The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-10-07
HOLD THEIR lines
ALLIES REPULSE ATTACK OF CIR
MAN RIGHTWING
almost BROKE THROUGH
English Newspaper Correspondent
Tells How German Attempt to
Drive Wedge Through Lines of
French and British Armies Was
Narrowly Defeated.

The screen OF secrecy erected by
the censorship almost entirely across
northern France and behind which
military craftsmen for the past three
weeks have been fgurativeiy speak
ing, fashioning the rough outlines
Of a new map Of the eastern hemi-
sphere stands now almost unimpair-
ed.
From what can be deduced from
the fragmentary glimpses, says a
London dispatch, there would appear
to be justification, in the opinion of
British observers for the confident,
even seemingly inspired, optimism on
the part of the Allies. This describes
the movement as shaping itself for a
repetition of history as it was writ
ten on the river Marne when the
allied forces sent the Germans back
on their tracks.
All the brilliantly skillful tactics
employed by Gen. Won Kluck, the
commander of the German right
wing, to counter or break through
the fence of bayonets constantly
reaching northward beyond his ex-
treme right have thus far failed.
These efforts, however, have by NO
means ceased and the German gen
eral staff, it is felt in London, prob
ably will risk something elsewhere to
reinforce that wing. Heretofore re-
Inducements there have been met by
reinforcements.
The Germans nearly got the line to
the northeast of Amiens, but after
two days of fierce struggle for the
mastery they failed. Incessant as
saults on the part Of the Germans
have, according to the allied COM
manders, whose reports are augment
ed by statements from Independent
sources, cost the assailants such ap-
palling losses in men that, even al
lowing for reinforcements, their
ranks must have been materially
weakened.
Telegraphing from Paris Wednes-
day the correspondent Of The Daily
Mail describes the complete destruc-
tion by the heavy German artillery
of the open and unfortified town of
Albert, IS miles from Amiens, which
has been the scene during the past
few days of prolonged and murder
Gus artillery battle. He says:
"The struggle on the part of the
Germans to prevent their right wing
being turned compelled them con-
tinually to push their front further
north and to the west while the Allies
continually replied by extending their
front to overlap the enemy, both
sides bringing up large reinforce
ments. This necessitated long
marches of 20 to 25 miles a day and
the Germans were repeatedly called
upon to make desperate effort in
order to avoid being outfanked, |,
whereby they suffered very heavy
losses.
"On Saturday they began to realize
that their. efforts were in vain. They
changed their tactics and tried to
drive a wedge into the Allies front.
The point of that wedge was the town
Of Albert.
"The attempt almost succeeded.
They brought up and massed their
artillery and the French infantry SUI
fered considerably. They kept up a
fire so rapid in character that at
night the whole sky lit up by burst
ing shells. On Sunday they gained
perceptibly and on Monday they still
pressed on, but by that time the
French had brought up large num-
Der of their famous Quick-fring bat
teries and their deadly fire checked
the German advance.
Tuesday the enemy kept up his
efforts gamely but by late afternoon
it had clearly failed of its aim. There
were French batteries at various
points around Albert, but none with
in mile of the town. At 10 min
utes past five German shells from
their heavy guns began to fall. Here
is an account Of the scene from an
eye witness who was on a hill over
looking Albert:
"sWe were warned along the road
to be careful, aud saw vast column
of people coming away from the
town, but nothing happened until at
10 minutes past five we heard deep
boom, quite unlike the noise made by
an ordinary field gun and shell evil
dently of much greater force and size
fell in the town.
1--WE thought it must be an acci-
dent Of misdirection and then to our
indignation the shells began to fall
rapidly. They came in punches.
There were several batteries at work
and their aim was excellent. only
saw three shells burst outside the
town. The police collapsed literally
like pack Of cards.
"It reminded me Of a scene in a
Drury Lane melodrama. One could
not believe without an effort that one
was seeing real town shelled. 1t
was just as if some inventor had
made a new kind of explosive and
had invited his friends to see it de.
molish a model town. l stayed there
an hour fascinated
"At half past six number Of fires,
lighting up the whole countryside
were visible. Looking toward Albert
they appeared to be hay racks which
had been set alight by shells. The