The Washington times., 1916-03-06

LONDON, March 6.-The fifteenth
day OF the great battle OF Nerdun saw
the crown prince striving desperately
to shatter the French center In furious
fighting on Douaumont plateau.
Three Of the Verdun forts. defending
the city from the east. have been al
most totally wrecked by German bonn
bardment, according to Amsterdam dis
patches today.
Capture Fourteen Officers.
Berlin reports that minor engagements
occurred on the east bank OF the Meuse,
north OF verdun, last night, with the
capture Of fourteen French officers and
o3t men
Paris INSERTS that the most violent ar
tillery lighting occurred on the left
bank Of tho Meusc. west of Douaumont,
and I'm the Woevre region last night,
but there were no important infantry
In the Argonne, French artillery can
nonaded Cheppy Wood positions OF the
GermaDe aud also enemy works around
the Avocourt Balancourt road.
Elsewhere on the front a calm pre-
| vailed last night
Violent clashes are occurring in
Fresnes woods. But the main struggle.
according to latest Paris dispatches.
tending from Haudremont wood to
Douaumont.
Curtain Of Fire.
The French have dropped a deadly
curtain OF fire. checking all further
German advances on this front. At the
same time they are counter-attaching
viciously In efforts to reoccupy Douau-
mont village.
| rho Arn.,nnAo, -, at.na go, r.n..,.A rr..
vious reports. unconhrmed from Berlin
that Fort de vaux I'VE miles north
east of Verdun. 10 In ruins.
! II added that Forts Maulainville and
de Tavennes, next in the south OF dc
Vaux, have been badly damaged by
German mortars II they have not been
The latest Berlin official dispatche,
| carry no confirmation Of the Amster-
dam reports. The Germans have occu.
pied Dieppe. two miles northeast OF
Fort de Tavonnes. from which point
they could bring heavy guns to beai
upon the fort.
the railway station of Elk. midway be-
tween Fort de Tavennes and Fort
| Moulainville. but In each instance. Parii
reported. the German attacks were re-
pulsed.
Another Amsterdam dispatch reported
10000 Germans were repulsed with
! heavy losses when they attempted Il
/ bridge the Mouse with pontoons in tn,
vicinity. Of Samogneux, five and one
half miles north of Verdun.
| Losses of 100000.
| In two weeks OF the greatest offen.
sive developed by either side since tn,
German defeat at Marine. combined
German and French losses have totaiet
more than 10000
The dead on both sides are believed
TO number at least $1,000
During the first fortnight OF tn,
struggle the Germans have pressed for
ward on q cresccnt-shaped front. occu
plying between 80 and 100 square milei
OF French positions. according to fig
ures given out In Berlin.
They have wrecked Fort Douaumon
| and captured several villages. but have
failed to break the French front at an,
: point
Throughout Sunday. a fierce batti'
ragged along the front from Peppe,
Heights to Douaumont plateau.
The Germans fist concentrated tn
fire of several score OF guns agains
the French positions. bombarding 70
two hours. Then they charged, throw
Ing three brigades into action on tn
, narrow front.
Extends To Argonne.
French artillery replied with an in
, tense fire that riddled the foremos
ranks. other French guns threw
deadly hail behind the oncoming Ger
, mans, blocking the arrival of re-en
! forcements. Caught between two sheet
. OF artillery and mnchine-gun fire. tn
, Germans were slaughtered.
, The whole front, the latest Paris dis
, patches reported, 10 now undergoin
, the heaviest bombardment.
/ The artillery fighting has extende
v to Argonne. The French are poundin
. away at the German positions on g.
front and engaging in aerial recon
nolssances. mindful of the possibllitie
OF a drive toward the st. Menehoul
railway. the principal source OF suppl
. for the Verdun armies.