The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-26
CHRISTMAS DAY
BRINGS NO LULL
IN ROAR OF GUNS
Lively Fighting Proceeds
on Whole Battle Front
i'm France.
FRENCH ARTILLERY
SHOWS SUPERIORITY


PARIS, Dec. 25.-Despite all hopeful
expectation Christmas Day brought no
| lull in the lighting In Flanders and
France. II is probable that here and
| there the combatants found time to en-
| Joy the luxuries and comforts that Paris
and Berlin and London had generously
provided but it appears from the Gov
ernments report tonight and from un-
! official news that there were attacks
and counter attacks and that there was
] scarcely "A break in the cannonading
and rifle fire
The Government reports that there
| was fighting in western Flanders. in
! the extreme north of France, along the
western flank Of the battle line in the
| region Of Albert and at the east of the
/ line in the passes of the Nosges. The
! Allies celebrated Christmas by making
! further advances In the offensive move
] mcnt which has been steadily MAIN
| tanned since the middle of this month.
1t appears from the official announces
ment, however, that the Germans
| pressed the attacks yesterday. fact
which is understands BILE in the light
OF the announcement from Berlin that
| the return of the Kaiser to army head
| quarters would mean a fresh effort by
| his armies. Gen. JOifres dispatches t.
| the Government do not indicate that
! the German commanders were able -
offer their sovereign any acceptable
present.
The BelgiauS ard French continued to
advance northward along the Belgian
coast toward Osteud gaining ground
| toward Notrc Dame de I.ote;tr. In the
! nf F4 10
| several fierce attacks. all of which were
rcpuls, q. The French renewed III ir as
saut on the German trenches in the
y reg on OF Albert and seized a lin OF
defcuccs near Puisalviu". The Germans
attacked In the NosEeS. but were UNI
B able - dislodge the French from the |
passes The text OF the Government r.
port issued tonight was is follows
We have made slight progress be-
fore Newport. Toward Notre Dame
] de l.orette north of Lens. an attack by
the enemy has been repulsed. This
morning W. carried another trench
near puisalc!ne and we retained the
/ position in spite OF several counter
attacks. Last night the enemy made
vigorous hut vain attacks on the Tete
d, Faux In the NosgeS.
I In tn. nrntlng OF yesterday. winch was
! summarized 10y thc Official announcement
| this afternoon. thu r. pch artillery gained
new laur".s. Nothing has been more sig
/ uifcaut than the Ycitcration in the Official
/ communicates of the Effectiveness or III
new French ii IA guns and mo-tars. Not
( even tn. success OF the general offensive
/ has min.mzDi ia tn, public mind 'he
; tremendous Importance VI artillery SUI
! p,r!Ority.
Yesterday south Of the Disc. along the
Alsnc. on the Champagne lllls and in the
Argounc French cannon dominated the
} attt i..l
silence or utterly demolishug them Most
Of these artillery successes we're followed
hy rapid adSiVc-s O. the allied infantry,
which seized trenches from which the Ger
mans had bee, forCSl To- retreat or whore
the German forces had been decimated by
artillery fire.
tn, most noteworthy engagement OF the
day was near rcrthrs-les- liurlus, at the
western edge Of the ArgonNc on line
stretching To- rsnil-les-Hurlus The Ger
mans We're driven from their first line
trenches ard lost a wood in which bat
t,rifs had been operated
There was comparatively little activity
in Belgium. the comhatants testing each
Others strength 10, artillery IRE There
were infantry advances hN tn" French ana
British IN N" region of Nrrm,llcs slight
gain which adds TO the considerable total
Of territory recovered IN thc past fort
night Along IA" old centre there were
some infantry movements, with particu-
larry violent engagement near Bcrry-au'
Bac, and IN the ArEonne the French o.
ganlzeI and solIdhed positions captured
from thu Germans.
An important advance at the east Of
the line was announced. The French COL
uUn fought its way To within short
distance of the town of Grey. The text
OF the afternoon report was as follows:
In Belgium there have been inter
mtteut artillery battles.
From the Lys 10 the Disc. on the
evening of December 90 We gained
the fork of the roads from LoOs to
Rutoire and from Loos 10 Ncrmelles.
To thu northeast of Albert We TOOK
possession OF a portion OF the village
Of La Bolsst,le, situated to the south
west of the church, and of an ad-
Nanced trench to the south of that
VILLAGE.
t. the north. from Roye to L.hu.
near Lihous We also have made some
progress. These various attacks uu-
dertaken with great spirit have en-
abled us everywhere To- hold the
ground Already gained
+, To the south OF the Disc our ar
tiery has demolished tho defence
works of the enemy IN the region
, of Bdilly and on the plateau OF
GouVrOu,
/ on the Aisnc and in Champagne
there have been artillery battles and
. several German attacks have been
,I rrpulsed. To the north Of Supl6neul
/, ,near Berry u-Bacl slight ad-
vance OF our troops has been fol-
, lowed by strong counter attack
which completely failed.
In the region of Perthes and Mes
ul-lts-iiurlus our progress of pre-
Vious days has been followed up and
strengthened To the north OF Mes
! ul We took possession of a forest
strongly prepared by the enemy and
to the east of trenches captured by
rs December %. To the northwest OF
MNsnl and to the east of perthes
We have driven the enemy from tho