Russia’s critical internal situation, aggravated by the new German drive against Riga, was watched by officials in Washington with the gravest concern.  While the taking of Riga would not necessarily be a decisive blow, it would make the Baltic more than ever a German lake, leaving the Russian fleet in the position of the mouse in the rathole to the German cat, just as the Kaiser’s fleet was the mouse to the English fleet outside.

The outcome of the forthcoming extraordinary national council to be held at Moscow was therefore awaited in Washington with the keenest interest, scarcely less keen than in Russia itself.  The immediate fate of Russia, it was felt, depended upon the action of the council in its efforts to throw off the demoralizing socialistic control of the Russian army and workmen.  German intrigues in Russia were known to be exerting powerful influence to bring about anarchy within the new democracy.

CLOSING IN ON LENS

An advance by the Canadians in the neighborhood of the Green Grassier on the southern edge of Lens added greatly to the strength of the British line, which continued to tighten steadily about the heart of the city.

The Grassier is a great slag heap, and lies only about 300 yards south of the central railway station of Lens, and overlooks it.

The Canadians made their assault before dawn this time, and the attack was preceded by a protracted and exceedingly intense bombardment of the German positions.  The Germans, exhausted by the long strain of constant counter-attacks, found the Canadians in their midst with little warning.  But the defenders did not give up without a struggle, and there was fierce bayonet fighting.

The Grassier was an important buffer between the Canadians and the defenses of the city proper, and the Germans reached it through tunnels connected with the network of passages and dugouts beneath Lens.

Part of the ground about the Grassier was inundated, due to the waterway near by having broken its banks, and this, in conjunction with the great number of machine-gun emplacements on the elevation, made it a particularly difficult position for attack.

An advance upon two German colliery positions adjoining the Grassier to the northwest, earlier in the night, also involved stiff hand-to-hand fighting.  About the Grassier were numerous shell-shattered buildings, many of which had been strongly fortified by the Germans.  The Canadians bombed their way systematically through these defenses, silencing the machine guns and clearing out the defenders.

The fighting on August 23 was on the edge of the city proper, rather than in the suburbs.  Notwithstanding the tremendous strain upon the Canadians during the previous week, there was no diminution in the strength of their attacks.  They worked steadily and methodically, gradually weaving a net about the Germans, who were living miserably in their underground positions within the great coal center.