The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-21
OF VERDUN
APPEARS TO Be DOOMED
Position, Which Is Main support of
French Right Wing Army,
Slowly Yielding.
GERMANS PIERCE OUTER RING
If Allies Are Defeated Here, Crown
Prince May Be Able to Retrieve
Some of His Losses and Turn De-
Tending Army Back.

Especial Cable to Tho Times dispatch
LONDON. October a0..--Verduh APP
pears to be doomed. The French forth
fed position which is the main sup
port Of tho French right wing army,
and from which the offensive opera-
lions of the defenders OF France have
been carried-pn along the Mouse and in
the direction of Metz has been under
constant bombardmcnt for over th.ee
weeks, and to-day several OF the forts
in the outer ring of the city's defenses
are reported In official dispatches from
Berlin to have been reduced. -
Credencc is given the German claim
because II has been known from other
sources for the week past that the
outer redoubts. which had been bearing
the brunt OF the German she'll fire, had
been seriously damaged, and that the
French commander was contemplating
their abandonment and withdrawal of
the batteries 10 the inner circle whore
the main resistance upon which will
hang the fate OF the stronghold is to
he fought.
I The Berlin report says the Germans
have captured "some OF tho forts sur
rounding Verdun.'' thus "opening the
way FOR an attack OH the main forti-
ncation. preparations for which are
now being made"
GERMAN GROWN PRINCE;
MAY RETRIEVE LOSSES
II is upon vcrdun. the northcrnmost
fortress of line OF fortified defensive
POSITIONS extending southeast along the
upper Mouse to Toul that Crown Prince
Frederic Wilhelm has been directing
his most vigorous effort Rcpulsed re-
peatedly at every other point in his
Held of activity and his personal com
mand driven and harried until he and
his army were forced to Withdraw to
the centre OF the Woevre region, tho
big guns implanted In front of Vcrd,in
have been left under these circun-
stances to work out the salvation Of
me Naiser's first son and the German
left wing army.
With Verdun in his possession and
the guns turned the other way, tho
crown prince, under their cover might
be able, to retrieve his losses along
the Meuse, operating from ST. Mihiel,
ana be IN position 10 threaten dam
gcrously the French right wing army.
and, with sufficient support, might even
turn II.
TO the east. along the line from
Ncrdun to Metz, the south of this line,
the French have been conducting ex-
tremeiy vigorous offensive operations
against the Metz Notifications. Once
deprived of the. support of the guns at
Nerdun. these heavy detachmcnts would
be placed in perIlous position.
HEAVY REINFORCEMENTS
ARE HURLED BEHIND LINE
Great bodies Of rcinrorcements have
been hurled behind the French line in
front Of Metz, and these troops, IL cut
off along tho Verdun-Toul line, would
be forced to make a wide detour to the
southwark TO rejoin the French right
centre.
While the German guns were work
ing great havoc with the Nerdun re-
doubts, the French artillery, by heavily
concentrated fire against the batteries
at st. Mihiel, have been able, during
the past two days, 10 destroy at least
one battery of heavy German artillery
defending this position.
The success OF the French artiller-
lists was due mainly to bravery and
ingenuity of n member OF, ono of their
batteries, Who crept forward with n
portable field telephone almost within
the shadow Of the German position. and
informed his battery Of the position of
the German guns, and CO. rscted the
range of the French gunners. When
the German battery had been siIenced
the lrenchman. crept back safely 10
his lines.
The hope of all England that the
German fleet would come out and fight
was revived to-day by the news in dis
patches from mSterdam which said
the German fleet Is getting ready fer
active service. The German marines
have all been recalled from Antwerp,
and the ships at the naval bases are
taking on large quantities of provisions
as II In preparation for mobilization.
report from Harwich to the Gem