Price of war and losses fewer than the Somme

In moving the £500,000,000 Vote of Credit in the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law announced that the daily cost of the war was £7,450,000 instead of three and a half millions as estimated.

Advances of Allies accounted for one million of the increase and expenses of the Dominion forces for another £850,000.

There was no reason to suppose that the Budget estimate would not be approximately accurate. The present Vote would allow an expenditure of £6,400,000 a day. America had given us in addition to financial aid, assistance in other directions.

Referring to the operations in the West, Mr Bonar Law said our casualties had been heavy but although our gains in the recent fighting had been very much greater than on the Somme, he could state, without giving figures, that the casualties in the Arras offensive were from 50 to 70 per cent less than the casualties on the Somme.

During the weekend there was fierce fighting at Roeux, east of Arras. Roeux cemetery and chemical works were stormed. On Monday, Sir Douglas Haig sent news that the whole of the village of Roeux was in our hands.

On Tuesday, after a heavy bombardment, the Germans delivered four determined counterattacks against our positions in Bullecourt and the Hindenburg Line.

A flotilla of American destroyers has recently arrived in this country to co-operate with our naval forces in the prosecution of the war.