New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-09

l,A:s sector ot IN, western front yieor-
ocs ir'a- rv action is recorded.
70 A,'o's Paris reports that the Ger
nsns prepared 20 attack north OF Ar
ras. ives, OF Hill 40. but says that the
curtain Of fire set up by Jofre's guns
euccccded in checking the assault.
Vigorous artillery actions are taking
place in the Loos and Givenchy dis
'gic's. while heavy fire is reported in
Belgium.
An aero duel. 5000 metres up. Is
I reported by Paris. which says that
/ French plane pursued an enemy craft
until il was within twenty metres. and
then opened FIRE with its machine guns.
The German aero took fire almost in
stantly and exploded. Its pilot and
gunner fell within the French lines.
Fort Coguelcee. one Of the most i'm
portsnt features of the old defences
az Namur, has been destroyed by an
explosion, according to the Echo de
Beige" The explosion is said to have
caused the death of eighty German
soldiers.
FRENCH OFFICIAL.
The following official communication
was issued by the French War Office
tonight:
The day was comparatively calm.
Artillery actions took place in Artois,
in the sectors of Loos and Givenchy,
between the Somme and the Disc. in
the region of FouQuescourt.
In the face of the activity Of the
enemy artillery. our guns opened &C
tion with great violence. Observa-
tons made by aeroplanes enabled us
10 establish the efficacy OF our fire.
Fighting with grenades continued
70 the east Of the Butte de Souain,
where We made progress. Between
the ATgonne and the Mouse, near
Bethingcourt. our batteries destroyed
reservoirs containing suffocating
gases.
This morning one Of our aero
planes, giving chase at a height of
5000 metres to a German machine.
was able to approach within a dis
tance Of twenty metres and attack II
with machine guns. The enemy aero
plane took fire Immediately and ex-
ploded. The two passengers fell
within our line near Tllloloy.
The Belgian official communication
reads:
The artillery action has been quite
intense along the whole Belgian
front. We counter shelled effective
~ the opposing batteries. Shattered
enemy works near Poesele and dis
persed a convoy and a company on
he road from Dixmude to Steen-
straete.
The afternoon statement said:
In Belgium our machine guns last
night prevented the enemy from re-
constructing the field works previous
" destroyed by us in the region OF
Hetsas.
To the north of Arras, at point
west of Hill 40 our curtain of fire
put a definite check to German at
tack. The way for which had been
prepared by the explosion of a mine
During the day Of yesterday our
artillery bombarded and destroyed
the Santurin mill IN the vicinity OF
Rove This position had been or
gained by the enemy for defence.
In the Champagne district we have
continued 10 make progress by means
Of hand grcnadeS in that mont
trench where the enemy secured a
footing Yesterday to the south OF
SAM NOlplcl o the East VI DhbtO
de- Seuain our counter attacks were
successful in mastering the German
! at,ac.: which yesterday evening had
! beer cut in two by us. The fighting
! here is still going on for the recapt-
| ure Of the positions occupied by the
| enemy.
GERMAN OFFICIAL
| The official statement issued at Bef-
! lin says:
Attempts by the enemy to contest
! our success east Of Auberive Gin the
Champagne district failed. In ad-
dtiOn TO the prisoners taken, three
machine guns fell into our hands.
To the north Of Souain a position
on Hill 1913, over a distance Of about
500 metres, was wrested from the
French. Four counter attacks were
rcpu.scd. One officer, 100 men and
two machine @r1s were captured.