The chronicle=news., 1915-01-08


French official report given out i'll
Paris this afternoon shows the Gus
tomary artillery activity all along
the lino from the sea to Alsace and
says that the French guns are gain
ing the advantage. The French
claim some infantry advances. Near
Rheims they moved forward zoo
yards and elsewhere fifty. At anoth-
or point they retired fifty yards. Re-
ferring to the situation in Alsace, the
French report claims favorable de-
velopments.
The report follows:
The artillery of the enemy showed
during all the day of January great
activity In Belgium and In the vi
cinity of Arras. The French artillery
responded spiritediy and efficacious-
ly.
Our infantry made some progress
near Lombaertzyde. We occupied at
u point fifty yards in advance OF our
trenches hillock which had been
held by the enemy. To the east OF
St. Georges we gained ground and
We inflicted serious damage on the
trenches of the enemy in the vicinity
| of Steenstreete.
!, In the sector of Arras at the for
est of Rerthonval, without being at
tackled, we were compelled to evacu-
ate certain trenches where our men
were up to tliir Shoulders IN sand and
water. To the left of Boisselle our
lines OF trenches has been moved for
ward and we occupied the road from
Boisselle to Aveluy.
In the valley of the Aisne the ar
tillcry exchanges yesterday were
quite spirited Our heavy artillery
Ion. At this point the mine thrOwers
OF the enemy inflicted losses on us
but in the afternoon we checked this
fire from the Germans.
In the sector of Rheims, to the
west OF the forest Des Zouaves we
blew up block house and occupied
new trench 200 yards ia alvance
of our lines.
The artillery engagements be
tween Betheny and Prunay was con-
Quoted yesterday with great fierce
ness. The Germans left many dead
on the field. Our losses were not
heavy Between Jonchcrv-sur-Suip-
pc and Souain we time and again re-
duced to silence the artillery OF the
enemy. demolished his trenches and
destroyed his breastworks.
I'm the Argonne to the west OF
Hautc Chevauchcc. the enemy. by
means of mine. blew up some Of our
first line trenches, which were CON-
plctely demolished. A silent attack
undertaken by the enemy OH our pO-
sition was rcpulsed with the bayonet.
We took some prisoners and We main
tained our front except for Il dis
tancc of so yards. Here the demoli-
tion OF the trenches Obliged us to es-
tablish our line 20 yards farther
back.
On thc heights of the Meuse and
r between the Meuse and the Moselle
there ;s nothing to report. Here the
, wind blew tempest all day long
January {.
Our offensive continued yester-
l day in the region of Thanh and near
: Altkirch and brought important re-
e suits. We reoccupied the trenches
on the eastern flank of hill i25, O
, position where the enemy two days
ago succeeded in rc-cstablishiny him.
, self. We then gained some ground tc
, the east of these trenches. Farther
TO the south we occupied Burnhaupt-
f Le-Haut, and at the same time VIC
made progress in the direction OF
Pont D'Asrach and the Khalbcrg.
, The artillery OF the enemy which
+ had endeavorcd without success to
reach our batteries, gave over shoot
/ ing at our artillery in favor of the
exclusive bombarlment Of the hospit
al at Thann, which has been cvacu-
atcd.'
Vienna via Londcnp, Jan. S.-An
official statement on the progress OF
the war was given out today as fol-
lows:
I'm the Carpathian forest lands
and in the southern part of the
} crown land of Bukowina. rcgarod for
the safety of our advance troops
obliged us to fall back on the prin-
cipal mountain passes before an en-
emy numerically superior 10 our
selves.
"On the IunGarian-GaliCia front
everything is quiet. In the higher
districts there is some frost and
snow.
On the Dunajec river and i'll Rus
sian Poland there have been some
artillery exchanges"