The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-28
Both Sides Optimistic

London. September 27-i9:1o D. h.) Alon galmost two-thirds of the great battle line across northeastern France the armies of the allies and Germany fought fiercely today at some points with the baynotes. and tonights state ments from both sides are worded with the optimism that has characterized all these official announcements. It was agreed that the allies had con- tinued their advance.
 The French claimed marked prog ress." The German announcement from Berlin, though insisting that the ad- vance had been repulsed, nevertheless referred to it as an advance.
 Elsewhere along the battle front neither side seems to have achieved any notable success.
 The continued forward movement of Russian troops in Galicia, the appear ance of German air craft dropping bombs over various places in Belgium, and again in Paris and Warsaw, and the movement of vast bodies of German troops into Russia by way of East Prussia were chiefly significant in a summary of the events in both thea tres of war.
 Of the German bombs thrown none seems to have done extensive damage. One man Is reported to have been | killed in Belgium and one in Paris. l quarter occupied by many Americans There is an unconfirmed rumor that an attack on Antwerp is impending. 1 Neither army has achieved anything
 notable since the allies have reported
 progress in one direction. The allies al
 one point claim to have thrown back
 desperate advance by the crack Prussiar | Guard and the Germans insist that today with a weaker force their right hal i checked the advance of a mixed French
 and British force brought by up rail. l Recurring references to bayonet charge:
 seem to prove conclusively that this pic turesque, economic phase of warfare
 which it was thought had been killed
 by the advent of great guns and othel
 equipment of modern armies, is not al
 a thing of the past.
 The French official communication say
 that at some points the trenches are onl,
 a hundred metres apart, thus smal portion of the millions engaged hav' I known the stimulation and thrill of hand l to-hand fighting
 Dispatches from Petrograd report tha 1 fierce fighting still goes on in Galfcia
 through Cracow, towards which the Rus l sian hosts have been marching sine
 Prszmysl was captured and communica tions cut.
 Towards the east German invasion i
 assuming vastSr proportions, notwith standing the Russian war office report
 that the Germans are being repulsed a the frontier It is estimated here tha the German front extends from the Bal tic coast to the southern boundary O SiAcsia distance of about 400 miles.
 What opposition the Germans have me is believed to have been little more thal a cavalry screen. The fighting centere again today along the River Niemen, fror Druskeniki in Suwallki, Russian Poland to Sopotzkn The official statement Is sued tonight at Petrograd said the Ger man artillery had been unable to assum ! the offensive at Sopotzkin. The skirmis was more than general.
 ! There has been a dearth of news i the last 24 hours. and although the fal of the Austrian seaport of Cattaro ha been reported imminent for severay days i the event has not been recorded. 1 The German Emperor's illness is va riously described last week as a sever 1 cold and sinfluenca, is now said to b | inflammation of the lungs, due to the Elm peror falling into water filled trench.
 To the cholera, heretofore reporte
 among the Austrian troops, has bee added, according to an Antwerp dis
 patch, typhus fever, which is said to b
 ra ging in the German camps around Brus
 sels, and near Termonde It is reporte that several hundred Germans alread have succumbed to this disease.
 Quick to realize. as did Germany, tn