Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-26
Germans and Allies Are at
Grips From Mouth of
User to Ypres.
SECOND "DRlVE ON CALAIS"
Is QUICKLY CHALLENGED
Only at One Point Has Either
Side Essayed an
Attack.
FRENCH TRENCHES SHATTERED
Counterattacks Clear Tumblcd Works
and Position Is Muin-
tanned.

LONDON. January 25.-Thc Germans
and the allies are ut grips in Flanders
in one OF the most gigantic artillery
ducls i'll history. An apparent attempt
of the Germans to repeat their historic
drive on Calais" in the fall of 1914
and the spring OF 1915 has been chal-
lcnscd by the allies with all the energy
Of their months of accumulation In
munitions
Al only n single point has either
side cssayed an attack. This was
near Neuville-St Naast. The French
trenches were shattered. small captures
'of men and guns were made and a.
section OF the French first line
trenches were penetrated, hut counter
attacks again cleared the tumbled
works, and the French maintained their
position.
Starting with a bomba rdmcnt OF
Nicuport. at the mouth OF the User by
the German batteries the artillery duel
has spread along the whole User front
almost TO Yprcs.
VIOLENT ROMnARDMENT
OF GERMAN wOUI<S
The French artillery. acting in con-
cert with the British. to-day carried
out a violent bombardment of the Ger
man works southeast OF Boesinghc. in
iicting serious damage, says to-nights
Paris communiquc.
German shell fire has destroyed the
Tcmplar Tower and Cathedral OF Nieu-
port. which the Germans claim waa
being used by the allies rs an obscrva-
tion post.
Behind the allies lines German avia-
tors bombardcd Duniirk halfway
along the coast between Nicuport and
Calais. killing five persons and wound
ing three. One of the German ma
chimes was brought down at sea north
east Of Nieuport
Nancy, often the target of heavy
siege guns OF the Germans. was again
hombarded this morning by German
lonR-rangc pieces and hostile aviators
Two German aeroplanes dropped a
number OF bombs without damage but
the artillery homba rdment resulted in
the wounding OF two persons. according
10 the French report.
The official statement issued in Paris
tonight says:
In Belgium, southeast of Boesinghe,
our artillery, acting in concert with
the British artillery, carried out a
violent bombardment of the German
works. INJECTING serious damage.
Two German acroplanes this morn
ing dropped about fifteen bombs on
Dunkirk and its suburbs. Five per-
sons were killed and three wounded
cannonading cast OF Neuville and In
the region of Vailly. whore our are
! reduced several German batteries to
silence.
North OF tho Aisne we dispersed an
important convoy in the region OF
Craonne. y heavy German battery
which tried 10 she'll tho bridge at
Gerry Rac was damaged by a shot
from one of our largc-caliber guns.
ADVANCE OF GERMANS
IS EASILY DISTRESSED
"On the heights OF the Meuse :, smnll
German detachment which tried to ap-
nroaca our lines, after u spirited bonn
hardment, Was easily dispersed by our
fire.
I'm the Vosges our artillery fired
with good effect on tha German posi-
tions at Muhlbach and Stossvihr and
the cascmates of Pain-d Chcncs."
The British report of operations to-
night says:
To-day We carried out successfully
artillery hombardmcnts near Ovillers.
Ia Roiscllc, LebribouX and Docsinghe.
Near the last-namcd place we exploded
n bomb store in the German lines
Tho hostile artillery has shown
activity near Commccourt. about Loos
and at Iioogc.
aircraft OF both sides have been
active. We maintained our supremacy"