

The blocking of Zeebrugge and the attempt to block up the entrance to Ostend harbor, both used by the Germans as bases for submarines,

destroyers and other light war craft, took place on the night of April 22-23. 1918. The British admiralty on April 25 issued the following official narrative of the Zeebrugge affair:

"Those who recall High wood upon the Somme as it was after the battles of 1916 may easily figure to themselves the decks of H. M. S. Vindictive as she lies to-day in stark, black profile against the sea base of the harbor. amid the stripped, trim shapes of fighting ships which throng these waters.

"That wilderness of debris, that litter of used and broken tools of war, that lavish ruin, that prodigal evidence of death and battle, are as obvious and plentiful here as there. The

ruined tank, nosing at the stout tree which stopped it, has its parallel in the flame thrower hut at the port wing of the Vindictive's bridge: its iron sides flecked with rents from machine gun bullets and shell splinters. The tall white cross which commemorates the martyrdom of the Londoners is sister to the dingy pierced white ensign which floated over the fight at Zeebrugge mole.

"Looking aft from the chaos of its wrecked bridge, one sees snug against the wharf the heroic bourgeois shapes of the two Liverpool boats, the Iris and Daffodil, which shared with the Vindictive the honors of the arduous fight.

"Their objectives were the canal at Zeebrugge and the harbor at Ostend. Three of the cruisers, the Intrepid, the Iphigenia and the Thetis, each duly packed with concrete and with mines attached to its bottom for the purpose of sinking it. Merrimac fashion, in the neck of the canal, were aimed at Zeebrugge. Two others, similarly prepared, were directed at Ostend.

"The functions of the Vindictive, with its ferry boats, were to attack the great halfmoon mole which guards the Zeebrugge canal, to land bluejackets and marines upon it, to destroy what stores and guns of the Germans they could find, and generally create a diversion while the block ships ran in and sank themselves in the appointed places.

"Vice-Admiral Keyes, in the destroyer Warwick, commanded the operation.

"There had been two previous attempts to attack, capable of being pushed home if weather and other conditions served. The night of the 22d of April offered nearly all the required conditions and some fifteen miles off Zeebrugge the ships took up the formation for attack.

The Vindictive, which had been towing the Iris and Daffodil, cast them off to follow under their own steam. The Intrepid, Iphigenia and Thetis slowed down to give the first three time to get alongside the mole.

"The night was overcast and there was a drifting haze. Down the coast a great searchlight swung its beam to and fro in the small wind and short sea. From the Vindictive's bridge, as she headed in toward the mole, with the faithful ferry, boats at her heels. there was scarcely a glimmer of light to be seen, shoreward.

"Ahead, as she drove through the water, rolled the smoke screen, her cloak of invisibility wrapped about her by small craft. This was the device of Wing Commander Brock, without which, acknowledges the admiral in command, the operation could not have been conducted.

"A northeast wind moved the volume of it shoreward ahead of the ships,

There was a moment immediately afterward when it seemed to those on the ships as if the dim, coast hidden harbor exploded into light. A star shell soared aloft. then a score of star shells.

"A wild fire of gun flashes leaped against the sky. strings of luminous green beads shot aloft. hung and sank.

"It was in a gale of shelling that the Vindictive laid her nose against the thirty foot high concrete side of the mole, let go her anchor and signaled to the Daffodil to shove her stern in.

The Iris went ahead and endeavored to get alongside likewise. The fire was intense. while the ships plunged and rolled beside the mole in the seas, the Vindictive with her greater draft jarring against the foundations of the mole with every plunge. They were swept diagonally by machine gun fire from both ends of the mole and by the heavy batteries on shore.

"Commander [now captain] Carpenter conned the Vindictive from the open bridge until her stern was laid in, when he took up his position in the flame thrower hut on the port side.

"It is to this hut that reference has already been made. It is marvelous that any occupant should have survived a minute, so riddled and shattered is it.

"The men gathered in readiness on the main lower decks., while Col. Elliott, who was to lead the marines, waited on the false deck just abaft the bridge. Capt. Halahan, who commanded the bluejackets. was amidships. The gangways were lowered, and they scraped and rebounded upon the high parapet of the mole as the Vindictive rolled in the seaway.

"The word for the assault had not yet been given when both leaders were killed, Col. Elliott by a shell and Capt. Halahan by machine gun fire. which swept the decks. The same shell that killed Col. Elliott also did fearful execution in the forward Stokes mortar battery.

