Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-07
|ARTILLERY0F ALLIES
MINIS THREE VICTORIES
In Flanders, Champagne and Near
Varennes French Guns Arc
Triumphant.
ADVANCED POSITIONS TAIsEN
British Establish Firm Footing at
Strategic Point Of Ferrymnn's
House and Destroy German Fort.
Three Days Of Unbroken Successes.

e5CTttVctSlC fOlnp OF F6rrYmhn'6
House and Destroy German Fort.
Three Days Of Unbroken Successes.
Especial Gable TO The Times ID ispatch.l
PARIS, December s.-Three over
wheimtnK victories we're won by tho
heavy artillery OF the aliies in lighting
reported to-day In offlciai dispatches
from widely separated sections Of the
battle front
In Flanders. near tho ferryman's
house, between Diamude and Ypres,
which was captured by the British nf-
ter months lighting. the French gun
ners DESTROYED q German field fort.
in Champagne the French Eunners
completely overwhelmed the Kaisef's
batteries
Near Varennes, sixteen miles from
yerdun. the French guns put every
gun OF the German batteries out OF
action.
The week opened with the allies hold.
Ing more advanced positions In Tland-
ers than they hhvo gained in any cor:
responding period during tho past
month.
RECORD OF SUCCESSES
UNDROKEN FOR THREE DAYS
The past three days has beehfah uh4
broken record OF successes on this sec
ZION OF the 'front.', WITH mo exception VI
the battle around Weidenreft. on tho
outskirts OF Iangcmarck. northwest OF
Ypres, where the Germans have etl
fectively resisted the French attacks.
To-day's official statement declared
that the German corps cnrtesting for
! without Avail. the British continuing
TO hold the section OF the town 10
which they retired on Friday.
one OF the most notable advances
was made by the allies to this east of
Poesele. in the region about tho ferry
mans house. where the German field
fort was reported destroyed to-day.
This Is the first really firm footing tho
British have been able to gain on this
bank of tho User. and tho failure OF
the German counterattacks in an effort
to regain the lost stronghold, together
ton, from which they had conducted
their operations. speaks volumes for
the frmness with which the British
have established themselves.
The possession OF WeIdenreft Is I'm
portant, rs the village is OF grea,
strategic value, dominating. as It does
| the open stretch of ground which gives
access 70 the fortified positions OF the
Germans. II the allies are able to es.
tablish themselves here. they Will be
! in position to assail the German
| trenches to the east.
NEW LAURELs WON
By FRENCH GUHNERs
The new laurels for tho French gun
nerB were gained in the Champagne
| region by remarkably accurate and per-
| sistent cannonnde, while they them
selves were under terrifying fire OF
gnnners opened a furious lombard
ineht OF the French positions. The
| French batteries replied with n deadly
rain OF shells from the new field
howitzers which recently were brought
up from the rear to replace the burnt
fectivcly smothered by the fury or the
reply
"Sapping," the most terrifying form
of warfare, continues in tho Argonne
region. Here tho Germans. by digging
zigzag trenches at such Nm Angle ne
never to subject the occupants to an
enfilading fire, but always bringing the
borrowers closer to the opposing force,
have crept zip under tho French
tre-ches and hurled bombs and hand
the life pits. Or. by tunnel!ng from
their own trenches to point under
the French positions, they have planted
mines which were detonated after the
| "home end" Of the bores had been
| sealed. Both operations have been
tried repeatedly, but the watchfulness
| OF the French and dash and daring
OF their offensive have more than over
come the advantage gained by tho Ger
mans through their sapplng methods
with the result that the French have
been able to record considerable gains
and the occasions on which the Cor
mans have taken the Offensive In the
| open have been OF sad memory to the
! invaders.
PROGRESS rs MADE
IN YERDUN REGION
| Progress has been made in the YER
dun region. southeaa; of Varennes,
where The fighting Is becoming moro
important. both in the forces employed
and the stake for which they are con-
| tending.
Tho right wing Of General Joffre.s
allied army Is heavily engaged with
the Germans on two important fronts,
| one facing Metz md the other threat
| ening Strassburg.
| the forest country in Alsace, where all
the counterattacks of the Germans
| thus far have been repulsed.
West of Altkirch, the two armies are
still at grips, and about Muelhausen
sharp fighting is unofflcially reported.
hut the official statements are barren
CT any mention of these engagements.
In fact the silence OF the War Office
| regarding the operations on this front
only lends to their Importance. 1t has
| always been the policy OF the general
| operations where the Issue is still in
! the balance. This caution Is enjoined
upon correspondents even to the point
Of forcible exclusion from their dis
patches of comment on the situation
even though no vital facts are given.
DIES AT RIPE AGE