, 1916-03-01

Paris, Fehy. 25lh.-Tbe "Petit Parjsien's"
correspondent al the front says that The
great German offensive at Verdun IS under :
the personal direction of Emperor William,
who arrived at General Headquarters on
Saturday last, and who, in order that nothing
should go wrong, Immediately ordered that a
rehearsal of the coming attack should be held,
At q given signal the motions OF Il general
attack were gone through behind the lines.
The Emperor seemingly was satisfied aud
gave he order to begin the offensive on
Sunday night. The French losses are deciar-
ed to be insignificant III comparison with
those of the Gernan Aho German artillery
preparation, which reoched its height on
Tue day, was OF unparalleled violence. Every
inch Of ground was searched out, every
point where it was thought Il French posi-
ton might exist, was Uttered with shells,
but the French infantry was so well shelter
ed under ground, and the French guns were SO
well hidden that when the German batter
les grew silent and the German infantry adj
vanced TO the attack, Ftenchmen sprang up
from the holes in tue ground and opened
deadly fire with machine guns, while shells
from the Is m~ilIimrtre guns h-w overhead
and moved down wave after wave of the
Germans as they pIodded d~oggedIy over
the SNOW clad ground, urged on from behind
by their officers.
Paris, Feby. 25'h-The text of the French
official communication says: "Ihis morning
we attacked aud captured an enemy salient
to the south of 81. Marie-a-py. Daring this
action we captured 300 prisoners including
Is uon-comm's,ioued officers. La the Ar
gonne our destructive fire has been etfiracious
on Germau organizations to the north of
Laharaz-c. In the region TO the north of
" ,v,11, .s,,rU, hoe f. Ilai, -. oh1u1 nIna luFIpy
the day. The activity Of the artillery on
both sides has continued very intense on
the whole front and principally to the east of
the Aieuse where the fighting goes on with
the same activity. Several German attacks
with large electives have been conducted
with unprecedented violence on Llaote du
Epoivre (abOnt Is miles north of Verdun)
but were without success. Another attack
on our positions in the Bots de Llvauche
also has been stopped. There has been 40
infantry action 10 the west of he Meuse.
In the Vosges there has been an artillery
duel in the valley OF the Fecht. The Bel
gan communication made public tonight
says: 1t has been a quiet day on the whole
front.
London. Feby. 26th-The official commu-
pication issued tonight says: Our aeroplanes
Yesterday made a successful bombardment
A83ltlSI the NelOQlOh6 uelI hlll6, dI TIC
machines returning safely. 70 day the enc
my exploded Il mine near Fricou t, There
were no casualties. Our artillery hns been
active against enemy trenches about the
Y~Dres-Cominps canal aud east of Boesinghe.
London, Feby. 25th-Ibe importance to
England of the battle raging around Verdun
was emphasized 10y Maior-General Sir Fran
ci, lloyd, General Officer Committing the
London district, IN u speech to-day at he
opening of Il military building III Wmbledou.
sIllhe great war which Is now proceediug,'
sad Genera! Lloyd, every individual must
give MP self absolutely and all must unite in
one bond to make the war result in victory.
Do you realize that u fight is now going on
for a passage to Paris. The result will hang
in the balance until the Teuton is driven
back as have great confidence he will be.
But once our Allies line is pierced the way
will be opened to the French capital, and if
that capital is reached a new complexion
would be put on The whole face Of the war
and on our lives and beings. A German
success on the French front would not
merely mean the loss Of Paris but would
endanger London" General LLOYD admins
tered a lebuke to those Britons who, he
declared, had acquired the habit of fault
I 80 49, kIA- ~ -AF FI"Ir