The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-03-10
But Artillery Continues Ac-
tive On Both Sides Of
the River.
ERENGH ARE OPTIMISTIC
Their Experts Admit That
German Tactics Puzzle +
Them.

PARIS March 1G.-There wad no
change in the situation before Verdun
either east or west Of the Meuse. ac-
cordinr TO semi-o1ficial announce
ment made here this afternoon. the
nouncement adds that the violent bonn.
Ehardment continues on both sides OIL
Ftheg Meuse. but there has been no
sb5infantry attacks by the Germans.
The situation at Verdun is regarded
asSInllch better from the French view
point as the result OF yesterdays fight
SfflF:. The public isisgrSatly cheereu BY
reports OF successful resistance on the
mart OF the defenders of the fortress.
Notwithstanding an enormous expendiT
fnreSofJammunition and unsttnted sac
rificeSof life, the Germans failed 70
bend, much less break, the blue lines
The inference is drawn by the gen'
eral6public is that the German wave
iiasSadvancel as far as is In It's power
without further wastage on large
scale which the German general stait
liesitates to make with four army
corps put out of action in the struggle
ots1SS days. Z. II -3E
/ Exhausted by threesdays of violent
EFFORT the assailants called rest 70
rsplenish ne q en- ted ranks of the in:
family, Itiie ten nfll topk aaSantage OF
the respite to sweep out the Germans
stiIfremaining in Corbeaux woods anu
Iii tIitsS effort were most successful.
Thes renewal Of heavy tighttng east
5fsfheT TMeuse attende ed by 9 series ot
Assaults on bouaumo mont, has fcentered i
interest once more onathis portion q p;
the front.l Af good road runs through
the ss1oping Srayine up to inc ptateau :
S,Saa CFf fha nnSSaSAinn OF
whfeii would # enable the attacking
forces 10 take the defensive in the
lfianEs Massed infantry well supported
hv5artillery struggled hard to win COM
i5and5 OF this, the easiest approach TO
fIaE8famous position, but the French
ware able to, hold of the assailants- and
: &c the same time to deal with at
facksE from the village of Douaumont.
Insthe Woevre district the Germans
ididEnot attempt to pursue their action
further. The great successes In battle
INTO the present have been gained by
VIOLENT shocks delivered by fresh and
aspecially prepared masses of infant:
ryand have generally been achieved
RAPIDLY. OF such character was the
German attack on Verdun, which
smashed itself against the French de.
fensesg on February 26. The Germans
fkentbegan a series of battles on small
fronts, sometimes at one point and
sometimes at another. One day the
atfack was made on the extreme left
EomsBethincour to Goose Hill, on an
otierSday a blow was struck at the
extreme right at Fresnes and again
afSDouaumont. All these were genuine
attacks carried out by masses ! of
troops capable OF Undertaking serious
action. French military observers are
AZ a loss to explain the objects Of
these assaults. as 1t is believed that
there Is little probability they will
4 nave grave consequences for the de-
Tenders. The important question Is
whether things will go on this way
itist as in the case OF the French Of
femsiye in Artois, which beginning on
Nay 8 of last year, continued with
diminishing force far into June, or
whether there will be another great
attack carried out by most power.
fif means and with the singleness of
aim which decided the victory.
Not often in the long battle have
French infantrymen had orders to at
faek. When they did receive It they
showed that their offensive spirit had
lost nothing by being held in.