Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-26
RESISTANCE OF GERMANS
STUBBORN, BUT FUTILE
hrltisll Long-Range Naval Guns Tear
Into Every line of Works
They Erect
ALLIES Make STEADY GAINS
Upon Their Ability to Maintain Com.
handing Positions Along Stretch
OF Coast Depends Success of Turn
ing Against Right Flank.


Especial Cable to The Timea.D,sn,+,,
PARIS. December 25.-The France.
Belgian advance along tho sand duno,
or the Belgium littoral is deyelopinp
remarkable strength.
Though the official communicate Is.
sued from the war once tonight con.
lines Itself to the bare statement that
some progress has been made before
Nieuport" 1t Ia permissible to add that
this movement is The most sign,loant
or the operations on the left wing or
the allies
Upon the ability OF the allies to nnin.
tain the commanding position along
this stretch OF the coast dcpends the
success OF the turning movement
against tho right flank of the "wurt-
tembergera" under Grand Duke AL
nrccht. when the allies numerical
strength shall warrant their assump.
uoh or the violent offensive designed,
10 clear Belgium of the Invaders.
While the British ships are main
tanning vigorous cannonadinp OF thu
coast at positions OF the Germans unon
'o''es the task OF burrowing among
the dunes. and keeping the Germans
stirred UP By close contact to such
an extent that they will ind It Diff
hcult to establish themselves firmly In
adequate defensive positions. This
they are doing with remarkable suc
cess.
The German resistance has been stub.
DO, porn. out ineffective. mainly because OF
N Ina
range naval guns. which tear every
me or works they erect. and scatter
their forces. while Keeping the Ger.
man guns on the move
To-nights official statement adds
mat during the day the Germans at
DE Lorette. to the north OF Lens. I'm
Northehstern France. but the attack
was repealed. while further to tho
south. near Puirsaleine. the French
troops carried new German trench.
which they had. despite repeated
counterattacks OF the Germans
In the Vosges region. the statement
ADDS. the Invaders made vigorous but
unsuccessful attack on Tete de Faux.
reports from the whole battle front
indicate that Christmas Day was con-
sioered as good fighting day as any
otntr' and throughout the day heavy
artillery engagements were fought
with here and there an attack or coun.
terattack by Infantry In efforts to take
or retake the trenches which have
occn fought for again and again In
what seems to the men in the trenche.
to be an endless battle
MOST IMPORTANT GAINS
FOR ALLIES CHRONICLED
Delayed reports from the CORPS com
manders were passed by General Jof-
fre's adJutant-Seneral to-day and is
sueu In statement In the afternoon
These chronicle most important gains
BY the allies to the east OF the Ar
gonnes. while every point ut which the
armies came In contact the allies either
made gains or inflicted upon the Der
mans telling losses where the Invaders
attempted the offensive East OF
Porthes and northwest OF Mcsnil the
Germans we're driven from the small
sections OF trenches which they still
held. and the French are now masters
OF the German first line of defense
On the right bank Of the Mouse the
Germans attempted to drive the French
from the positions In which they were
established in the south corner Of the
forest of Consenvoye. They directed a
terrific bombardment on the French po-
sitions. but without result In the
forest OF ALLY and near Apremont the
French guns. on the other hand were
able to force the Germans TO evacuate
number OF trenches. On the extreme
iiSHt, III the NoSBcS, the French
pressed forward until they were within
$50 yards OF Circry. on the Vesouse
River. number OF German attacks
were made In the Argonne forest and
in the forest of Lagrurie, but they
were repulscd AS also were attempts
against Fontaine Madame. Near Ouisy
and in tho forest OF FORCES, the French
guns silenced n number Of German bat
teries and put several machine guns
out OF action. which permitted the
French Infantry TO make the first ad-
vance OF several days Their gain here
was considerable
In the north, where the fghting Is
no less desperate than in the wooded
districts along the eastern stretch OF
the line. like gains have been recorded
Near Vermelles. between Lens and
Bethune, the allies on the sevening Of
December % captured the position OF
the fort In the road from Loos, where
II branches toward Rutoire and YER
melles. This Is most important stra-
logically, as 1t commands the military
highway which parallels the canal
French and British troops attacking
the town OF Laboiselle. to the north
east of Albert, captured the south
western portion of the village, as well
as Il trench to the south of 1t, at which
the Germans maintained an advanced
post
Near Lihons, from Roye to Lihu. the
French offensive resulted in slight
gains.