New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-12
Invaders Success Would
Force Defenders North
of City to Retire.
JOFFRE ADVANCES
NORTH OF SOISSONS
His Men Capture Two Lines OF
TrencheS-Both Armies Hold
Their Own in Alsace.
tBy Cabs The TH5ua, J

Paris, Jan. 1.-THE struggles FOR
vantage ground which have broken out
sporadically along the twisting battle
line from Belgium into Alsaee since
the alternating freezing and thswing
weather Of winter has made a general
movement OF either army impossible
have centred now on less than twenty
miles OF the front midway between
Rheims and Nerdun and within a
smaller area northeast Of Scissors.
In the former region the French
around the villages OF Perthes and la
Ferte de Beausejour, according to tho
official report issued to-day, have made
material progress, gaining POO yards o.
trenches. In the vicinity OF scissors
they have taken a double line OF
trenches 300 yards long and captured
an elevated position.
Although the official communications
make no reference 20 the progress Of
events in Upper Alsace, unofficial re-
ports indicate that the French still
maintain the advantages gained, IN
cluding the possession Of the village
of stenbach and the height 70 the
west of Cernay (Sennheim), both Of
which have been the scenes Of days Of
desperate lighting.
The engagements in the Ypres region
have been confined TO artillery eA-
changes, which appear 10 have beer
productive Of no results.
The outcome Of the lighting on the
centre in the Perthes region, in the
opinion OF military experts, will be OF
vast Importance, and the army which
gains it's objective will have obtained
an immense advantage.
Fight for Railway.
The German line which has long
threatened Verdun occupies almost an
exact half circle, from Saint-MihieL
the point Of the German wedge into
the French front, a little 70 the east
OF south Of the big fortress, 70 the
vicinity OF Sainte- -Menehould, almost
due east Of Verdun. The diameter OF
the uncompleted eirclo-a line from
Saint-Mihiel northwest 20 Saintc
M6nehould, is about thirty miles long.
IL is apparent that the Germans in
their operations az Perthes, which is
about twelve miles west OF Saintc-
Menehould, are attempting 20 thru
another wedge formation into the
French line, cross the railroad which
runs TO Verdun, further envclop thnt
fortress and narrow the line Of com
munication of the defenders 20 the
north Of the city 20 a degree that will
make their position untenable.
On the other hand, the French ad-
vance that has been made has had as
its objective the railroad that runs
northward from Verdun along the
Meuse. which has served az the mo't
important line Of communication 90
the Germans in the territory east o.
the Argonne. With this in their pos
session, the French would automati b.
cally force the retirement Of the in
vading force from the north Of Yer
dun and straightcn their own line
along the centre.
Laconic Bulletins Issued.
To-night's official report was cx-
tremely laconic, stating only that there
was mo change in the situation 20 b.
chronicled." The report issued earlier
in the day, however, was more de-
tailed. The text follows:
From the sea 10 the Lys there was
Yesterday an intermittent and not very
intense cannonading. In the region OF
Ypres our artillery responded efica-
ciously 10 the artillery Of the enemy,
and sent well placed shots against the
German trenches.
From the Lys to the Disc, in the
region of Boisselle, our troops took
possession of trench OF the enemy
after a violent fight. To the northeast
of scissors, on Spur l32, they yester-
day repulsed a German attack. Follow
ing this they attacked and occupied
two lines OF the enemy's trenches along
a front of about 500 yards, thus eX-
tending toward the east the trenches
captured January 3, and assuring com
plete possession Of Spur 1872
ION the Aisne and in Champagne. as
far as Rheims, there have been artil-
lery exchanges. From Rheims 10 the
Argonne our artillery b0mbarded the
first line trenches Of the enemy and
the shelters of the reserves. 70 the
north of Perthes, after having driven
back the counter-attacks referred 10
i'm last nights communication, We made
progress and gained zoo yards Of
trenches.
ITO the north Of Beauscjour the
enemy made a desperate effort 20 capt
ure the little fort which he had pre-
viously lost. His counter-attacks were
delivered with energy. In each OF them
two battalions were engaged, the sec
ond advancing IN close formation. Eseh
attack was carried on with determine
tion, but each was repulsed.
"In the Argonne there were some