Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-03
CONFLICT RACES.
ON ALL PARTS OF
26O-M|LE FRONT
Greatest Activity Is Near
Opposite Ends of
Battle Line.
FIGHTING IN FLANDERS
is REAL STORM CENTRE
Germans Apparently Redouble
Efforts to Reach
Coast.
nEINFoRcEsIENTs BROUGHT UP
More Than 100000 Troops Massetl
Between Ostend and
Ypres.

Ypres.
PARIS. December 2-To-day wit
OF the 2s0-milc battle line from the
North Sea to Alsace. with the greatest
activity near the opposite ends OF the
line. In Alsacc the French troops
captured tho village of Aspach, south
cast OF Thanh. The Germans in the
ArSonnc, however, blow up with
mine part OF the outer fortihcations
Of the WOOD OF La Grubie. In spite OF
these local successes and reverses at
his end OF the line, the titanic con-
fict in Flanders continues 10 be the
real storm centre.
The Germans. still tenaciousiy cling
ing to the hope OF forcing way
through the Dunkirk and Calais. APP
pear to have rcdouhled their efforts.
and the days developments included a
violent bombardmcht OF I.ampernisse.
which is about i've miles west OF Dix
nude, and almost on a line btwcen that
town and Dunkirk.
While tho Official reports from the
War Oficc are confined to details of
actual engagements, IL Is known un-
officially that 100000 German troops
are now masscd between Ostcnd and
Ypres. and that 100000 OF them are
fresh regiments, brought up rs re-
Inducements within the last few days.
The day saw no cessation Of the
furious struggle between Lens and
ISethunc. where the opposing armies
are almost At hand grips, How close
u the fighting hero resembles the
formcriI front -torfront engagements Of
ne StaAr' can DO 3 sesn5 rom the after
IIopII ofiicinl pa,s tehS Sease,ss -
.,at Fcrdmclles tbctwccn Tens and
Bcthune). the chateau and the park
surrounding II. two houses In the VII
lage and some trenches wcrc brilliant
~ occupied by our troops.
OPPOSING ARMIES
REPEATING TACTICS
The opposing armies arc repeating
here tho tactics which have resulted
In such enormous loss of life. with 80
little comparative influence on the gen
orsl result. Apparently. the house-to-
house fighting which marked the bat
tlcnclds In the vicinity of Rheims Will
hc reacted In this new battle of the
coal nelds." West OF Dixnudc tho
lighting is Of different character.
The violent hombardmcnt OF I.amper-
misse was at such long range that the
allics concluded that tho Germans had
again unlimbcrod their heaviest artil
lery. IT Is believed the reinforced army
VIII try to batter it's way through to
Dunlsirk with artillery alone. sup
ported of course. by infantry and cav
airy TO cover the advance OF the guns
from position to position.
Following out this belief, the allies
have brought into position many OF
tho French heavy guns. and. In the ex
pcctation OF terrific hshting, have re-
inforced their ambulance corps and no.
titled tho hospital ut the rear to have
available as many beds as possible.
The Germans are reported to have
evacuated several villages east of the
User. of no strategic Importance. This
Is apparently in furthcrance OF their
NIL IN ma n 10
somewhere south OF Ostend to support
the renewed driving movement at Dun
kirk.
uSEASfNESS. REPORTED
GROWING IN DUSKIRI<
Reports from Dunkirk itself say that
uncastncss is growing. and that the
treasures of the municipalities some OF
them OF great historical and senti-
mental value. have been removed from
the town hall to places of greater
safety.
From tho coast advices come that in
spite of the crippliug of the German
naval base at Zeehrusgc by British
bombardment the Germans arc keep
ing constant lookout with submarines
In the channel. Several Of these under
sea fighters are reported TO be max
ing frequent patrolling trips from the
maratlme canal into the channel
Last nights reports that q large
part of the German fleet had sailed
forth from the protected harbor at
Kiel, and made their way into the
North Sea, when considered with the
renewed activity toward Dunkirk, are
taken to indicate a possibility that the
Germans wish to draw the British war
ships that have been bombardng the
coast away from that line of activity,
in order to remove one more obstacle
from the path of the army. gathered
south of Ostcnd
In the other fields of fighting the en-
gagements have for the most part been
favorable to the allies. German heavy
artillery was severely damaged by
French shells in the region to the south
of Ypres and st. Eloi, the French gun
ners proving the more expert range
finders and practically putting three
heavy batteries out of the fight.
Further south In the neighborhood
OF Fay, n town south and west Of Pc
rome, another violent artillery duel
lasted throughout the day, but there
was nothing decisive to report as a
result of It. On the centre, however,
French gunners had another signal
success in an artillery duel. destroying
an entire battery in the region about
Craonne. f.sstl1.
This fight marks a vigorous resump-
tons by the allies OF their offensive in
the region between sthes Aisne and the
artillery enga cement at Vendresse, in
which the French more than held their
own. yendresse Is fvesmiles west Of
Craonne, and three miles north of tho
Aisrle, and 1T Is the nearest point to-
sLaof,, which the tallies have attacked
from the sAiane battle line. u. |, s