Milford chronicle., 1914-12-25
Hand-tO- Hand Battle RagGS In
the ArgOnnGS.
RIVAL AIRMEN ii ACTION
German Aviators 5ombard DunkIrk
and British 5irdmen Destroy Yep
pelin sheds-Warships 5ombard
Enemy on Belgian Coast.

Desperate lighting Win tne DayOHS
/ in the Argonne region, the east cen
/ ter Of the Aisne battle line, is the tea
ture OF the official news given out by
| the French war office.
The statement admits that the
hand-to-hand conflict there resulted IN
no perceptible progress, although the
allies report gains in other parts oi
the front.
The fighting in Flanders appears to
have been confined mostly to artil
lery exchanges.
British warships have been keep
ing up a bombardment of the German
positions along the Belgian coast for
thirty-six hours, says a dispatch from
RStterdam. At the outset Of the bonn
bardment German batteries replied
briskly, but their fire has slackened.
Sluis reports, and it is believed that
most of them have been silenced.
Aviators of the allies are resuming
their activities, and it is reported that
they have bombarded and burned the
Zeppelin sheds erected by the Ger
mans at Etterbeek, a suburb of Brus-
sells.
They few from Dunkirk and drop
ped twelve bombs upon the sheds, es-
Gaping without damage. On their re-
turn journey the aerial raiders also
dropped bombs upon Thielt, but with
what success is not known.
German airmen have made another
tai
bombs. A number of persons are re-
ported to have been killed.
A German aviator dropped two
bombs upon Amiens. They were ap'
parently aimed at the railroad station,
but neither caused any serious dam
age
The first accounts published in Ger
many of the British bombardment Of
Zeebrugge reached London. They
quote a German officer as saying:
"The arrival of 200 shells was like
hell let loose. For hours the beach
groaned and trembled as the war.
ships kept up their attack. There
were veritable fountains of fire"
The German emperor, accompanied
by the imperial chancellor, DR.. Won
Bethmann-Hollweg, the ministers OF
war and marine and numerous suite, 1
has gone to the western front, accord |
ing to advices to the Dai' y Mail from
French official dispatches from the
front continue to show progress all
along the line for the allies. It is re- /
ported that Ostend is being lombard
ed by the Anglo-French artillery, but
there is no confirmation of the rumof
that the allies have entered the city.
Ostend was strongly fortified by the
Germans and they massed a great
quantity Of artillery to defend the
city.
British troops have been flung for.
ward to the firing line between Al
bert and the Oise to reinforce the
French. This is also made known in
French oaiCial dispatches. From Pc
-onne to Nesle, the British had to
stand the brunt o. siS German at
acks, but the inv de-5 were unable
% win bach the trenches they had
ost.
The fighting has been especially Sc.
Tere in the region fifty miles south Of
Armentie-os. All alcng the line from
Ioyon to Rapaume the attacks and
counter attacks are getting more vic.
ent as a result of the increased pres.
iure of the allies offensive.
Favorable reports have also been
'eceived from the Aisne, the Cham
,agne district, the Argonne forest, the
Heights C. the Meuse and Alsace.
The following are the official bulle
ins