The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-20
THE SOFT GROUND AND RISING STREAMS PREVENT ACTIVE
 OPERATIONS.
ARTILLERY DUELS IN WEST
Sharp Fighting Is Reported on the German Territory Occupied by the French-5ritish Claim Capture of Important Position.

London, April 19.-l0:09 D. m-Ac- tiyity prevails along the western bat. tie line, but seems to partake Of the nature of isolated arrangements ln- stead of a general offensive. Artil- lery duels have taken the place of the fierce hand-to-hand fighting which has been the feature of the recent struggle along the Mouse and near the Lorraine border but the latter type of combat continues in the Vos. ges, where the official statement of both sides agree, sharp fighting 10 taking place on German territory.
 The corroboration, however, ends with this fact, the French claiming 10 have occupied dominating positions here. and the Germans declaring that the attacks of the French have failed
 From the British end of the lines comes tho report, officially issued by the war office at London, that Hn GO, an important point, two miles south of Zillebeke. Belgium, was captured from the Germans on the night Of April 12.
 The German communication tells of driving the British out of the minor German positions which were occu. pied by them to the southeast of YpIes. This is in the neighborhood of Hill 60.
 Petrograd continues to report minor successes in the Carpathians, show ing that the fighting has not been en. tirely suspended near the passes. but the Russian, Austrian and German of- ficiai reports agree that spring has virtually put an end to all activity along the remainder of the eastern front
 Various rumors are current regard ing ,he central powers. Austria, through the medium of Venice is credited with receiving with conster- nation the news of the extension Of landstrum service to all classes be- tween the ages ol IS and DO years, while Rome is sponsor for the state ment, attributed to a high German au- thorty that the German general stair has discarded all plans for an ad- vance on the French front deciding simply to remain on the defensive.
 It is again unofficialy announced that operations are under way in the Dardanelles. where the Turks are re- ported to be building defeuses with all speed against landing parties, but the news of the breaking up of the ice at Archangel, the only larger seaport on the north coast Of Russia, may induce the entente allies to be more delil- crate in their attempts to unlock the gate to the Black sea.
 The irritation in Holland over tor pedoing of the Dutch ship Katwyk has been greatly allayed by Germany s eX- pression of her willingness to make an apology and pay an indemnity 1T it is found that the sinking of the vessel was due to a German subma' riue.
 The important part that hand grenades are playing in the western campaign is made evident by the fact that of five awards of the Victoria Cross, announced tonight three were for conspicuous bravery displayed in the use of these missiles.
 Private Edward Barber of the First battalion of the Grenadier Guards at Nueve Clapelle. ran in front of his grenade company and threw bombs on the enemy with such effect that a very great number of them at once surrendered
 When the grenade party reached Bauber,' the report making the awards says. they found him quite alone and unsupported and with the enemy surrounding all about him,
 Lance Corporal Fuller of the Gre nadier Guards won his cross in the same battle.
 Seeing a party of the enemy en- deayoring to escape along commuul' cation trench" the report says' Corporal Fuller ran quite alone to- Hard them and killed the leading man with a bomb. The remainder Of the men, nearly fifty, finding no means of eyading his bombs, surren' dered to him"
 Lieut.. Cyril Gordon Martin, who al ready possesses the distinguished ser vice order medal was in command oi grenade-throwiug party Of six, and 'although wounded, led his party into