"The men were magnificent; every officer bears the same testimony.

"The mere landing on the mole was a perilous business. It involved a passage across the crashing and splintering gangways. a drop over the parapet into the field of fire of the German machine guns which swept its length. and a further drop of some sixteen feet to the surface of the mole itself. Many were killed and more wounded as they crowded up to the gangways, but nothing hindered the orderly and speedy landing by every gangway.

"Lieut. Walker, who had his arm carried away by a shell on the upper deck. lay in the darkness while the storming parties trod him under foot. He was recognized and dragged aside by the commander. He raised his arm in greeting. 'Good luck to you!' he called as the rest of the stormers hastened by."

Capt. Carpenter's Story.

In the course of a long account of the part taken by the Vindictive in the raid. Capt. Carpenter said:

"Our chief purpose in the expedition was to block ships ran in, especially the battery of distract the attention of the battery while the eleven inch guns which occupied a commanding position at the tip of the mole. Our ship was elaborately prepared for the business of landing soldiers on the mole. which is of stone forty feet high and fifteen feet above the Vindictive's top deck at the state of the tide when the attack took place.

"We had a special superstructure over the upper deck and three long gangways or brows.' which were designed to take the men up to the level of the mole as soon as we got alongside. Exactly according to the plan we ran alongside the mole, approaching it on the port side, where we were cauipped with specially built buffers of wood two feet wide.

"As there was nothing for us to tie up to we merely dropped anchor there while the Daffodil kept us against the mole with its in the fairly heavy sea two of nose against the opposite side of our ship. our three gangways were smashed, but the third held. and 500 men swarmed up this on to the mole. This gangway was two feet wide and thirty feet long.

"The men who went up it included 300 marines and 150 storming seamen from the Vindictive, and fifty or so from the Daffodil. They swarmed up the steel gangway carrying hand grenades and Lewis guns. No Germans succeeded in approaching the gargway, but a hard hard to hand fight took place about 200 yards up the mole toward the shore.

"The Vindictive's bow was pointed toward enemy fire from the shore batteries. the shore, so the bridge got the full effect of One shell expioded against the pilot house, killing nearly all of its occupants. Another and eight men who were doing excellent work burst in the fighting ton, killing a lieutenant with two pompoms and four machine guns,

"The battery of eleven inch guns at the end of the mole was only 300 yards away and it kept trying to reach us. The shore batteries also were diligent. Only a few German shells hit our hull because it was well protected by the wall of the mole, but the upper structure, masts, stacks, and ventilators showed above the wall and were riddled. considerable proportion of cur casualties were caused by splinters from these upper works. : "Meanwhile, the Daffodil continued to push us against the wall as if no battle was on,

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and if the Daffodil had failed to do this none of the members of the landing party would have been able to return to the ship.

"Fifteen minutes after the Vindictive arrived alongside the mole our submarine exploded under the viaduct connecting the mole with the mainland. The Germans had sent a considerable force to this viaduct as soon as the submarine arrived, and these men were gathered on the viaduct attacking our submersible with machine guns. When the explosion occurred the viaduct and Germans were blown up together. The crew of the submarine, consisting of six men, escaped on board a dinghy to a motor launch.

"Early in the fighting a German shell knocked out our howitzer, which had been getting in some good shots on a big German seaplane station on the mole half a mile away. This is the largest seaplane station in Belgium. Unfortunately our other guns could not be brought to bear effectively upon it.

"The shell which disabled the howitzer killed all the members of the gun crew. Many men also were killed by a German shell which hit the mole close to our ship and scattered fragments of steel and stone among the marines assembling on the deck around the gangway.

"The German fire was hot all the time we lay alongside the mole. At times the German guns reached as high as forty shots a minute. During the hottest part of the fighting I left my station in the flame house and went all around the ship to see how things were going. The spirit of the men was excellent. All they asked was. Are we winning?'

"Half an hour after the block ships went in we received the signal to withdraw. The Vindictive's siren was blown and the men returned from all parts of the mole and thronged down the gangway. We put off after having laid alongside just about an hour. The Germans made no effort to interfere with our getaway other than to continue their heavy firing."

The total British losses in this attack on Zeebrugge and Ostend were 588. of whom 160 were killed. The port was effectively blockaded and of little use to the Germans thereafter.

BLOCKING OF OSTEND CHANNEL.

