The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-24
RED HOT DAY ON
 YSER BATTLE LINE
FRENCH AND GERMAN ARTIL LERY IN A SPIRITED DUEL
 DURING ENTIRE DAY.
Turcos, French and Germans in a Sc. res of Counter Attacks and 5ayo- net Charges.

From the windmill standing outside ruined Ramscapelle, the Associated Press correspondent had an excep tlonal opportunity to view battle panorama on day when the winter sunshine was as clear as the atmos phere of a Colorado plateau.
 From the sand dunes of Nieuport to the rolling country beyond Dix nude, the Flemish lowlands were spread out like a map. The day was one of the liveliest along the Yser since the Germans were checked in their rush towards Pas de Calais. Signs of activity began the night be fore, when for hours thousands of French African troops marched through Furnes on their way to hold tine vital gateway of Nieuport.
 That this movement was not un. known to the Germans was discover. ed when a division of this army, bil. leted for the night in a small village near Furles, was bombarded by the the big Teuton Aowitzers, which te gan to rain shells on the place with. in half an hour after the weary marchers had settled down for a few hours rest. Every house in the vii. lage suffered from the shells and the loss Of life among the troops was heavy.
 At dawn, from the windmill great puffs could be seen in the western sky beyond NieupOrt where the Anglo Frencn fleet was beginning the bonn bardment of the Belgian coast. This was intended to cover an infantry ad- vance against Lombaertzyde and St. Georges, the two most advanced posts held by the Germans.
 "Occupied.' ia a military sense, has become a very elastic term along the Yser battle front; Nieuport is claimed by the allies while I.ombaerd. zyde Is a German possession but neither can be called possible for hu. man habitation, while the troops, marching back and forth through the debris piled streets. are under con stant hail of artillery fire. But these points must be held. and the African troops marched through impassively towards the trenches, while coming out of the trenches in front of Lom- baerdzyde were squads of French chasseurs with their picturesque uni forms caked with mud. and with drawn and haggard faces.
 Trying to stop the advance of the French endorsements, the German guns searched Nieuport. battering the ruined houses, like a dog shaking a dead rabbit, Beyond the Newport ca. nal French batteries were posted and about ten in the morning these came into play with salve which jared the earth for miles around.
 In the mOmeltary pauses when the smoke from the French seventy lives" cleared away. six-inch shells from the German howitzers came dropping into the fields where they threw up geysers of mud and black smoke. Peasants plowed their fields apparently unconcerned with the tre. mendous war drama. on the stage of which they seemed unconscious inter. lopers.
 Suddenly just beyond St Georges, the big German observation balloon was seen to ascend and hang in the quiet air, Signs of activity became general all along the Yser. From Nieu port a body of troops could be seen moving at the double quick down the only dry road towards St Georges, but soon disappeared from observation in the smoke from the machine guns. Later it was learned that this infantry advance. one of the first attempted since che Germans had been halted along the Yser had gained several trenches,
 It was now midday As if hating for lunch, the thunder of the guns died away only to be resumed in a de sultory fashion during the afternoon Except the occasional growl of sin. gle howitzer. evidently aimed at the gas tank on the edge of Nieuport, the late afternoon was spent in taking toll of the days operations. Battalion after battalion of Africans marched into Nieuport. fresh and with the buoyant step of trained soldiers. Red Cross cars carried the wounded to- wards the rear while canal barges disgorged enormous stacks of food for men in the trenches.
 In the twilight down the road came family group of peasants whose house had been destroyed by a shell