The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-10-02

LOndOn.-1ho otlclal press bureau
issued a report from Field Marshal Sir
John French's headquarters on the
British operations in france. The
text follows:
The enemy is still maintaining him.
self along the whole front and in order
70 do so is throwing into the fight de
tachmentS composed of units from the
different formations, the active army
reserve, and landWehr. as is shown h>
the uniforms of the prisoners recently
captured.
Our progress, although SLOW on &C
count of the strength Of the defensive
position against which We are pressing,
mas in certain directions been cOntiuu-
Gus, but the present battle may well
last Tor some days more before 4 de-
cision is reached, since il now ap
proNimates nearly TO siege warfare.
The Germans are making use Of
searchlights. This fact, coupled with
their great strength in heavy artillery,
leads to the supposition that they are
employing material which may have
bNtH NOIIVNNNh i3l II Fl' - VI ! g. 4'
Confident Of the Result.
The nature OF the general situation
after the operations of the eighteenth.
nineteenth and twentieth. Cannot be
better summarized than as expressed
recently in a n%eighboring French com
mander to his corps: Having repulsed
repeated and violent counter attacks
made by the enemy, we have a feeling
that we have been Victorious
$ far as the British are concerned,
the curse Of events during these three
days can be described in q few words.
During Friday, eighteenth, artillery
fire was kept up in;ermittcutly by both
sides during daylight. At night the
Germans cOunter-attaCked certain por-
tons Of our line, supporting the adj
vance of their infantry rs always by
Z heavy bombardmeut. But the strokes
were not delivered with great yigor
and ceased about , a. m. During the
days fighting an aircraft gun Of the
Third army corps succeeded in bring
; ing down a German aerOplane.
News was received also that a body
Of French cavalry had demolished part
Of the railway to the north, cutting, at
least temporarily, n line Of cOmmuni-
cation which is Of particular import
ance TO the enemy.
German Attack Stopped.
o Saturday. the nineteenth. the
bombardment was resumed by the Ger
m nc OF q N nay1N hppp oOd continual
Internationally under reply from our
guns. Some Of their infantry advanced
from cover, apparently with the iDten-
ton of attacking, but on coming under
fire they retired. Otherwise the day
was u~neYentful, except for the activity
Of the artillery, which is a matter of
normal routine rather than an event.
Another hostile aeroplane was
brought down by us, and one OF our
aviators succeeded in dropping several
bombs owe the German line, one in
~cendiary bomb falling with consider
able effect ON a transport park neal
La Fere.
"A buried store of the encmys
ammunitions Of war also was found o
far from the Aisne, ten wagon loads
If live shells and two wagons OF cable
being dug up. Traces were discovered
# large quantities Of stores having
been burned-ali tending to show that
as far back as the Aisnc the German
retirement was hurried.
There was a strong wind during
he day, accompanied by a driving
cain. This initiated against the aerial
reconnaissance.
Several German Attacks Fail.
ON Sunday. the twentieth, nothing
If Importance occurred until the after
1oon, when there was a break in the
clouds and an interval Of feeble sun
,hine, which was hardly powerful
enough to warm the soaking troops.
The Germans too advantage Of this
brief spell Of fine weather to make
several attacks against different points.
These were all repulsed with loss to
he enemy, but the casualties incurred
~ us were by no means light.
In one section OF our firing line the
occupants of the trenches were under
-IIt IMP lt0oloh iudl ihtS h'hiu 81 III
airy band in the enemy's line just be-
'ore the attack developed. 1t is now
Known that the German infantry
started their advance with bands play
ing.
The offensive against n or two
points was renewed at dusk. with no
greater success. The brunt OF the re-
,istance naturally has fallen OF the In
'antry. In spite Of the fact that they
nave been drenched to the skin for
some days and their trenches have
oeen deep in mad water, and in spite
Of the ~incessaIt night alarms and the
almost continuous bombardment to
which they have beer subjected, they
lave on every OCCASION beer ready for
ne enemy's infantry when the latter
attempted to assault, and they have
beaten them back with great loss. In
Iced, the sight Of troops coming up has
)een a positive relief after long, trying
hours OF inaction under shell ire.
German Cannon Fire Fails.
The object of the great proportion
If artillery the Germans employ is