The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03
FIGHTING IN WEST
Is IN LABYRIETHS
battle-ground Is Furrowed by
Shells and Bombs, Says
Eyewitness"
GERMANS A LOSING CAUSE

LONDON, Jan. 2--Fighting In northern
France and Belgium is becoming more
desperate, according to an official "eye-
witness narrative. issued by the official
press bureau to-day. The report. which
Is dated December 81 is as follows
The day OF tho 2sth was marked by
hurricane of rain. During tho night
there was violent thunderstorm, with
high wind. No incident occurred along
our line that day. as neither the weather
nor the water soaked condition OF the
ground favored military operations.
During the past few days the French
have continued to make progress. Among
their successes they have captured the
village OF 81 Georges east OF Newport,
infiicting heavy losses upon the enemy.
ION the 29th our troops recovered,
By a gradual advance, much OF the
ground that had been lost to the enemy
and recaptured by them during the pre-
vious week. Likewise on the following
day our gradual progress was maintained.
The Germans have agaii. bomba rded
Armenticres 1nine miles northwest Of
Li.le), and also shelled our line on the
left
ITO the north. toe German aviators
have displayed more activity by bonn
harding Dunkirk and Furnes from the
sky The weather was favorable for
aerial work. being bright and frosty.
The last day OF 1914 passed quietly
all along our front
THE fighting is now taking place on
ground where both sides for weeks past
nave been eNcavating In all directions
until Il has become a perfect labyrinth.
Sometimes where new ground Ia being
broken the spade turns over long buried
dead, ghastlv relics Of former fights.
.n l.. AL. ,...t.. 4
and furruwed 10y fragments Of shells and
bursting combs. seen from a distance
II presents the appearance or a confused
mass OF passages, crossing ana recrossinG
each other
The life OF the infantry on both sides
In their close quarters has become very
monotpnOus. There Is but one dull back
ground, mud, water and distorted fields.
The roads leading to the Al les front
present kaleidoscope aspect and
strangely contrasting views. All types
OF humanity can he seen, from the wild
Arab horseman Of the North African DIES.
erts to the tribesmen from the wild from
tiers OF India. Here and there are de.
tachments Of French Cuirassi rs, givlne
an Old World touch to the scene. Leav.
ing the trenches can he seen columns Of
cold. hungry men, their uniforms masses
Of mud. but all are cheerful
GERMAN prisoners We have taken ap-
rear sick Of the life they have been lead
ing IN the trenches but this Is probabl,
not "A fair ind cation Of the sentiment,
OF the German troops a. a whole.
They are conscious that the war vii
last much longer than they at frs, am
tlcinated. but the fact that it Is beinl
waged almost entirely IN allen countr,
prevents them from realizing that the,
are lighting for what must eventually
prove a losing cause.
They firmly believe that Russia hai
suffered a dec sive defeat. m fact, It 4
reported that on December * the Ger
mans had all the bells In Ghent tolleC
TO celebrate the capture OF 100000 Rus
! sian pr Soners.
"Th. trench mortar bombs are mad
Of thin metal and are Constructed in tn
form OF cylinders weighing from four n
eivhteen pounds each. They are loade,
with a high explosive and charged Will
scrap iron"