The resistance of the enemy was broken, and when the 33rd _Ersatz_ Brigade on the northern wing advanced from the north-east against NIEUPORT, the enemy retired. Airmen reported enemy's columns retreating towards FURNES. Nothing could stop the victorious advance of General von Beseler's troops, not even the heaviest guns of the British battleships, cruisers and torpedo-boats, which, from far out at sea, enfiladed the German attack at a range of 20,000 yards, nor the incessant counter-attacks of the Franco-Belgian Divisions. On the evening of the 30th RAMSCAPPELLE was completely in German possession, the railway embankment south of it had been reached and even crossed in places; in PERVYSE the fight was progressing favourably, and south of it the 12th Reserve Brigade, delayed by the numerous broad dykes, was working forward to the railway. Still further south the 44th Reserve Division was in full advance towards the railway embankment east of OOSTKERKE, whilst the main body of the 43rd Reserve Division had crossed the YSER, without casualties, and had been sent forward in the direction of CAESKERKE. The attack was to have been continued on the following morning, and General von Beseler intended to withdraw the last part of the 4th _Ersatz_ Division, the 33rd _Ersatz_ Brigade, from the area north-east of NIEUPORT, for the fire of the enemy's naval guns from the sea[42] and the difficulties of the country appeared to militate against any prospects of a rapid success there. At 11.30 P.M., however, a General Staff Officer of the 6th Reserve Division reported that the attack could be continued no further owing to the constant rising of the water. What had happened? On the morning of the 30th the advancing troops had been up to their ankles in water; then it had gradually risen until they were now wading up to their knees, and they could scarcely drag their feet out of the clayey soil. If any one lay down for a moment under the heavy artillery, machine-gun and rifle fire, he was lost. The rise of the waters was attributed to the torrential rain of the previous few days, and it was hoped that on the approach of dry weather the excellent system of canals would soon drain it off. But the rising flood soon prevented the movement of wagons with ammunition and supplies, and when the attackers looked back from the railway embankment, it seemed to them as if the whole country had sunk behind them: the green meadows were covered with dirty, yellow water, and the general line of the roads was only indicated by the houses and the rows of partly covered trees. It soon became evident that the enemy must have blown up the canal-sluices, and called in the sea to his aid. The advance of General von Beseler's III Reserve Corps had been the culmination of the crisis for our opponent; all his reserves had been put in to stop it, but in vain. If the Germans could only succeed in pushing the exhausted Belgians and French out of their way, the road to