The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23
Special cable Despd,ch TO TBE suS

N"h' tih
lie Mort Homme on the east and Hill 3o4
On the west, on the left bank of the
Meuse. northwest Of verdun, was made
the object Of two determined German at
lacks to-day. Through this ravinc runs
the Bethincourt brook which. rising In
the south between the Bois Bourrus and
the Foret de liesse. flow north into the
FORCES brook Mt the village Of Bethin-
court.
With hills and woods facing them
along much Of the front west OF the
Meuse,. this ravine forms an open way
for a German attempt to force the
French lines on this side Of the Meuse.
But while there are no natural barriers
to cross, the ravinc is under heavy FIRE
from the French batteries on both lie
Mort Homme and Hiil 900.
This artillery and mitrailleuse fire
stopped both German attacks to-day be-
fore the advancing Germans had APP
preached the French positions. The Ger
mans had sustained considerable losses
In both attacks before they gave UP
their mission and returned to their
trenches,
German guns continued a lively bonn
bardment to-day OF the French first and
second lines on the east bank OF the
river and a repetition of the infantry at
tack on this bank is expected.
The official communicate issued by the
French War Offce tonight follows:
In the Arsonne mine fighting was
somewhat active. In the region ~
NauQuois and LA File Nlorte We
bombarded the lines - communication
behind the enemy front.
West Of the Meuse after a violent
bonbardment the Germans launched
two successive attacks on our posi-
tons between lie Mort Homme and
the Beihincourt brook. Twice our fro
curtain and our mitrailleuse fire
obliged the enemy to return TO his
trenches. INJECTING on him consider
able losses.
East OF the Meusc there VAS a
somewhat lively borlbardment Of our
first and second lines. In the Woevre
the da! was relatively calm.
our long range guns c%annonadcd the
railway station at MISUNDERSTANDING
tonchatcl and n nre was started in a
building close by the station. Thc
railway was cut.
There is nothing to report or 'hc
rest OF the front.
A~Niation-Dn Of our hoinh1rdrlg
squadrons thr. g.; twenty bombs oil en-
emy camps near A1annes and Nillers-
lee-Mangienna~ railway centres
northeast OF Nerdun. behind the Ger
man lires).
Three important attacks were AZ
tempted by the in the Nerdun
region last night, One of these. against
lie Mort iiommc. won a temporary sue.
cess. but the Germans were driven out
by "a counter attack the second. north
OF the Bois dies Caurettes, was com.
plete,y repulsed. and the third. on the
NauN sector. WAS checked by the French
artillery before the Germans could leave
their positions.
Attack Ouats Germans.
The nrst Of the German assaults Was
"A repetition Of the effort 10 regain the
positions taken by tho French on the
slopes OF Hill 2?5. IN. SUNNI, OF lie Mort
Homin" This assault penetrated tho
FIRST o of French trenches. hut n
counter attack restored to the French all
the positions they had previously lost.
The Bots des Caur,ttes is a small Woo
between Lc Mort Honnle and Cunlieres
The French lines at this point arc stu,
dttI 10 inc NORM ol 'n' ''t'lS ut~ ' dll
,ettcs ana between 1t and the RuiT d,
Cumicres. The Germans used liquid iir,
IN their attack on this sector, hvt were
c,mplet " ,cpulsci. according to tbs
communicate of the French Wal Ofic,.
Tn. German infantry activity or tn,
east bank of the river was preceded 10y
an intense bonbardment OF tine French
lines on a front extending from tbs
M.usc to the Naux fort.
While the bonbdrdmcnt was GOVERNS
this rather extensive front the Gerinau'
brought up and concentrated a large
force OH the marrow front between TIN
pond at the western extremity OF Nau'
Village and the old fort Of NauN. soutl
~ the village. The French guns open",
fire Immediately or these concentration
/, in the German trenches and the Ger
mans, suffering heavily under the artil
lery fire, were unable even to lduncl
their attack.
I The afternoon %communique was a
follows:
In Belgium our artillery cncrGeti-
cal,y cannonaded the sector east OF
the Ypres-Pilkelm road during an ac-
ton at this point by British troops.
; West OF the Meuse the enemy dur
\ ing the night attacked our positions
\ Oh the slopes north of lie Mort
Il Holninc Inc Germans, VINO nau Sue
. ceeded in gaining a foothold IN our
5 first line. we're elected soon af;,v ard
by n counter attack. which We back
, for us all the terrain previously con-
T uiered hv us. Another attack In
which liquid Are was used wac de-
! livered against our trenches north OF
tho Rois des Caurettcs. II was com
! plctcly repulsed.
} East Of the Mcuse. at the close ~
c tho day Yesterday. following IN in
8 tense bombardment Of our lines from
the Mouse AZ far as Fort Naux,
|. the Germans brought up large bodies
of troops into their trenches on the
? front between the Pond md Fort Vau
I in pre- paratioH for an attack. Artillery
hombardments Immediately launched
: prevented an advance and caused
serious losses to the enemy.
In the Bots lie Pretre there vas
some fighting between patrols.
I ON the rest OF the front the night
: was calm,