The Penn's Grove record., 1916-02-18
GERMANS SMASH BRITISH LINES
BRITISH CRUISER ARETHUSA MINED
FRENCH WARSHIP LOST, 374 PERISH
Front at Ypres Salient Broken After Heavy Artillery Bonn
bardment--Many Prisoners Taken-- TeutOns and French
Battling on Large Scale in Champagne
TURKS DRIVE NDo-ENGLIsH FROM EuPHRA1Es BASE

Berlin.-The Germans by a persist
ent and impetuous series of attacks
have broken a hole through the Brit
ish defenses in the Belgian sector.
London admits the German success.
The extent of the gain is in dispute,
but w a distance of at least 600
or 500 yards.
The advance was won by a long
continued artillery bombardment, fol-
lowed by determined infantry charges,
in which the achievements were meas
ured in feet of ground instead of
killed and wounded.
The victory of the Germans was ac-
complished by a sudden switching of
the intensity of their offensive from
the Artois and Champagne regions to
the front in Belgium.
Berlin says that in repulse of the
Britons a majority of the defenders
OF the trench was killed and that one
officer and several soldiers were taken
prisoner.
The gain is the first important adj
vance against the English lines since
the fighting around Loos last Septem-
Der, when the Germans by counter
attacks recaptured part of the posi-
tons lost to the English.
The sudden breaking out of the Ger
MAI offensive in Flanders indicates
that the German onslaughts starting
first in the Artois and then smashing
the French in the Champagne, are now
spreading along almost the whole
front.
In the Champagne French troops
recaptured a part of the advanced
trenches occupied by the Germans
on Feb. 10, according to announce
ment by the French War Office.
On the eastern front a enewal of
activity around Dvinsk, to the sout.
OF the Piret River and along the up.
per and middle Stripa River, is re-
ported, but no important changes in
the alignment have been caused.
The Italians are still using their
heavy artillery and infantry in at
tempts to retake from the Austro-Hun.
garlans the positions recently captur-
ed on Monte RSmbon, but all attempts
have been repulsed with heavy losses.
BULGARIA MAKES oVERTURES.
London.-A dispatch received in
ondon by the Exchange Telegraph
Company from Athens said:
1T is confirmed in Entente circles
that Bulgaria has made overtures for
a separate peace to the Entente Pow
ers."
n British military writer's say it
Is not unlikely that the Athens report
has basis in fact, as Bulgarian leaders
nave been quoted as saying that the
object of Sofia in entering the war
was accomplished when Serbia was
crushed.
When Bulgaria declared war on DC,
tober IA last it was announced that
she had no quarrel with the Entente
Powers, except Serbia. The chief dis.
pute was over the Macedonian terri
tory occupied by Serbia and Greece
~ tHO oOSOuu Ddlhdu war, III which
Bulgaria asserted she was robbed of
her victory W. the Turks-in the first
Balkan struggle.
The plan of the Germans to have
Bulgaria take the lead in an attack
on Saloniki is thought to have brought
the decision to make a separate peace,
if possible.
The Germans have been reinforcing
their armies ave since the activity
in the western arena was renewed
about two weeks ago, and some of
the estimates of the additional troop
have been placed as high as GOO, 900
men of all arms.