New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-25
Allies Hold Line in
Northern France
and Belgium.
RALLY FOLLOWS
ADVANCES BY FOE
Early War Office Report
in Paris Admits Some
German Successes.
FRENCH TAKE STRATEGIC
POINT NEAR ARGONNE
Village of Melzicourt Commands
Roads to Varennes-Casual-
ties Heavy Around Roye.
lnc Cable 20 The T-ihnne. !

Paris, Oct. 24.-From the mass OF
contradictory reports concerning the
fighting in Belgium and Northwestern
France. this sentence from to-nighPs
official War Office communication
stands out, terse but unqualified:
From the sea as far as the region
to the south of Arras the violent at
tacks OF the enemy have everywhere
been repulsed.7
Among military observers as we'll
as the public the statement possesses
added weight on account of the frank
admission of German advantages In
the following statement in the COM
muniquG issued earlier in the day:
THE enemy has made progress to
the north OF Dixmude and in the vi
cinity Of La Bassee. We have made
very perceptible advances 10 the east
OF Nieuport, in the region Of Lange-
merck, and In the region between Ar
mentieres and Lille. 1t is a question
Of inevitable fluctuations in the line
of combat, which, however, maintains
itself as a whole"
To-night's report also mentions a
French success in the district west OIL
the Argonne region, the capture OF the
village of MelZicourt. The titanic bat
tie now raging on the H"'s Invest part
of the iine sefvss - mn i&c t~s ihl-
portance of th,s victory in the public
} mind, but military experts reslize its
| importance, as the little town gives its
L. v,v,4s. nd ~
leading from Nsrennes TO the valley
of the Aisne.
Result Not in Sight.
Although the Allies hsvo repulsed
the violent assaults on their LETT wing
IL is still evident that neither OF the
immense armies which have been fac
ing each other on lines extending from
the North Sea 10 the Swiss frontier,
while continuing 10 deliver hammer
strokes, has succeeded in pushing its
offensive far enough to bring apprecis-
bly, nearer final result.
/ The Germans have taken the often
sive not only against the left wing OF
the allied army. which rests on the
sea. but also against that portion OF
the French army which is defending
the line of fortiiicstions between Yer
dun and Ioul.
Around Lille. which the Germans
hold. as we'll a further south IN the
direction of Arras and Roye, there has
been so much lighting that even the ac-
counts of trainloads Of wounded being
taken daily to the hospitals cannot DO
exaggerated.
To-day both sides claim success in
a battle in which there were SO many
victims that the Germans asked Tor
truce to bury their dead This was
refused. -
Fighting Near Lille.
The principal scene Of conflict is
around La Bassee, virtually dominat-
ing Lille, where the German troops
threw themselves in masses against the
Allies. For the most part British
troops are engaged here. Both sides
have suffered terribly. The British
casualty list is large, although much
smaller than that of the Germans, who
encountered them in solid formation
There has not been minutes respite
in the conflict since Friday morning
except during the darkest hours OF
the night, but even then the artillery
Of both armies kept up a continuous
duel
The Germans appeared at this point
to have an inexhaustible supply of men,
whom they did not spare. Everywhere,
where one man fell. two seemed to
appear TO fill the gap. The Allies, how
ever. at their disposal fresh troops and
succeeded in repulsing the Germans
wherever they pushed formidable
attack home.
All the transport arrangements of
the Allied troops are working splen-
didly andt he men at the front are kept
Well feda nd supplied with ammunition.
! The ambulance services are admirable.
: The American ambulance from Paris
was cheered heartily as it passed tow
ard the front of the battle line TO bring
back the wounded. The American SER
vice is immensely appreciated.