Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-14

AOSAI4AAhVb IL JILL o-C hJACst
and broke the second line over a
front of 5000 yards. The dispatch
adds:
Latest reports state that we cap
tured the villages of Longueval, Baz-
entin-Le-Grand and cleared the enemy
out of Trones wood. The weather is
cloudy and cool and favorable to our
operations"
Second Phase of Drive.
The British advance reported in to-
days official dispatches apparently
constitutes the second phase of the
great AnglO-French offensive in the
the neighborhood Of the Somme river
which began July 1 over a front of
something more than 20 miles. The
first phase of this offensive carried
the British forward to and gave them
possession of COntalmaison and Man
taub0n but the French, on the right,
moved their lines forther forward.
The reported capture of LOngueval
and Northumberland indicates that
the British in tOdays assault ad
Vanced eastward or nOrthward from
Contamination or Montauban and that
they apparently have brought their
right wing on par with the French
tween Perone, the immediate French
objective and Bapaume, the point at
which the British movement is report
ed to be directed
Longueyal is about three and a half
miles east Of Contamination and BEGAN
tin-Le-Grand is midway between those
towns.
Germans Refute Reports.
A to Co
vile The offensive of the entente
allies on the western front has not
caused the withdrawal by the Ger
mans OF a single man or a single gun
from the Nerdun front, where the at
tack on the French fortress is being
consistently and successfully press
ed, says a statement issued today by
the Overseas News agency.
The German success reported yes
terday TO have been won on the right
bank of the Mouse near Fort SOuviile
and LaUfee plateau is commented up
on by the German newspapers as an
event of remarkable Importance,
says the news agency. This, the first
enterprise attempted at EerduH since
the beginning of the great enemy Of
feusiye, proves conclusively that the
head of the German army, despite all
hostile attacks, on both the eastern
and western fronts, has not lost sight
Of the original object in view.
Still Hold Initiative.
No German soldiers and no German
cannon have been Withdrawn from
Verdun and the battle is continuing
successfully with the initiative in
German hands. If Germany's enemies
had hoped TO seize the initiative by the
attacks of their armies of millions of
men and lay down d course Of action
for the Germans, they have been Bit
terly disappointed by the course Of
events.
After their brief successes won at
the beginning OF the offensive, the adj
vances of hostile masses have, up to
this time, been broken up by the he
role resistance and tenacious endur-
ance Of the brave German defenders OF
the Somme German headquarters re-
mains the master Of the course OF OPP
erations."
German Statement.
Berlin. July IA, (by wireless to Say
Vile New and violent battles are
being fought on both sides Of the river
Somme this morning says the Official
statement given out today by the Ger
=
Early this morning British troops
attacked in the sector OF Mametz wood
and Longueyai and made repeated eff
forts to capture TTones woods. The
first British attacks were beaten back
and new battles are now in progress.
East of the river Mouse in the region
of Verdun, the French attempted to
reconquer territory captured by the
Germans, the official statement says.
Near the fortress Of Souvilie, the
French attack was impeded by cur
tain of fire and in the vicinity OF Lau
fee work the attack was completely
repulsed.
Russian forces which had again en-
tered the frst line Of the German
trenches defended by troops of Cen
eral Count Won Bothmer were elected
with considerable losses by counter
attack.