New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-17
Waves of F oe' Broken
at lie Mort HOmme,
Says Paris.
BERLIN CLAIMS
HILLS CAPTURE
Alsace Trench Also Taken
French Repulsed in
Champagne.

London. March 16.-Complete re-
nulse OF a second desperate assault
"a wrest lie Mort Homme, west Of
me Meuse. from the French, is an
rourced by Paris tonight. So vio-
lent was the attack, says the official
statement. that the charging Ger
man masses "came on like waves TO
be wiped out by carefully concealed
1stteries on the height.
TO the west Of the Meuse,' says
.ae Paris statement, after a very
r,olcnt bombardment of our Bethin-
eourt-Cumicres front. the Germans
launched during the course Of the
afternoon a powerful attack against
our nositions at lie Mort Homme.
The assaulting masses. which came
sr Ike waves. we're not able to gain
footing at any point, and were
forced back in the direction of the
Bois des Corbeaux. where our con-
,sntratcd fire. let loose Immediately,
inflicted heavy losses on them.
German Captures Denied.
4 Berlin statement earlier in the
lay had claimed possession Of lie
Mort Homne and the repulse Of all
French counter-attacks aimed at Its
recapture. In "A special bulletin
given out at the French Embassy
here tonight, these claims were de-
aounced as absolutely false. The
German official report said:
"On the left bank Of the Meuse
further attempts made by the enemy
10 dispute our possession Of the
height Of Le Mort dead Mani and
our positions in the wood north OF
II were frustrated at the outset.
The French embassy statement dc
nyins these claims Is as follows;
Tho German statement Of March 10
claims that German troops have ad-
unoed thsir line west % the CorbesuA
Wood on nc Height Of Mort Homme
Dead Mans HID. The truth u that
in the gres. attack which was repulSeo
on front Of more than fifty kilome-
tres, the Germans have succeeded IN
penetrating an element Of our front
line trenches at Hill No 2e5. Of which
se hold the trenches on the counter
slope. They have never taken any foot
ing on Dead Mans Hill (Hill NO. 2so)'
which nc ssill hold"
With the successful oountering OF 10
dsys assault French critics generally
believe that The third battle Of Nerdun
hss passed its crcst Although there
sss no rnisiaNng the desperation and
isry % ,he German attempt, Observers
say that i's cumulative effect was fsr
l.ss than that of the earlier struggles
a. Dousumont and NauX.
Assault Losing Force.
n -he operations against Lc Mort
Homme the speed and tho energy OF
he earlier drives has been lacking.
70, only was the artillery fre much
lsm intense. bat the whole battle
dragged inexcussbly. When the bat
'eries had done their best TO destroy
the French rheiters ard trenches IN
stead o. the customary rapid throw
ing forward of infantry, there Was de-
a. DO which the French had ample
tine % rcoccupy their lines. ven
ne suceesse, that Rad been won we're
'o' followed up.
Obseryers zee in this weakening at
isek general exhaustion % the Crown
Princes army. with tho terrible
'tpghter enacted during twenty days
=, Dousgrnon, and NauK, even the
Isrfsn commaudcrs have hesitated IN
''eriheing great massee of mon IN in
tZnihcsnt gains. Infantry attacks have
gfovn eonstantiy fewer. with conse-
quent lose - ylgor and elan m the
iroops.
Meanwhile the French reserves,
fhieh 30 the opinion Of some critics are
Yep, much too far in She rear, out of
ne reach ~ ttc curtain 81 ire. came
- and Won bach most Of the lost
Mi'yno, according - The reports from
ne 'eene ~ fbc hghfing. The Official
1''mfnt ~ Wednesday 3 porting this
a'fFment only mentioned the recapiurc
Portions near Illi 70. 2G., north.
"'' ~ Dead NAM liiil. but it be- gen
'pniiossd on psss ., column