The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-08
GERMANS GAIN
ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE MEUSE
Continue BOmbardmlemt of
Hill 3Ot and Make Fur
thcr Progress.
ADVANCE ON $50 YARD
FRONT on EAST BANK
>p,,jiI Cajle Despatch to THr stN

Friday in the capturc Of French posi-
,iors on the north slopes OF the hill.
W.. continued yesterday and to-day, the
attacking forces making another gain
to-day east of the hill.
The assault which gained this latest
success for the Crown Princes troops
on tins side of the Meuse was made
after an extremely heavy bombardment,
which had Continued increasingly for two
DAYS The front attacked extends from
Hill 80, to lie Mort Homme. with the
valley If the Bethncourt brook in the
middle Of the line.
The first German attacks were re-
rulsci, hu. after these had been repeated
time after time the attacking forces won
a foo;hold in the French positions on
the eastern slopes Of the hill. close to
the Beihncourt brook. 1t already has
been remarked by military writer's that
ths brook obviously is one OF the weak
points .actically in the French defensive
line The weakness IN the Typographical,
situation. it is presumed. has been bal
sn,cd n the defence plans by the use Of
tne batteries on lie Mort Homme and
n 30i and by whatever mobile force
was regarded as necessary :or the hold
in2 Of the valley itself.
Attack Centre oG Linr.
Thu. line of Hin 3oi-Ie Mort Homme
was frs, attacked in the recent re-
newal of the German offensive on its
eastern flank. at lie Mort Homme Here
the French by "a counter offensive gained
the mastery and as has been announced.
have pushed the Germans from Hill .si,
the height which they held to the north
Of Hll :?5. the summit OF lie Mort
Homme proper The continued attacks
or Hin 3o4 form -rfrr--nescnrr,- aga'f'st
the left or western flank of this sector
and resulted in gain on the northern
Slopes Of the hill. with check for the
attacking forces before the summit was
r.suhc' The attack reported to-day
OF the eastern slopes of this hill is vir-
tuaily an attack against the centre Of
tHe Inc.
Another German gain is announced
tonight on the east bank Of the river,
between the Bos Haudromont and
Fort nouaumont. This gain was made
Oh = front of some $50 yards in the
region II the Bois d 'Haudromont, form
tx the western part OF the front at
tackled
Tn" offensive on the eastern bank of
IT, river was preceded by a violent ar
tll"ry preparation and was repeated
several times over the whole front OF
attach without success before the gain
was made on the western flank. Fur
thcr 80 the east the German guns were
very active at the base Of the Heights
Of the Meuse, but no infantry attacks
wee made in this region.
The lf'icial communuue issued by the
Wa once tonight follows:
on the left bank Of the Meuse an
extremely violent bombardment which
continued without cessation for two
days in the region of Hin 30i was fol-
lowed to-day by a strong German at
t1ck directed against our front be-
tween Hin 30i and lie Mort Homme,
The enemy after repeated efforts
penetrated into our trenches east of
Fn i0i. Everywhere else he was re-
used with serious losses. which were
INFLICTED by our mitrailleuse fire and
u" fire " our batteries, which bonn
btrded the German lines energetically.
on the right bank after an intense
a'.ftv PREPARATION. the Germans
''"h1ht' several successive attacks on
' Ten'heS between the Bois de Hau-
'''h' ana fort pouaumont. On
10 western part OF the front attacked
''hN secured foothold in the
W'"i' ~ our nrst line on front or
fh'i 500 meters t3iI yards). On the
"'t ana ihe eastern part OF this
'''n' All lhe attacks were broken
D" no otVrs there was great artil-
ACTIVITY IN the sectors at the foot
" ~" felghts of the Meuse.
''''' was no important event on the
i'' "' the front except for the GUS
mary cann"nade,
In" Germans made am attack last
r"h' south Of Lihons, in the region
s"''h "t the Somme. hut in spite OF
v" Intensity Of the artillery prepara-
'nn 'ro attack broke down under The
F'"y.N fire before il had reached the
10 "uiauglements
Twenty French captive balloons broke
''"n their moorings on Friday during
atutll some Of them drifting over
'H' German lines Most of the obser.
l"ls Dies, ended within the French lines
0,"an. Of parachutes,