Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-03
ALLIES IN WEST
HOLD POSITIONS
RECENTLY GAINED
Consolidate Ground in Face
of Furious German Coun-
terassaults.
BOTH SIDES APPARENTLY
TAKING PART IN ATTACKS
French Claim New Progress in
Souchez Area as Well as
in Champagne.
GREAT oFFENsIvE AT AN END
Question Now Being Asked Where
Next Attempt Will BE Made to
Pierce Teuton Line.

ern and western fronts heavy lighting
is continuous. but it lacks the dramatic
features afforded by the early stages
OF the allies big offensive, which
started week ago to-day. and re-
suited in considerable gain OF ground
In Champagne, and Artois, still held
by the allies, or the great drives which
the Austro- German forces successfully
engineered against the Russians for
fully five months that carried them
from western Galcia to the western
border of old Russia.
In the west the allies, in the face
OF furious German counterattacks, are
holding their new positions. and are
themselves making local attacks
which the Germans claim to have re-
pulsed. Official reports do not agree
exactly as to what is going on in
Champagne and Artois, but apparently
both sides are taking part in attacks
which naturally follow when one army
is attempting to consolidate the ground
won.
In their reports, the French say they
nave made some further progress on
the heights of La Folie, In the Souchez
area. as we'll as in Champagne Com
pared with the allies capture OF nearly
$4,000 prisoners, 40 guns and innumer-
able machine guns, is the Germans'
claim to have taken $4,000 men and
sixty -one machine guns.
TEMPORARILY, GREAT
@ OFFENSIVE is AT END
Temporarily, the great offensive may
be considered at an end. and the ques-
ton is being asked as to where the
next attempt will be made to pierce
the German line. That one will be
made, nobody here doubts and the ex.
pectation is that 1t will not be long
delayed.
Russia has been relieved to some ex-
tent by the withdrawal OF German
troops to meet the offensive In the west
and to supply contingent for the en-
terprise against Serbia. Russia ap-
pears to be holding her own along
virtually all her front. At any rate,
the Germans make no claim to ad-
vances. except by General Won Ling
singsen. and he is moving forward very
slowly. 1t may be that the Germans
are making preparations for some new
stroke, having failed to capture Dvinsk
by direct attack. and having been
countered in their effort to reach
Minsk. -,ss
In Galicia and at several other points
the Russians have now taken the
Initiative. and are delivering heavy
blows at the invaders, many of which,
according TO the German accounts, have
been repulsed.
1t Is said that Germany has under
taken the offensive against Serbia in
dependently of Austria, and n Bucha-
rest report says that the Germans have
attempted, without success, to cross
the Danube near Semendria. 1t is at
this point that the main Serbian rail-
way most nearly approached the from
tier.
BULGARIA EFFECTED
TO JOIN CENTRAL POWERS
While many writers discredit tho
statements that the Germans are send
ing a large force against Serbia, others
believe she is doing so to influence
Bulgaria, which almost everybody here
is now satisfied has decided to join
the central powers and is awaiting an
opportune moment.
The moment she does so, the allied
forces will take hand, in co opera
ton, ii is hoped in the allied countries.
with Greece, which is already MOBILIZE
nS. and Roumania, which, ii is re-
ported. has again been threatened by
Austria Hungary with reprlsals unless
she permits the passage through her
territory for munitions for Turkey.
Interest strategically in the Balkans
will bc concerned mostly with the rail-
way by which Serbia can be supplied
with men and munitions. This runs
from Saloniki to Uskup, parallel with
and west of the Vardar River. and
thence to MitrovitZa. About sixty
miles from Saloniki 1t passes within
few miles Of the Bulgarian border near
Strumitza. the scene of the raid by
Bulgarian irregulars Il few months ago