The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-25
FRENCH GIVES DETAILS
Of RECENT OPERATIONS
Battle OF the Aisne and Disc, He
Says, May Last for Several
Days Yet.
TAKES CHARACTER OF SIEGE
These Tactics Necessarily Will Pre-
cludc Possibility OF Any Imme-
diate. Definite Result-Progrcss
\ Slow but Continuous.
TAKES CHARACTER OF SIEGE
Ispeeial cahlc 70 The Tlmes- Dispateh.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch
LONDON, September 2A.--Tho official
Press Bureau issued a 1000 word mes
sage from Field Marshal Sir John
Frenchs headquarters tonight. giving
details of the present battle of the
Aisne and the Disc.
The battle. the message states. NAV
last for several days vc,, as the oper-
ations have assumed the character of "A
siege. and these tactics necessarily
VIII preclude tho possibility of any i'm
mediate doiintc result.
Sir John Frcnchs account is n con
tihuation of the narrative OF the battle
cabled from London on Tuesday night
II says
THE enemy is still maintaining him
self along the whole front In order
10 90 SO he is throwing into the light
attachments composed OF units from
the different formations OF the active
army, tn: reserve and the Iandwchr
"our progress. although slow on ac-
count OF the strength OF the cnemy's
defensive position, has been continuous
Tho present battle may we'll last for
some days more before u decision is
reached since IL now approximates
som cwhat siege warfare.
me Germans are making use OF
scarchlights This, coupled with their
great strength OF heavy artillery. gives
rise to the supposition that they are
employing the material which may have
been collected for the siege of Paris.
SITUATION SUMMARIZED
BY FRENCH COMMANDER
The nature Of the general situation
after the operations of the 18th 18Th
and 10th cannot be summarized better
than expressed recently by a neigh
! boring French commander to his corps:
Having repulsed repeated and vio-
I \ t.sfs-s n n. Il
enemy, We have a feeling that we have
been victorious
:" SO far as the British are concerned
the course of events during these three
days can be described in a few words.
During the 18th, artillery fire was kent
up intermittently, 10y both sides dur
ing daylight Al night the Ccrmans
countcr-attacked. but the strokes were
not delivered with great vigor. and
ceased about y. NJ. During the DAYS
ngntihE. an aircraft gun of the third
army corps brought down a German
aeroplane. News was received also
that body of French cavalry had de-
molishcd part Of the railway to the
north. cutting. at least temporarily. one
line OF communication of particular inn
portancc to the enemy.
ON Saturday. the 10Th, the bonn
bardmcnt was resumed by the Ger
mans at an early hour, and continued
intermittcntly until reply from our own
SuhS' 'Oi'ic oi tnclr infantry advanced.
apparently to attack. but on coming
under fire they retired.
I'VE brought down another hostile
aeroplanc and one of our niers
dropped several bombs over the Ger
man line one falling with consider
able effect on transport park near
La l'ere.
"On Sunday, the 20th nothing OF
Importance occurred until the after
noon. when the Germans made several
counter-attacks against different points.
enemy, but our casualties were bv no
means light.
THE offensive against one or two
points We're renewed at dusk with no
great success The brunt OF the re-
sistance has naturally fallen upon tho
infantry. In spite of the fact that they
nave been drcnched to tho skin for
some days and their trenches have
been deep in mud and water, and In
spite OF incessant night alarms and the
almost continuous bomba rtiment TO
which they have been subjected. they
have on every occasion been ready for
the cnemy's infantry and have beaten
them back with great loss.
GREATLY DISAPPOINTED
Bi MORAs.E EFFECT
''From statements from prisoners it
appears that the Germans have been
greatly disappointed by the morale cf-
feet produced by their heavy guns. The
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