The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-23
In Destruction of Three British Cruisers Germany Follows Avowed Plan of Naval War
BRITISH FLEET IS
 RUNNING BIG RISK
 IN KEEPING THE SEAS
Situation in France Is Un- changed-Advance of AL lies Left Wing of Little Consequence

Ymuiden, Holland, Septem- Der 22.-(Via London, 11;26 p. m. 1.-Two of five German submarine boats which attack ed and sank the British cruis- CTS Aboukir, Greasy and Hogue, were sent to the bottom by the British ships, according to survivors from the cruisers who arrived here tonight.
 London, September 22.-(9:l5 D. m.)-The daring raid of German sub marines across the North sea, which resulted today in the sinking of the British cruisers Aboukir. Hogue and Creesy, has diverted attention mo- mentarily from the battlefields of the continent.
 fhis Was enc of the thinss the Britlss navy had been Tod to expect. for the Germans frankly had avowed that their plan was to reduce British naval supe- riority by submarine raids and the sow ing of mines and they have been train ing their young officers for sallies of this kind.
 Nevertheless it came as shock to Englishmen that big ships, such as those sunk, could easily be attacked and destroyed while the German fleet has remained in safety in it's mine and fort ress protected harbors.
 However. the British fleet must keep the seas to insure Great Britan's food supply and in doing so must run great risk. The ships sunk while obsolete, still were useful vessels and it is little satis- faction to England to know her cruiser fleet still Is double in number that of the Germans and that as Winston Spencer Churchill. first lord of the admiralty has said, she will be able to build during the war three to Germanys one.
 No Important Changes
 Meantime there have been no important changes on the battle fronts in northern France The opposing armies continue to gain a little here and lose a little there. These gains may tell In the long run. but have brought no decisive result for either side.
 The French official report. issued late today, again lays some stress on the an- nouncement that an advance is sbeing made by the allies left wing on the right bank of the River Disc from which point both the public and the military experts look for first indications of how the battle is likely to end
 Germans have been forced to give ground before the French attacks. and, speaking of Noyon and the district around that city as the center of operations, some correspondents describe the allies' left as extending from just west of Noy- on to as far north as Lecatelet, from which point, or Peronne the new army, of which there have been so many re- ports but no confirmation, is supposed to be operating to threaten the German right wing.
 If this is true the German right is in dangerous position. for if cannot ex- tend much farther north or west of St. Quentin It's position runs thence by way of Chauny and south of Laon to north of Rheims.
 Severe Fighting
 On tlie plateau of Craonne severe fight ing has been going on for days, but there Is no late information as to whether the Germans or the allies hold the commando ing positions here. The allies had the plateau a few days ago, but the German official report claims t has been re-taken. together with the village of Betheny In the center between Rheims and Souain, which the French occupied early in the week, there has been more des- perate fighting, the Germans taking the offensive and according to French re- norts being repulsed. The Germans also have made some attacks in the Woevre
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