The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-09-24

Continued From Page OneO
constitutes an all important bulwark.
The operations in Woevre have been
more or less at a standstiu for some
days as the guns were stuck fast in
the clay and Vulnerable rivulets ov-
erflowed and made large tracts Of the
coutry impossible for the movement
of large bodies of troops. Now the
armies are again moving and the Ger
mans are desperately trying to break
the strong natural defenses Of the
Mouse heights in order to paralzye
the allies plans in the center.
The plains of the Woevre. the scene
of the present effort, were made for
a battle and the Meuse heights, with
their steep escarpment and strength
encd by forts, form a barrier of pro-
digous strength The northern Woevre
lakes are dotted among the green for
ests rises amidst this country.
The enemy is making desperate eff
forts to dislodge the French forces
from this natural fortress, which COM
mands an immense sweep Of country
In the distant are the heights of
Pont-A -Mousson and Metz and the old
battle fields of GraveIotJe and St. Pri-
cess, the right along tue 1Ieuse on the
heights from TresanyuX 10 HeriCOUrt.
Time fights on the side of the al
lies whose forces are growing daily
from the ends of the earth"
GERMAN RIGHT TURNS.
The CORRESPONDENT Of the Daily Mail
under date of Sunday and from an I'M
named place, sends a, report that the
German right has turned between Pei
rome and St Quentin. He also tells of
the arrival of the wounded who bring
stories that there are nine miles of
dead in the trenches between the two
town named and continues;
"Peronne was evacuated by the Ger
mans four days ago. They occupied a
strong position with hills behind and
marshes in front. The French re-
cetved orders to take the position at
all costs, the reason Of this order be
ing that if the Germans were driven
from here they would be stopped by
the outsprea ding French left wing.
AT first the trenches We're combed
out by artillery fire but the Germans
still held on and Their guns on the
heights behind were doing execution
among the French. Then it was de-
cided 10 storm the POSITIONS.
Across the marsh, in the half light
before dawn the French troops ad-
vanced in a number of narrow col
umns. They huffered badly but never
wavered. The Germans waited for
them in the trenches snd there was a
fierce, deadly struggle, breast to
breast. The French had the advanta-
age Of dash and yigor and they stab
bed and sta obed until their arms ach-
ed. Their losses were heavy but they
gained their point and the Germans
fell back to st. Quentin.
The French were reinforced and
pursued the Germans holly into the
suburbs Of the town. There was saw
age fighting in the streets, but yard
by yard they were driven back until
they received order to abandon the
town. I hear that they are now max
ing an effort to retake Peronne."
GERMANS ARE INDIGNANT.
\ despatch from Amsterdam to the
Reuter- Telegram Company says:
AN official telegram from Berlin re-
ceived here states that headquarters
has issued an indignant protest against
the assertion that the German troops
for the lust Of vandalism and with
out urgent necessity have destroyed a
of historical value.
The cathedral Of Rheims was not
used as a mark for a systematic bonn /
bardment,' says the statement. Dur /
ing the last few days the French had |
strengthened the fortress to defend |
their present position and consequently |
the German Commandment became ne |
cessary. Orders had been given 20
spare the cathedral
IF it should prove true that during
the fire the cathedral suffered which |
cannot be yet asceTtained nobody
would deplore IT more than ourselves; /
but the French who made Rheims a
fortress n support Of their defense
are alone to blame"