New Britain herald., 1915-01-26
GERMANS CAPTURE
 BRITISH POSITIONS NEAR LA BASSfE
Kdsel'S Forces Take TTerCheS Of
 Allies Near CTaOnne and Re- tain Them in Pdrf.
SENNHEIM FORWARDED
 BY GERMAN FORCES

BY GERMAN FORCES Berlin Maintains That Russian At
 tacks in East Prussia Were Re-
 Fighting Occurred in Central
 Poland-Petrograd Reports Several
 Battles West of Warsaw.
 The German armies of the west have suddenly taken the offensive, de- Hvering violent attacks simultane- ously at several points. The German war office reports today claim an important victory over British troops along LaBassee canal, in France just south of the Belgian border. Posi- J ticns of the British extending over about two-thfrds of a mile including two strong points of support, are said j: to have been taken by storm and held In the face of counter attacks. The French official statement, however, 5does not concede this victory to the Germans. It admits that they made progress temporarily but asserts that subsequently they were repulsed.
 Both communications report pro- gress for the Germans near Craonne, {, where trenches of the allies were taken and retained in part. Else where, according to the French version of the fighting, the Germans were repulsed with the possible ex- Sception of Alsace. It is said that the Germans bombarded Sentheim. This town lies six miles southwest of Thann, which may indicate that the fGermans have advanced in this region It is said in Berlin that Russian at Jacks in East Prussia were repulsed @nnd that no important fighting cured in central Poland The latter statement is in contrast with Petro- grad reports of several battles west of Warsaw.
 The Russian foreign minister, Ser gius Sazanoff, announced that Rus sia would continue the war so long as single soldier of her enemies re- niained on Russian soil.
 Capture British Positions. < Berlin, Jan. 26, by Wireless to Lon don, 3:25 D. m.-The German war of- fee, in it's statement given out th1s 6ILeTnOOU, SdES that two strong points of support in the possession of the English were captured by German troops yesterday in a general assault on the English position near La : Bassee.
 reads: r
 ''In the western theater the enemy following his custom, placed Middel- or1yo iy pn1c .der fire yesterday A large number >of the inhabitants were killed or in jured by this fire. they including the burgomaster of Middelkerks. < German Losses Small.
 "Our losses yesterday were small. Our troops attacked the position of the English on both sides of La Bassee canal. While the attack to .s the north of the canal between Civ zenchy and the canal did not lead to the capture of any English positions, 5on account of strong flank move ment, an attack of the troops from Baden to the south of the canal met with complete success. In this region English positions extending for over ! a width of LIDO metres G,200 yards) . were taken by storm and two strong points of support were captured. Three officers and no men were taken < prisoners and one cannon and three machine guns were captured.
 t'The English attempted in vain to recapture the position which had been immediately employed for our own purposes, but they were taken back with heavy losses. Our losses were comparatively small
 French Attacks Replllscd.
 Battles successful to our troops took place on the heights of Craon,,e to the southwest of Laon All the attacks of the French in the southern part of the Argonne were repelled. More than fifty prisoners fell into our hands.
 "In the eastern theater the Rus sians attacked positions of our cav airy to the northeast of Gumbinnen Gin East Prussia) without success. Fierce artillery duels take place in remainder of the front in East Prus- sia.
 Gain Minor Victories. Less important engagements to the northeast of wloclawek Con the lower Vistula, forty miles southeast of Thorn) were successful for us.
 Nothing of importance has hap pened in Poland to the west of the Vistula river or to the east of the Pilica river
 --. Germans IiOmbard sspnntiriIn
 Paris, Jan. 2G, 2:5o r. M.-Greatly "a increased activity along the western battle front is reported in the Official