The cruiser Vindictive was sunk in the channel leading to Ostend harbor on the night of May 9-10, 1918. The official account of this enterprise was as follows: "Operations designed to close the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge were successfully completed last night when the obsolete cruiser Vindictive was sunk between the piers and across the entrance to Ostend harbor. Since the attack on Zeebrugge April 22-23 the Vindictive had been filled with concrete as a block ship for this purpose. Our light forces have returned to their base with the loss of one motor launch which had been damaged and was sunk by orders of the viceadmiral to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy. Our casualties were light."

Commander Lynes. who conducted the blocking operation at Zeebrugge. was in command of the second expedition to blockade Ostend. He told the following story:

"Weather conditions at the start were in every way suitable. There was a light northwest wind. The sea was favorable to small craft. There was a clear sky and the visibility was good.

"The outward passage was made without interference on the part of the enemy. The small craft were all dispatched to their stations with destroyers in support, and two coastal motor boats were told off to torpedo the piers. Before the arrival of the Vindictive. until 1:45 o'clock, the enemy was remarkably quiet, but just at this time the Germans began to open fire. Star shells showed that the smoke screens were progressing excellently,

At about this time the sky, which hitherto had been almost unclouded, began to be partly obscured by low drifting clouds. In about ten minutes before the Vindictive was due at its destination a sea fog set in. This stopped our air attack. Indeed, for a time

even the searchlights could not be seen. This state of things continued for almost an hour, when it cleared sufficiently for the air attacks to be recommenced.

"It was a lurid scene when the Vindictive arrived at 2 o'clock, practically program time. There was a thundering of guns on sea and land. The exploding of bombs from airplanes added to the din and there was an occasional cry of agony from some one mortally wounded. Searchlights criss-crossed above and the whole scene was illuminated with flashes and star shells. This was the picture for a full hour.

"The Vindictive cruised about for twenty minutes in the fog, looking for the entrance to the harbor, which it eventually found. It sank itself about 200 yards inside the eastern entrance. The Vindictive's crew was rescued by a motor launch, which brought off two officers and thirty-eight men, and another which went alongside and took off a lieutenant and two men. Two other motor boats detailed for rescue work searched the shores carefully under very heavy fire, but found

no one.

The Vindictive had a complement of fiftytwo officers and men. The effect of the operation was to restrict greatly the use of the harbor, making it impossible for cruisers to go in and out.

Before describing the surrender of the German fleet mention may be made of another naval incident which occurred early in the year. This was a battle between British and Turkish warships near the entrance to the Dardanelles strait.

DARDANELLES NAVAL BATTLE.

Early Sunday morning, Jan. 20, 1918, a naval battle occurred off the island of Imbros, north of the entrance to the Dardanelles strait, in which the Turks lost the cruiser Breslau and the British the monitors Raglan and the M-28. The Breslau was sunk by striking a mine. Both the monitors were destroyed by gunfire as they lay in Kuan bay, on the northeastern side of Imbros.

The British destroyer Lizard first encountered the Breslau at 5:30 a. m. The Breslau was then steaming in a northerly direction south and east of Cape Cephalo on Imbros with the battle cruiser Goeben following about a mile astern. The Lizard gave the alarm, but could do little more. The Goeben discovered the monitors in the bay and engaged them at a distance of about 11,000 yards. The British destroyer Tigress joined the Lizard and attempted to protect the monitors with smoke screens, but in this they were unsuccessful. The Raglan was hit heavily and sank and the M-28, which had been set on fire, blew up and disappeared about 6 a. m. After this the enemy ships turned and proceeded southward toward the entrance of the strait. At

7 a. m., when it was six miles south of Cape Cephalo, the Breslau apparently struck a mine, as there was a heavy explosion abreast the after funnel. Other explosions followed and the ship went down by the stern.

On seeing the Breslau go down the Goeben turned and circled around once and then continued on a southerly course. Four Turkish destroyers came out of the strait accompanied by an old cruiser, but on being attacked by the British destroyers turned and fled. The Goeben was made a target for bombs from British aircraft and fled into the strait. In the act of turning it seemed to have struck a mine, as it began to settle down aft with a list of from 10 to 15 degrees. Its specd slackened, enabling the British airplanes to obtain two direct hits. Apparently badly damaged, it steered for the shore and soon was aground on the beach at the extreme end of Nagara point. A Turkish report subsequently claimed that the ship was not damaged, that it had run aground by accident and that it would soon be afloat. This was verified Jan. 28, when it was officially announced that the Goeben had been refloated and brought back to Constantinople,

The Breslau had a tonnage of 4,478 and the