Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-08-25
FRENCH VIEW OF
BATTLE IS OUT
Simply Falling Back on line
of Defenses for Further
Resistance.

Paris, Aug. 25.-The French war
office issued the following announce
ment last night:
THE French and English. the plan
of attack having failed owing to un.
foreseen difficulties. have retired on
the covering positions.
West of the Meuse the English
army on our left was attacked by the
Germans, but behaved admirably,
holding ats. ground with traditional
AeddfdAtnesa. y,Sa.3 -s5, @
.-s-.Ths Trench assumed the .asgrsas-s
sive With two army corps. 2 An sKfri-
gan brigade In. the front line. carried
Away by their Ha8e 8erness, WERE receiv-.
ed by q murderous fire. They did not
give an inch, but. counter-attacked by
the Prussian guard. they were obliged
to retire. only. however. after inflict-
ing enormous losses. The Prussian
guard especially suffered heavily.
East Of the Meuse our troops ad-
vanced across an extremely difficult
country and made vigorous attack
when they emerged from the woods,
but were obliged to fall back after
stiff fight south Of the river Semois.
Army in Splendid Condition.
"On order of Gen. Joffre, our troops
and the British troops withdrew to the
covering positions. Our troops are in
tact; our cavalry has in no way suf-
fered. and our artillery has affirmed
it's superiority. Our officers and SOL
diers are in the best Of condition,
morally and physically.
''As a result of the orders which
have been issued, the aspect of the
struggle will change for a few days.
The French will remain for a time on
the defensive. but.at the right mo-
nlent, to be decided upon by the COM
mander-in-chief. 1t will resume a Wig
orous offensive.
"Our losses are heavy. It would be
would be equally 80 to enumerate
those of the Germans. who suffered so
heavily that they. were obliged to.
abandon their counter-attacks and
establish themselves In fresh positions
in Lorraine.
inflicted Heavy Loss on Germans.
I'VE delivered four attacks yester-
inflicting very heavy loss on the
enemy.
I'm regard to the general situation.
we have the full use of our railroads
and retain command Of the seas. Our:
operations have enabled the Russians
to come into action and penetrate the
heart of East Prussia. It is to be re-
planned failed to achieve their pur-
pose as a result Of difficulties impos-
sible to foresee. It would have short
ened the war, but our defenses remain
intact in the presence Of an already
weakened enemy.
Every Frenchman will deplore the
temporary abandonment of portions of
Alsace and Lorraine. which wes had
occupied. and certain parts Of the ma
tfonal territory will suffer from events
Of which they will be the theater. The
ordeal Is inevitable, but temporary.
Thus detachments Of German cav
airy belonging to an unattached divi-
sion operating on the extreme right
have penetrated to Roubaix (six miles
north Of Lille, and the Tourcoins dis
trict. which are defended only by ter
ritorial reservists.
Our valiant people will know how
to nnd courage to support this trial.
with unfailinR faith in final success,
which is not to be doubted. In telling
to the country the whole truth. the
government and military authorities
give it the strongest proof OF their alb
solute confidence In victory. which de-
pends only on our, perseverance and
tenacity." s3 ..5 l5'.s