The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-07
VONKLUCK'S
is HURLED AGAINST
ALLIES LEFT WING
Desperate Attempt Under
Way to Cut Off Forces
of General D'Amade.
SURPRISING OFFENSIVE
DEVELOPED BY GERMANS
They Have Effectively Blocked
Spectacular Dash of French
Troops ror Belgium.
ALLIED LINE is THREATENED
Aerial Observers Discover Vast
Masses of Cavalry In vi
cinity of Lille.
SURPRISING OFFENSIVE
DEVELOPED BY GERMANS
ALLIED LINE is THREATENED
Aerial Observers Discover Vast
Masses of Cavalry In vi
cinity of Lille.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch ]
PARIS. October 6.-The Germans. in
surprising show OF offensive strength.
are attempting to cut or the left wing
army OF General D'Amade and sur
round 1t.
Aviators returning from an aerial
reconnaissance early In the day reported
large masses of German cavalry in the
vicinity Of Lille. which the observers
declared were screening a large force
Of infantry and artillery moving
through the region north OF the limo
from Tourcoing, ten miles northeast of
Lille. to Armentieres. twenty-five miles
to the westward of Lille.
The route of the march Of this force
was westward and crossed the lines of
communication of the French with
Northern Belgium and the lines reach
ing toward Dunkirk. where the Eng
lish expeditionary force was disem-
barked, and Ostend. the nearest import
ant port In Belgium. Roth these ports
are within forty miles of Lille.
Thus has this body Of newly arrived
effectively blocked the
French dash fer Belgium and threat
ened the allies' lines OF communication
with the coast.
GERMAN CoUNTER-ATrACk
IS RENEWED FuRIOUSLY
simultaneously. according to the mid :
night official report, the German
region to the south of Noyon, was re-
newed with terrific violence. From this
general locality the army, of General
D'Amade reaches north and the army
OF Field Marshal Sir John French
stretches east.
The German strategy is evidently
based on the hope OF success In driv-
nl.,.. 4, oil tad ltr,a
this point. dividing the French army
facing east, from the British force,
facing north. thus enabling them to
concentrate against that part Of the
line facing north while holding the
French in their northerly positions. or
effectinS a counter thanking movement
by hurting the troops from the north
down upon the French left flank anC
bending It back toward the west.
There still intervcnes between the
most northerly advanced position OF the
French left and the newly assumed Of
fenslve line of the Germans north OF
Lille distance OF between thirty and
forty miles.
That the French tactics of extending
their battle front steadily more and
more to the northward, while battering
with unceasing artillery and small
arms. fire at Won Kluck's right. has not
been abandoned because of the appear
snce of the new German, army in the
north, was indicated by the official re-
port to-day that steady gains had been
reported in this direction
PRESSURE OF GERMANS
TOO GREAT FOR FRENCH
The report admitted, however, that
where previous advances had been de-
scribed as north erly," the direction now
had veered to the northwesterly, indi-
eating that the pressure brought to
bear by the German right flank had
been too great to permit of the Kais-
er's line being bent eastward. as would
be necessary if the enveloping manoeu-
Vre OF the French were to prove sue
cessful.
That the newly appeared German de-
tached force north of Lille was with
drawn from the front at Antwerp, was
indicated by official reports received at
Bordeaux from the Belgian temporary
capital to the effect that the vigor of
the bombardment of Antwerp's forts
had diminished perceptibly.
These new developments are three
fold and remarkable The strange sit
uation Is presented of the Germans
withdrawing pressure from Antwerp to
cut off the French forces going to Ant
werp'S relief, while at the same time
trying to relieve Won Kluck's be-
leaguered army.
iO-HlSnt y .OIiclal FrenCh bulletin
adds that the allied right has succeeded
IN gaining little ground to the north
OF the heights of the Meuse, while
along the centre relative calm prevails.
Early reports were that the fierce
German attack in the region of Las
signy had failed, while between the
Somme and the Oise alternate advances
and recoils had been reported.
On the right bank of the Aisne. north
of Soissons. a desperate attempt was
made by the Germans to drive wedge
between the right flank of the French
were these attacks repeiled with great
losses. to the Kaiser's troops, but the
French, supported by the British forces,
were able to gain some ground. Also
In the region of Berry-au-Bac slight
for the allies was reported.
BATTLE OF THE AISNE
MAY BE DECLARED DRAW
Out of tre battle of tho Aisne there
has developed the battle of the Seven
Rivers. The battle of the Aisne may
be said to have reached its conclusion,
with the result practically draw, as
no decisive, gains have been recorded
by tho rival armies twenty-five days
Official confidence in the ultimate
success OF the allied arms is undimin-
ishedy The Germans are considered. to
be at the end of their rope for men,
War Office attaches at Boydeaux ad-
vance as proof of this the large per-
centage Of reserves and second-llne
troops who appear, daily in the fresh
patches of prisoners and wounded who
y ~ '(Continued on Second pa0e : =