New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-05
Haud.to-Hand Fights
Still Rage Round
DouaumOntVillage
FORTRESS SAFE,
PARIS Is SURE
No Longer Doubt That the
Kaiser Stakes All on
lis Capture.

London. March 4.-The German
,-m;es at the gates Of Nerdun are
t.mmerinr them hard with heavy
,-,illcry. but at latest accounts had
suspended infantry attacks. In the
last fighting reported the initiative
,ss or the side Of the French. who
5,srrately drove back at the Ger
aans in a counter attack which
Gained them ground.
The German thrusts IN the new
nbase of the titanic struggle are
being delivered with heaviest force
8, present on the salient 70 the
,orheast of the fortress, IN which
l,ss the Douaumcnt plain, Here the
French last week we're driven out
Il Fort Douaumont, and just now
nom Douaumont villaee, to the
vest.
In and around the village the bat
tlc has been raging with violence
gnd with heavy losses on both sides.
Unofficial accounts assert that there
las been nothing on the western
front to equal the ferocity OF the
. s.tscks delivered by-the Germans
hile the French infantry Is de-
cared to be disputing every inch OF
, round and in their latest effort TO
lave forced the Germans to rest on
nc laureis 50 far won and leave
me continuation Of the battle 10
heir artillery.
Village Again Changes Hands.
~On both sides Of the Meuse," says
,se Berlin statement. "the French in
creased the activity of their artillery
and after a great increase in the vol
gne Of their FIRE they attacked the vii
age o. Dousumont and our lines ad-
joining y. They were repulsed pa
.ally IN close range lighting and sus-
aimed heavy loss. We TOOK more tina"
100 unwounded prisoners.
Paris reluctantly admits the loss o;
Dousumont. but says that the struggle
for possessio on OF the village still con
'Inues
In tire morning" .ays the French
statement, "the Germans had sue
c,eded IN again gaining foothold IN
ne village Of Douaumont from which
se had driven him last evening by a
eounter-attack. The struggle continues
desperately. with alternative advance
and recoil for the possession Of the
sllsTe.
Germans Ready for Sacrifice.
IN the region Of Nerdun very
violent bombardment mas been in prog
gsss all day on the left bank OF the
Nsuse a. Hll 304 and Cote de pOie
Jn the ur1t bank the enemy, after an
intense bombardmcnt directed on thc
Haudiomont wood east OF Cote dJ
Poiyre. launched against our position
a. sttscs which was stopped by oul
machine gun and infantry fire
Pars advces how that no doub'
rsmaius IN the minds Of the Frencf
"a, there s nothing in the nature o.
feint ~ the German effort, the be
~ existing that the Crown Prince
as determined 20 capture Verdun and
possible, break through the Frenct
.ae and open Up the road 70 Paris.
ne determination Of the German at
'ac.s On the village Of Douaumont ar'
'p'ained By the strategic advantage
o. he height 20 the south held by IN,
eneh barring the way 20 the bss
% and fort The village itself, com
,osed q soou, ff,y houses, is now onll
.noHng ruins. II is dominated, 20
ft't WIN Aff tdFlIfH a. the lou o
ne advanced bastions Of the forts, b.
ne french batteries massed on th'
's.ssa and heights IN the rear, 50 tha
ne instant the Germans come 20 III
,tsrng from the woods and rayine
'ey are Immediately exposed %
Ealing fire.
french Reserves Untouched.
P''session o. the plateau Of Doga1
"'n' is esscntlsl 70 the Germans, il
'' o. operation seemingly projecte'
p" ne region Of Vau1. but 10 is pointc'
~ that even with the line from Pep
NT hi Cote dU PoiyreJ % Douau
s'm o. their hands, the German
'sld again find thc French solid
sIr,sd from froide Tcrrc 10 SOuyill
49, 'ap1 where aacrihccs equal q
- made no the assaults upon DOuag
'si would be- uecesssry 10 gain th
"N'sst advantage.
report reaching Paris rcpreaen
french troop ss IN the highca
continued on psg. ~. column