The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-10-16
BATTLE IN FRANCE
IN FOURTH WEEK
ALLIES AND INVADING GERMANS
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FIERCE
Ly FOR A MONTH.
Germans are Holding Their Ground
Tensciousiy While French and Eng
ilsh Forces FurlousIy Attack All
Along the Line.

Scant are the actual details OF the
recent fighting between the allies anG
the Germans who for four weeks have
been struggling for supremacy In
northern France as contained in the
latest official communication. |
A notable advance by the allies &C |
CURED Sunday in the neighborhood Of
the center OF the battle line, where
they stormed and captured an import
ant German position.
Near Lassigny also the fighting was
very severe. The allies and Germans
came to close quarters and German
regimental flag was taken in a bay
onet charge. Lassigny forms an
angle OF the allies line, which from
there turns almost directly north.
The Germans are holding Their
ground tenaciously at this place
where they have considerable mum
Der of big guns in strong positions IL
the quarries.
The allied cavalry during q heavy
mist carried out daring raid In the
course of which they cut off German
supply convoy proceeding to Roys.
| They captured $50 Germans who con
stituted the escort as we'll as several
quick-firers and a large amount of am
hamilton
The French aviators, who are per
forming brilliant work along the front
indicated the approach of the Ger
mans, who, when attacked, offered 0
long and fierce resistance. but even.
tually were obliged to surrender.
The allied commanders regard their
position on the western wing and the
center as improving daily and are
thoroughly satisfied with the progress
which Is being made.
On the eastern wing the German
bombardment Of the French positions
continues without interruption and
much material damage is being done
The cannonading Is accumulated be.
cause OF the echoing and re-echoing
among the surrounding hills.
There is not an inch of ground ove4
which the great battle has been rag
ing which does not show traces of the
awful character of the battle. The
town OF Albert Is mass Of ruins only
church steeple remaining standing.
Roye has disappeared under constan,
, bombardment. 1t was the center OF
, the German effort to break through
, the allied lines. The German artillery
, had taken advantage of many quarries
in the vicinity where they placed guns
, which were beyond the reach of the
French artillery
Accommodating parties, seeking to
, discover the strength of their oppo
nents, frequently came in conflict. In
these engagements the soldiers would
( take shelter behind the many bodies
!, on the field or occasionally make
: smart dashes across the open, where
! their arms glittered In the sunlight
Violent engagements were fought al
three separate points of the front In
lae battle of seven rivers on Saturday
the Germans to relieve the constantly
o increasing pressure the allies line
u held fast.
The great overshadowing fact of the
y days development is the attempt o.
> the Germans to carry the fighting
. seward With Antwerp in theil
hands and Ostend predicted as the
y scene OF an imminent encounter the
kaiser's forces are now reaching ou
u toward Dunkirk, the channel post a
. which the British expeditionary forct
8 iebarked
. Fighting was reported as far to thu
= northwest of Lille as Cassel. which Il
but eighteen miles from the channe
y coast. Between Cassel, La Basse anC
X Armetieres several engagements were
:. reported. which were Of an intricat'
q nature because of the character o
ground over which the two opposing
e tanks are maneuvering.
n The strain on the men must be ter
Ie ,ible. as the lighting continues almos
- ncessantly At times the men ar,
lighting in bitches filled with water
m and at other times wading through
IS seas of mud.
II Food supplies are secured Will
Il men are in the fighting line on man
n occasions. and it is not uncommon 70
soldier to drop from exhaustion.
to OF the situation in the east the Aus
c. rian general stan, in dispatch con
lie ng by way OF Berlin, reported
breakup of the Russian invasion
"a Hungary and said that the Russia
"a smperor's forces had been cleare
- rom a portion Of the Carpatnians.
=. A Berlin dispatch says that King A
Va BERT OF Belgium, who has been repor
ne I'd to have left Antwerp at the mead {
IS portion of his troops. has bee
Tightly wounded.
- Germans Rushing Reinforcements
M Rome German advices are TIL