The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-14

London, Sept. 141The first stage of the battle of tke Marne which from the numbers of fighting men engaged, the extent of the line of battle and the terrific slaughter, is perhaps cor rectIy described as 'rThe Battle of the Ages" would appear to have been won by the French and British armies, but the main German army is still intact and the supreme clash has yet to come. @-s-zzs.zszszzs4ssseSs.s-s.-ss- sseSs.s
 The present week may see even which have yet taken place. Metz, the capital of Lorraine, and the chain Of forts thence to Ddedenhofen on the Moselle, seventeen miles north of Metz, dorm a strong pivot for the Ger man left while the river course and the dense forests on the frontier to- gether with the strategic roads, give the German army of invasion now in retreat a. splendid opportunity for de- fensive action should the French pur- suit extend this far.
 Military observers foresee all kinds of perplexing possibilities in the event of the Germans regaining the posi- tious they held before they started the rush of oOOo men on Paris, partic- back any large proportion of their forces.
 Describes Big Battle.
 Times correspondent telegraphing from five miles south of Provins, in the department of Seine-et-Marne, says:
 .sI have travelled to this point prac- tfcally along the whole line of the al lied army, though of course always in inc rear general Won Kluck'S host in coming down over the Marne and the Grand Aforin rivers to Sezanne, 25 miles southwest of Epernay, met lit He opposition and T believe little op- position was intended The allies, in fact. led their opponents straight into a trap. The English cavalry led the tired Germans mile after mile and inc Germans believed the men were rnnning away. When the tremendous advance reached Prov1ns the allies plan was accomplished and it go, no further.
 s9The fighting on Sunday, September 6. was of a terrible character and be- gan at dawn in the region of La F'erte Gaucher. The allies troops; who were drawn up to receive the Germans, un- derstood it would be their duty to hold oy, their very best, in order that the ettackins force at Meaux might achieve it's task in security The pat tie lasted all night and until late Mon dav. The German artillery fire was
 
 Esrencb and English fought sternly on and slowly beat the enemy back
 Germans Fight GaLIantly.
 ."Tbe attempts of the Germans to cross the DIarne and Meaux enteiled terrible losses. Sixteen attempts were foiIed lov the French artillery fire di- racta47 on the river and in one trench 600 dead Germans were counted
 .~The whole country was strewn with
 
 Germans retired they greatly slack aned their rifle fire and in one place retired 12 miles without firing a single shot One prisoner declared that they were short of ammunition and had been told to spare it as much as pos sible.
 .sNonday saw a tremendous encoun- ter on the Cured In one VlHage' which the Germans hurriedly vacated, the French in a, large house found a dinner table beautifully set with can dies still burning on the table, where evidently. the German staff had been dining. A woman occupant said they fled precipitately.
 ''There was a. great deal Of hano-to- hand fighting and bayonet Work on the O11rcq which resulted in the terri bIe Ma dgeberg regiment beating re- treat
 .sOn Monday night, General Von Kluck's army had been thrown back from the NGarne and the Morin and to the region of Sezanne and his position was serious Immediate steps were necessary to save his .. line of com manifestations and retreat To this end endorsements were hurried north to the Meux district and to Curcq and tremendous efforts were made to break up the French resistance in this guar