The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-02
NEW DEPARTMENT
ADDED TO FRANCE
lie lIaut-Rhin Is, After IL Years,
Again Officially Part
of Republic.
SHOWS ARMY'S PROGRESS
sp,cial cabi. D,.pntch 10 Trr sry.

NVtfFH 'hDte btNbutNN ~ ihH 'N.'
PARIS. Jan. 1.-The people Of France
could have had no more pleasing New
Years gift than the announcement to-day
that the French Government has appointed
a sub-prefcci for the department or L.
Haut-Rhln,' which comprises the richest
part Of the lost province" Of Alsace
This Is important not only from q sem
timental but likewise from military
point OF view. II Is Interpreted as mean
ing that the French Invasion OF Alsacc
has progressed to such degree that a
civil administration of conquered territory
ia entirely compatible with the strategic
aims Of the General stan
Tho reoccupatlon OF Alsace. attempted
In the early stages Of the war, has long
been desirable from many standpolnts
Now 1t has apparently become necessary
from the standpoint of offensive warfare.
In other words. tho French troops have
advanced 80 far In Alsacc that the region
remaining under their control can be In
corpurated In the territory NJ France and
Alsace has become what II was before
iS7O--l'rench In laws, customs and pro
Cedure.
Tho Germans recognized several days
ago in an Official statement that the ALLIES
were planning general forward nave
uuut IN hlsaCr and watuel the people to
expect such news. n has bean known here
for some time that this plan had met with
. tuil success, but not until to-day was the
seal ut accomplishment set upon &C In the
appointment ~ VI. puilhc as administrator
of the region with his headquarters tenn
uorarily at Danncmsric.
The military authorities here are with
out news of developments at the front
during today the official comnunquc
issued az 10: 90 o'cio,., Tonight recording
mercy tnot no word had been received
from general headquarters since the
aft rnOon CummuuluuC
The statement given out in tho after
noon was particularly interesting In that
~ gave further details OF the lighting in
th, village NJ Steiub1ch i'm Asure. The
French cuptur, d half Of this village on
Wednesday, aud all OF yesterday thu at
tack was kept w. the Germans resisting
desperately but being obliged 'o retire
from house to house as the French artIl-
l"ry demolished the building, arA French
. iufIutrfWtu launched brilliant charges.
The offensive 10y the Allies WIS main
. tanned yeSt Hrily 100 the face ut many
counter attacks by IN, Germans. notably
. az Flir,y, between tha Meusc and the
Mpsrle, fu the ArEuunc. through Ia
Druric Wood and iu the region OF Pcrth"s
ana B,auaejour Near Fllrey IN, Eaispr's
troops advanced to the attack six times
and were repulscd on each occasion after
NIh.fll UNll 10 manu- tIas t@tIll'IIlN.
Tho afternoon communiquc also an
uounrrs that French aviat1rs have again
homhardcd the military positions NJ Metz
and have dropped bombs ia Arnaville
near by The result of these attempts Is
not recorded In Fland RS the Germans
continued their artillery action against St
Georges and the hridgehead held by the
BeE.nns south OF piNmude. but failed to
gain the slight IT advantage. The region
Of Nerdun has likewise been subjected to
bombarim'nt. The afternoon COM
muuqut follows:
From the North Sea % Rhe ms only
artillery rngag ments have been re-
ported to-day. The enemy pom-
barded, without result the village
Of 81 Georges ana the brdgchead
held by tn Belul1ns at a point south
Oi biNmudc. Heavy caunonaling re-
suited TO our adv1utag, between La
B1ssco and Carcncy. between Albert
aud Roye in the region ~ Ncrneuil
ana In ne neighbour cd Of Blanc
S1b'ou. near Craconnc Al this last
mentioned place we also demolished
some German cprthw1rhs.
Tn IA" region of perthas and
BouIsrjour We have held tn, ground
gained on December 20. During all
tho day Of Dccomb ~ tho activity
Of IA" onemy's artillery was inter-
rupied
In the Argonnc the enemy attacked
violently almost tho entire 'front.' In
the la Grurie wood A. certain
points he advanced about fuy yards.
hut counter attacks were Immediately
delivered 10y our troops
I'm tho region of Ncrduu thcrr have
been violent artillery engagements
Between the Mouse ana tha Moeellc.
~ rho northwest of Flirey. tn. Ger
us delivered during tho night ~
rnher 80 and in the morning OF
~ NO -
cuun,t r-1ttaCks for the purpose OF re-
taking the trenches captured by us
on December 80. All OF these attacks
were brilliantly ropulscd.
our aviators bombardCd during tho
night the railroad stations a. Metz
and Arnavllo.
We continue to advance foot Icy foot
m Steinbach. Hero the artillery OF
the enemy showed great activity dur
ing the morning Of December 81 but
IN the afternoon OF that day our bat
terlos Won a distinctive advantage.
The recovered part OF Aisace formerly
had as capital the fortified town Of Muel-
inus'u. which If now held by the Ger
mans and against which the French have
been slowly but surely advancing for the
past two weeks. II is the richest glon
Of Alsace from an Industrial ana agricul-
tural point Of view. Tine DEPARTMENTS Of
liaut-Rhin and Bas-ihin we're cedod o.
the Germans by the treaty OF Frank
fort, In May. 1871, after the Franco prus-
sian war The territory OF Bolrort was
excepted.