South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-26
Destroyer Dague, 720 Tons, is
Sunk in MOntenegrin Port of
AntiVari, French Marine
Ministry Admits.
CHECK ALL ATTEMPTS
TO INVEST VERDUN
KaiSer'S Troops RepulSed Re-
peatedIy When They Try to
Drive Wedge Through Allies
LineS-BIoW up Trenches.

PARIS. Feb. 26.-Oficial announce
ment was made here today that the
French destroyer Dague. a vessel Of
720 tons. was sunk by an Austrian
mine in the Montenegrin port of Anti
vari, Wednesday night Thirty-eight
men went down with the Dague-
The following statement was issued
at the French ministry Of marine;
"The French torpedo boat
Dague. while conveying provisions
for MOntenegrins, struck an Aus
trian mine in the pore Of Antvarl
at $3.50 o'clock Wednesday night
and sank Thirty eight men of
her crew disappeared with her.
The accident did not prevent
tnc successful termination OF the
provisioning operations and the
normal return of the convoy
The marine ministry also announced
that the French armOred cruiser
Desaix. made demonstration at
Akaba on Tuesday. A landing party
supported by guns OF the ship, dis
persed a small Turkish force occupy
ing the village.
PARIS. Feb. %. - French troops
have successfully checked all at
tempts of the German to invest Yer
dun. The kaiser's troops were re-
pulsed time and again when they
sought to d--ve wedge through the
valley sepaI 4ting the heights of Yer
dun from the slopes of Meuse. EX-
piOding mines. followed by intense ar
tiIlery fire. drove the Germans from
their trenches near the village of
Eparges. and resulted in the French
capturing that town. Repeated Ger
man counter attacks and attempts TO
recover the positions they had lost
we're all repulsed.
Review OF Recent Operations.
This information was collected in
a review of recent operations issued
10y the war Office today. The state
ment says:
The investment of 'Nerdun has
been continuously one Of the Objec-
tives Of the German general staff and
toward this end the most important
~ cans have been employed. They
have attempted fruitlessly to drive a
wedge through the valley that separ-
ates the heights of Verdun from the
slopes of the Meuse proper
THE village of Eparges is extended
20 the eastward by n number Of out
lying houses which are crossed by the
first line trenches of the Germans At
the head of the valley, the enemy or
ganiZed a very strong position, con-
sistlng OF a great redoubt, stationed
az each extremity west and east and
additionally safeguarded by two lines
of trenches.
Capture Village OF Eparges.
The village Of Eparges is now in
our possession. Saint Remy was
seized by the Germans by a surprise
attack on Feb. 9. An advance on our
part in this region MANAGED the po-
siuOn Of the Germans in the forest
and the mountains and indirectly
also, their occupation of st. Mihiel
ON Feb. L. in the morning. we ex-
fsiOded "A number of mines fronting
tho German fortified position and
smashed the outer works. This af-
forded a first protection TO our troops
for an assault. But the assault was
reserved until our artillery could open
way for the further approach OF
our forces. We directed a particular
Is intense artillery fire against the
German works and obtained remark
able results. All the accessory de-
lenses were destroyed. The rapidity
and precision of our fire at the same
time produced an impression Of ter
TGr upon the enemy An officer OF
the Sth Bavarian regiment. who wa.
made prisoner, declared that he had
been unable 90 prevent a panic amone
his men. Most OF them. he said. took
10 flight. Nearly all those who did
not ny were killed and when the
French appeared with the bayonet
and their artillery OF smaller calibre
the remainder were made prisoner.
without difficulty.
Western BaStiOn il Objective.
I'm the general assault OF ON
troops. the first immediate objective
was the western hastion OF the Ger
man works. our men at first occu-
pied the shelter provided by the ex.
plosion OF the mines and then sue.
cessively the first and second line ot
German trenches which were part of
the defenses. The whole western
bastion was captured by us By direct
assault This assault was in the ma.
ture OF a surprise 20 the Germans and
"hen We saw the effect produced
upon the enemy we continued the as
Sault Immediately and were also sue
cessIul in capturing a part OF the
whole redoubt. Our gain represent
co some 500 yards OF trenches besides
me works in our hands and our losses
were very small
ON the night OF Feb I7-IS. the
enemy began a born bardment Of the
positions he had lost on the
IN the morning. he ATTEMPTED bui
without success 20 counter attack. In
the afternoon the bombardment was
renewed with redOubled intensity
The enemy concentrated fire OF sew
eral pieces and $50 men on the point
sdey had lost but the damage done
fsas easily repaired.