, 1916-07-05

the beginning of q great musical composition,
saying with so good IN overture we
expect the main body of the work equally
to fatter our hope" The 'Morning Post"
says The task confronting the Allies is long,
bloody and difficult. The people at home
must steel them selves to the painful fact
that the offensive must invo.ve heavy losses.
The end is not in sight, but the thing must
be fought to a finish and we shall see to it
that the sacrifices are not made in vain.
London, July 4th-Substantial progress
at some points is reported III the latest
Q fcjAl communication issued from the
General Headquarters in France. The
text reads: The fight fuctuated this
afternoon about LA Boissel!e and south of
T%hiepvhl, the advantage on the whole
remaining with us. South of rhiepval hos
tile counter attacks drove some of our troops
from u portion OF the positions which tAay
had captured early thls morning (Mouday).
Elsewhere many hostile attacks were repuls-
ed with heavy losses. In some places we
have continued to make substantial progress.
The amount of captured armament aud war
like stofe~ is very considerable, but no accu-
rate details are as yet available. The num-
Der Of prisoners now renches 4 400. Gu the
rest Q the front except for heavy hostile
artillery ffe at certain places no incident
Of Importance occurred. Yesterday there
was q vast increase in the numbers of hos
tile aeroplanes on the southern sectors of
our front, bat despite this our airmen Car
ried oHt in Il mosl gallant manner all thu
duties assigned to them. To-day one hos
tile kite balloon destroyed by us fell i'll
flames. Since the commencement of The
battle we have destroyed fifteen machines
along the whole British front.
Paris, July 3rd-The French advancing to
the east of the Mereaucourt wood have cap.
tured tue Chnpitre wood and the village
of Feuilleres. Further to the south Assevil-
leres has been taken by an infantry assault,
according to an Official statement issued
by the War dice ~to-ulght. South of Asae-
where's The French have taken the second
line of German entertainments as far as the
outskirts of Els rees, and have advanced be-
yond the secon German line. where they have
captured the villages OF Buscourt and Flau-
court. The total advance at this section was
five kilometres. The text of the statement
is as follows North of the Somne the sitn-
alton remains unchanged and no infantry "c-
ton has taken place during the day. South
of The Somme oar troop. pursuing the r success
east Of the Mereaucoutt wood took posses
sion this morning of the Chapltre wood and
the village of Feuilleres further to tue south,
Assevillers, the centre of q powelf uI defeu-
sive German organic ttion, has been attacked
and captured by our infantry after Il bril-
liant assault. South of Assevillers we have
conc 1ered the second German lines as tar as
the outskirts of Estrees. In the course OF
tie afternoon we advanced boyond the Ger
man second line and took possession Of
Buscourt least of Feuilleres and Flaucourt.l
At this point the ground conquered by US
reaches a depth of s kilometres. Enemy re-
Inducements, which were observed in the
region of Belloy-en-Santerre and others
east of Flaucourt, we're caught under the
fire of our artillery and dispersed. Among
the materials which have fallen into our
hands up to the present are: Seven bat
teries, of which three are of large cali
bre, quantity of mitrailleuses and trench
cannon. Other batteries sheltered in cuse-
ments and several in Herbecourt have
not vet been counted. The number of
unwounded prisoners taken by the French
troops passed by actual count number 5000.
On the two banks of the Mouse there has
been no infantry action. The artillery bonn
bafdment on the left bank of the river has
moderated. On the right bank a violent
bombardment took place in the region OF
Pdvre Hill and in the sector of Thiaumont
auh Damloup, but there has been no further
a44sx by the enemy at this point. Belgian
cofnnunication:- Violent and destructive
ARTILLERY actions have been carried ON with
success ON the German positions at Dreigra-
chten and east of Steeenstraete. A violent
struggle with bombs took place in the south
ern sector of the Belgian line.
Petrograd, July 3rd.-The Austrians have
taken the offensive in formidable force on
the Eastern front but have been repulsed
with heavy losses the War Office announce
ment to-day stated. In various sectors
the Russians have taken a total of more than
2,4OO prisoners and twelve machine guns.
ml,o nHO =. a -.--I - IL H.