New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-14
Dutch Report Reinforce
ments Sent Toward
+; Woevre.
RUMOR OF RETREAT
F.. FROM ST. MlHlEL
Fear French VIII Follow UP
Successes with Vigorous
Assaults.
fpy Cable to The Trfbunel


: 1ondon. April IA dispatch 70 The
Morning Post" from Amsterdam says
;bst the Germans are moving up con-
.,dsrsbls achievements TO the Thlon-
willie region and TO Metz. The Germans
are declared to fear a general frencn
ADVANCE in that section where the recent
attacks have wrested important posi-
lions from the Kaiser's troops and
frightened the strangle grip which Cen
.ral Joffre has been fastening on the
talient Of st. Mihiel.
? Though the French official reports
indicate that the French are resting
md consolidating the positions they
have won. the Germans report new
French attacks. and the effects of their
successes are shown in German counter
attacks. The Amsterdam dispatch even
declares that the German General Stan
Is considering a withdrawal from ST.
SGbi.l in consequence Of the French
pressure.
Such retreat would be a serious
blow TO the Kaiser's forces, in the opin-
ION OF military experts here. The ST
Mihiel salient has long been thorn
in the side Of the French, one that has
cost them much in men and energy,
and that has been the one real weak
ness in the barrier they have thrown
up from the sea to the Swiss boundary
It's abandonment would mean that
Germany had practically given up hope
Of another drive to Paris" it is de-
clared. and it would surely release
large French forces for use elsewhere.
The experts believe that the post
(which has been so stubbornly defend
I'd that one general is said to have de-
clared he would sacrifice 100000 men
10 hold it. would never be abandoned
81 Germany could provide men for its
defence without fatally weakening
some other part Of her line.
Where for the last eight days there
have been violent onslaughts by the
French against German positions and
vigorous counter attacks by the Ger
srans in the Woevre region calm now
leigns, apparently with view 10 CIV
ing the belligercnts on each side a
fbg,ce to Gain their second wind pre-
paratorv to further manpuvres in the
preliminary TO the expected great
spring fight for supremacy.
"A calm along the whole front, Is
The way the latest French official com
munication characterizes the situation
on the battle line in France, but II
adds that all the positions that have
been captured by the French have been
maintained and consolidated.
I The situation on the British battle
lines in France remained unchanged
throughout last week, says the semi
weekly report received from the British
Army Headquarters and given out to-
day by the Official Press Bureau. The
report continues:
"On the morning Of the 9th we sue
eessfully exploded a mine in the neigh
borhood of Armentieres. AS a result
the loop-holed walls of q house held by
the enemy were destroyed. Twenty
nine dead Germans we're counted.
"The enemy replied by bombarding
our positions, but without inhicting
damage.
"Farlv on the morning OF April the
f,crmans exploded two mines on our
right, but failed 10 damage our
trenches. A similarly harmless explo-
sion took place opposite our left on the
evening Of the eth