The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-02
FRANCE PLEASED
OVER OCCUPATION
Of LOST PROVINCES
Ambition of Forty-hve Years
to Retake Alsace-Lorraine on
Point of Realization
Artillery In
Constant Use
F lighting Along All Fronts
Generally Confined to Long
Range Practice-Several VI
client Encounters

Paris, Jan. lit IL plainly eva
dent tonight that the people of
France could have had no more
pleasing New Years gift than the
one contained today In the an
nouD.erneait that the French
Government has appointed ii sub
project for the Department Of
Haut-Khin." which comprises the
rit.iest part OF The lost province If
Aisacc. This Is important not
only from u sentimental point of
view. but likewise from a military
basis. Ii is Interpreted AS mean
ing that the French invasion OF
Alsacc-Lorrtinc has progressed tn
such n degree that "a civil admin
istration or conquered territory Is
entirely compatible with thc
strategic aims Of the general staff.
The Eeoccupation of Alsace- Lor-
raine. aisastrousiy attempted in the
early STAGES of the war. has long beer
desi raj BILE from many standpoints.
New it has apparently become neces-
sary from the standpoint of offensiv .
warfare.
The military authorities are without
news of developments at the front dur
ing today, the official communique
issued at i0:3a o'clock tonight record
ing merely that no word had been. re-
the Afternoon communiaue.
ARTILLERY engagements.
The statement given out in the after
noon was particularly interesting. In
that it gave further details OF the fight
ing in Steineach. in Alsace. II says;
Prom the sea 10 Rheims there was
yesterday hardly anything more than
artillery engagements The enemy
bombarded without result the village az
ST. Georges and the head of the bridge
position organized by the Belg!ans AZ
point south of DixmHde.
Spirited cannonadine resulted ad.
vanrageogsly for us between L.aBasses
and Carency. between Alberta and
Roye, in the reion of Serneetil and in
the neighhorhood of Blanc sablon. which
is near Caronne, At this iast mentioned
point We also demolished certain Ger
man earthworks.
In the region of Perthes and @.
Beausejour We have held the gains
made by us on December 80. Durina
all the day of December 81 the actiy-
lily OF the opposing artillery force,
was interrupted. In the Argonne the
enemy attacked violently almost he
entire front in the forest of I.aGrurie
At certain points he advanced for i
distance of fifty yards. but counter.
attacks were at once delivered, In
the region OF Verdun there have beer
violent artiliery engagements.
Deliver Six Violent Attacks.
Between the Mouse and the MoseI.
lie. to the northwest OF Flirey. the
Germans delivered during the nigh
of December 3o-31. and in the morn,
ing OF the 31st, no less than six via
lent counter-attacks for the purpos,
Of retaking the trenches captured b,
us on December so Each Of thes,
attacks was brilliantly repulsed
Our aviators have bombarded a
night the railroad stations at Metz
and at Arnavilie.
we continue to make progress.
foot by foot IN Stcinbach. Here this
artillery OF the enemy showed great
activity during the morning of De
cember 81. but IN the afternoon ol
this day our batteries won distinctive
advantage"