The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-29

LONDON, April 2s.-The French forces
have advanced a considerable distance
north OF Ypres. according to dispatches
from various correspondents in the
north Of France. The British have
made Roadway toward ST. Julien and
the Belgians have pressed forward in the
neighborhood of Bxschoote. All reports
agree that tho German drive has been
checked, but their gain is described as
the largest made by either side since
the first battle of Ypres
Nevertheless says the correspond
by no means securely held and there is
good reason to hope that II will be
wrested from the Germans. The battle
was fought on "A front OF less than
five miles, but 1t was probably the
war began.
"The Canadian ranks were sadly
thinned during the most critical days,
which fell on Saturday and sunday.
! The Germans brought up howitzers and
heavy artillery to their advanced po-
sitions and threw shells and high explo-
sives into Ypres, which was covered with
a curtain of fire. AS was every avenue
through which our reenforcements might
pass.
The destruction OF Ypres has been
accomplished. The famous Cloth Hall
has gone and scarcely a house in the
town In standing. Every village on the
road from Ypres to Poperinghe received
its share of the shells Some of our
ambulances were hit. Poperinghe itself
suffered severely the railway station
where our wounded were being entrained
being the object of the attack. 1t be-
came necessary to remove the wounded
into the cellars OF neghboring houses"
All the correspondents maintain that
the German casualties were far greater
than those suffered by the Allies.
TIE Daily Mails correspondent at
Rotterdam telegraphs under yesterdays
date:
owing to the damage done to inn
| portant German railway functions in
Flanders by allied airmen. the enemy
has been hindered from bringing reen-
| forcements to relieve their exhausted
troops The Germans suffered great loss
In retiring from st. Julien. The British
| are pressing home successful offensive
and the French are continuing vigorous
| attacks. taking many prisoners. machine
guns and material
Yesterday afternoon and evening the
| Allies gave the enemy no rest. The
| German counter attacks are only half
| hearted. Information received this af-
| ternoon is TO the effect that preparations
| are being made by the Germans to move
their troops from Roulers toward Client.
| The Germans here are more depressed
than at any time since the beginning
| OF the war"
The French official communicate is
sued tonight says that there has been
no modification of the situation to-day
| and that the Allies are maintaining the
ground gained in the last three days
| OF the fighting in this region yesterday
the French War OFFICES communique
| says that the Allies continued 10 make
progress, particularly on the left of the
| line that several hundred prisoners were
| taken and that the losses of the enemy
| were heavy.
| No further continuation of the Ger
| man offensive in this district Is re-
corded in the German official statement,
| which .ntimates that the offensive has
passed to the Allies. According 10 the
| German statement the fighting yester-
day followed attempts by the British TO
regain the territory they had lost. one
| Of these attacks was made on the
| Ypres- Pill<elm highway and the second.
| made in the evening, was to the east OF
! that district. Both broke down COM
pletely. according to the German ac-
count.
Sir John French says In his state
ment that the Germans again used
| asphyNiating gases in defending their
positions against the British attacks yes
| terday. Medical evidence gathered by
! the War Office shows that Canadian
| officers who lost their lives in the Elan
ders fighting died not from wounds bu,
from the effects of these gases
The numbers OF the Germans en-
ployed in the attack north OF Ypres has
| caused report that the move is the
| beginning OF another drive at Calais
but this explanation is not accepted
, offhand by military authorities here, al
| though 1t is recognized that tho mass
ing OF 30 many troops on so short a
front evidently was intended 10 make a
gap in the allied line in preparation fol-
some undertaking of importance.