Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-09-17
Right Wing Has Retired More
Than Seventy Miles in the
Past Two Weeks, 1t Is An
nOunced.
H|lLY COUNTRY OCCUPIED
kaiser's Troops Are Digging
Strong Entertainments and
Receiving ReinfOrcements-
Allies Are Threatening En-
emy and Attacking Flank.

London. Sept. 1G, 9:20 p. m.-The
German army, which less than a fort
night ago was at the gates of Paris"
and the right wing then extended to
the southeast of the French capital, is
| tonight drawn up on almost a
straight line. extending from tho
neighborhood of Noyon in the west to
, Bois FORCES on the Meuse. north of
Nerdun. with left resting on the Ger
man fortress of Metz
Thus the right wing. at least, has
gone back more than seventy miles
in two weeks, while the rest of the
army has had also to retire before the
whole could find ground on which to
make another stand against the all
, vance of the allies.
That the Germans intend to give bat
tie on this line. with the river Aisne
in front Of their right. the hills of
Rheims facing their center and the
mountains and forest of Argonne on
their left, there seems to he little
doubt. They went back steadily be
t"." the French and English armies,
ing only rear guard actions until
&. right, in command of General
Won kluck, got across the Aisne. Then
they turned and delivered several
counter attacks. which, however. ac-
cording to the British official report,
were repulsed the Germans leaving
200 prisoners in the hands of the
British.
ARE IN HILLY COUNTRY.
These counter attacks were doubtless
delivered in the hope of giving the troops
of the right wing exhausted by the long
advance followed by an almost as long
retreat, the opportunity OF resting and
preparing positions from which they
could resist attacks from the allies and
in which they could await reinforce
ments before taking the offensive again.
The Germans are In the hlly country
around Noyon, on the plateaux north Of
VicSur- -Aisne and scissors, and north
of Rheims, where they are digging strong
entertainments and receiving reinforce
ments, But even here, this right wing,
which had up to the present borne the
brunt of the lighting in the advance and
the retreat, is not altogether safe, for
the French army operating from Amiens
clings to its flank, while the British and
French forces continue to press its
front.
BRITISH HAVE FULL SHARE.
1t is essential, however. that they
should hold their positions, for they
cover the lines of retreat to the north,
which would be the only way out If de-
feat should he their lot.
The British army. as has been its lot
since 1t landed in France. Is taking Its
full share in this fighting. which on the
front has been particularly severe since
the Germans crossed the Aisne and made
their first determined stand In the re-
treat from Paris
The German center which in the last
few days has come more into line with
the two wings. now stretches from the |
heights north of Rheims to the western
foothills OF the Argonne Ridge, dipping
a little south to touch Vile Eur Tourbe |
Just northeast of Camp De Chalons
The German left has been driven back
a little further than the center and holds
the ground from west of the Argonne
hills north of Varennes, which the French |
have reoccupied, to the Meuse, which 1t
crosses at Consenvoye and thence south |
eastward to Metz,
The crossing of the Meuse, which the
Germans have selected at Consenvoye Is |
Just out of range of the fortress guns Of |
pending is concerned they have not to |
reckon with this stronghold, except as 1t |
offers support to the French in case the |
allies are compelled to retire.
The Germans on this line cover as |
many lines OF retreat as possible includ- |
Ing those OF Namur. Givet, Mezieres,
Sedan and Stenay, and should soon be
ready, II they have not already COM
menced, to give battle. or, II tho often
sive comes from the other side, to de-
fend their positions.
1t Is believed that General Joffre, the
French commander-in-ch chief, retains the
Initiative, having received reinforcements
to relieve his overworked troops, but
whether he viii try again to envelop the
German right or to break up the Crown
Princes army on the left. remains to be
seen. 1t IL known that the Ger man right
has been considerably reinforced, so that
II would be more difficult than before to
work around that wing. while the Ger
man left and center, which also have
seen a lot Of hard fighting and held their
positions until the retirement of,the rlghtsl
conpeIleds thefn-dftn+t 20 fall paekf dauht-l