The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-09
DRIVE OF FRENCH
AGAINST GERMAN
LINE COMMENCES
Signs Point tc General Of
fensiyc Movement in
Great Strength.
JOFFRE WAITS UNTIL
RIGHT MOMENT ARRIVES
Massing Of Reinforcements Part
Of Plan to Defeat
Teutons.
ENEMy's ATTACK WEAKENING
Forces Make Adj
vanccs i'm Several
Sections.
JOFFRE WAITS UNTIL
RIGHT MOMENT ARRIVES
ESEMn's ATTACK wEAkENiNG
Frenc!'-British FORCES Make Adj
vanccs i'm Several
Sections.

lSncciai Gable 10 The Times Dispatch. ]
iAtiH. N"Venbc" S.--1'he French
drive against the German i;.ie has
commenced
Unless ALI signs fall. htstori. will re-
cord that in the battle OF l'landcrs. AS
IN tho German advance upon paris.
General Jon.c waited only until he
considered that tho German forces had
been on the offensive just long cnouy II
TO natter their strength out against Il
line that WAS impregnablc. and then
ordered general offensive movement
III great strcngth-that supreme hcave
of the giant body that tosscs the
wrcstlcr's opponent from his back and
breaks his grip
II is not IN the French strategy to
iorcteil these movements. In fact, this
dispatch's fate with the censor rests
solely upon the understanding that the
Interpretation placed upon tie news OF
the day from official sources is tina. OF
the correspondent and not Of any Of
fetal.
II is permissible to state, however,.
that In the nassinE OF great bodies OF
rcinforcementS behind tho allied troops
on the battle front about Yprcs and
Arraa. 1t was no; merely tho French
plan to better the allies chances OF
withstanding the Impending German
attack. which had for It's object win
ming through to Calais. but to be able,
when. .i,r- criniops of:Gencrai Joffre
and hfs> STAFF. tic moment should arr
rive for the assumption Of the offensive
by the allies in such proportion as to
insure decisive defeat for the Cor
mans.
ALLIED FORCES EMBARK
UPON OFFENSIVE
Tho official commniques issued this
afternoon and at midnight gave news
not only of the weakening of tho Ger
man attack. but OF tho successful cm-
harkation Of allied troops upon their
offensive movement. Where tho Of
fens;vc was not taken by the allies,
their line held firmly against the Ger
man assaults.
The afternoon statement records
that between the River I.yS and the
North Sea on Saturday the lighting
generally MAS less violent and that
the attacks Of the enemy. sporadic H.
the main. Wcrc rcpuseh. particularly
IN The direction of DiSmudc and, to
tho northeast OF Ypros
The night statement says that the
activity Of the Germans was conccn-
tratnd in the region about Ypres
"withour result"
Concerning the fighting in this re-
sion the afternoon statcmcn, says:
"On almost all this front We in
turn. took tho offensive aud advanced
notably in the region to the north OF
Mcssincs."
iprcs is the key to the German ad-
vance upon the coast positions their
rccours" after the fury OF the Belgian
attacks ana the strategy of the Hell
Eians In flooding the country occupied
hy the invaders had driven them from
the northern route. Mcssines is slight
ly cast Of south, and about seven
mics distant from fprcs. II Is here
that tho French have advanced under
great difficulties. and with considera-
hlc losses for the purpose of occupy.
ing positions which should enectiveI,
block u German detour 10 the south.
ward. after their drive through Ypres
had been checked. as the allies wcro
confident il would be-.
ADVANCE
nv nRrrISH TROOPS
The British troops, too. were able to
record an apprcciabic advance in the
neighborhood OF Armentiercs and
otiicr british forces rcpclled the at
tacks directed by the Eaiser's troops
against tho positions held by the Brit
iSh before l>abasscc and Arras. Flight
Ing in all these regions has continued
under the greatest difficulties, due to
the dense fog which has prevailed since
early on Saturday, not ouly in the
north, hut in Champagne and lorraine.
hampered, and aviators had great DIFF
ficnlty in observing tho cncmy's posi-
tions and directing tho range OF the
gunncrs.
4 terrific battle Is raging on tile
Aisnc. where tho allies also have begun
to press forward.
Aftnr making several marked ad-
vances In the vicinity OF Soissous, a
battle OF great magnitude and fierce
character was Drecipitatcd when the
French and british attacked the
plateau OF Vregny. to the northeast OF
Soissons. The battle lasted all day,
but the German defensive was so stub
born that when night fell the allied
troops had been unable to gain the
height
That the allies corps commander
was confident Of being able To batter
his way through to victory was evi-
denced by the wording Of the official
report, which, after recording the at
tack. adds:
"But We have not yct taken H."
POSITIONS
SECURELY ESTABLISHED
In tho Vailly region ond on the right
bank of the Aisnc, the French advanced
positions at Chavonne and Soupir were
moro securely established by the plant
ing on their front OF strongly in
trcnched outguards. supported by Sow
eral batteries OF artillery. In this re
gion the invaders attempted to carry
Continued on Second pnre)