The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-21
Gains Yesterday Equalled Only
by those of First Day Of
Great Push
TAKE FIRST LINE
TRENCHES ON FRONT
British Continue Advance,
Driving Through German
Line Half-Mile - Russians
Resume Riga Offensive

London. July 20.--The French
corps of General Eoch today cut
great cash in the German front 81
south of the Somme on a front OF
seven miles. Tonight their lines
have reached the river at ono
point, while I'm IL late afternoon at
tack, delivered along n front OF
two and half miles from Estrcs
to Nermantiovillcrs, tho imports
ant height which takes the name
or the latter place was carried.
together with the German first
line trenches along the entire
front Of attack
In n simultaneous attack north
OF the Sommc the French pushed
forward from their Herbccourt-
Mamcion line to the very banks
OF the stream. Still further To
the nofthwarTi. on the front held
by the British. General HniS
struck sturdy blow north q.
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT front, the
English troops driving through
the German lines for more than
half mile.
The gains today are equalied only
by those of the first days of tho
Picardy battle. The dash of tho
French especially and the terri slq
power of their artillery is indicated
by the fact that in the course of only
a few hours 1900 Germans were taken
prisoner The losses inflicted accorsi-
ing to documents discovered bv the
advancing troops, must be tremen-
dous. Several battal!ons have been
practically wiped out while for the
twenty days of the offensive the Ger
man casualties in killed and wounded
alone are estimated at more than $780,.
600 or prisoners the French and
British hold more than 10000. On
the British sectors especially vtolen<
fighting is being waged tonight in the
blood soaked Delville Wood and
among the ruins of Longaepai Tbs
British are steadily regaining tho
ground lost at these points. General
fee lends official confirmation to his
statements. u s.ss
Story of French Success.
The French this morning launched
their first attacks simultaneously on
both sides of the Somme. North Of
the river they drove forward on the
Herbecourt- Mamelon front. while
south of the stream they launched an
extensive attack on a line stretching
from BarlcuX to Soyecourt. The init
ial movements met with stern resist
ance by the Germans. So important
did the German grand headquarters
these operations that the Of.
ncial information usually issued early
in the morning was held up for hours
until word OF the result of the attack
could be obtained. The Germans al
first succeeded in holding their own.
their statement indicates but later the
Tide turned to the French. and they
made decided gains
Then late in the afternoon came the
drive on front from Estres to We're
Here the entire nrst
system of defense was carried.
An official eye witness account at
the Somne battle received tonight
from Paris states that the French
troops within a fortnight have cap-
tured nifty square miles of German
including fortified vil-
la ges, quarries transformed into fort.
resses. and woods turned into 70.
doubts. In addition, eighty five guns,
100 machine guns. twenty-six trench
mortars and great quantities of other
as yet uncounted have been
taken. The prisoners number 235 Of
ficers and 10000 men.