New-York tribune., 1916-02-27
FRENCH RETAKE
FORT DOUAUMONT
Continued from page 1

the bombardment continues without
cessation 10 the east and to the west OF
the Meuse. To these attacks OF the
enemy our troops have replied by coun-
ter attacks carried out with vigor at
the various points assailed on our
front.
"All the new attempts Of the Ger
mans in the region Of Champneuville
and on La Cote du Poivre, where we
are solidly established, have been re-
pulsed
Berlin records an offensive in the
Champagne Apparently this is
counter to the Crown Princes drive.
an the Champagne the French made
an attack south of the ST. Marle-a-Fy
position, which we captured on Febru-
airy 12," says the German statement.
They succeeded in penetrating our
first line trenches over width OF
about 250 yards
French Active in Champagne.
"gn Champagne" says the French
statement, I'VE completely repulsed an
attack by the enemy against salient
carried by us TO the south OF ste
Narie-a-Py. The total number OF prls-
oners taken by US in this affair has
reached $40, of whom nine are oihcers
and thirty-six on-commissioned oi-
lcers.'
The aviators, too, have been active.
Paris says: 4,
To-day in the region of Nerdun Ad-
infant Neyarre in a monoplane beat
down with a machine gun two German
aeroplanes. this achievement making
five enemy aeroplanes brought TO eartn
by this pilot. The enemy machines ieli
in our lines. Two aviators manning
them we're killed, while two others
we're made prisoners.
ION the same day one OF our squad
rons, composed Of nine bombing aero
planes. dropped 144 shells on the Sab
Ion railway station at Metz. Another
Of our souadrons bombarded the enemy
establishments at Chambley, northwest
Of Pont-a-Mousson.'
The earlier statement issued at Parls
says:
bitterly in tho region north OF Nerdun'
where the enemy continues his EFFORTS
on the front to the east of the Meuse.
After the last engagement our troops
retained their positions. IN spite OF the
repeated as kults of the enemy, whlcn
no longer cfunts his sacrifices.
an the region Of Beaumont the bat
tie, WnlCh is stlil raging, mas tahVh y"
a most sanguinary character.
"On the front of the Noevre the al.
vance posts which we held as lines OF
observation from Ornes to Hennemont
since the battles Of last year have been
attacked by infantry forces from both
sides of the Meuse. Our artillery on
both right and left banks OF the river
replies without ceasing TO the pom-
hardment of the enemy"
"The work up there is hot, indeed,
said an officer who has just arrived IN
Paris from the Verdun battlefield.
"They are gnawing at our lines little
faster, but with no positive advantage
for themselves.
"Previous attacks made by the Ger
mans in that section are nothing to
what they are now delivering. can
not, OF course, give details, but can
saw that we are holding we'll against
their formidable attacks. The artillery
exchanges are intense. Our batteries;
admirably handled have changed
ground in mastery style, and the losses
TO the enemy are really fabulous. Ours
are slight-a feeble percentage OF
theirs.
"The Germans are, so TO speak, at
the limits of the Argonne ana the
Meuse heights, the topography OF
which constitutes what | might com
pare to series of coferdams. The
Germans have been preparing this
stroke for a long time. 1t was IN the
region Of Comfans-Etain that they
gathered the bulk Of the material for
the assault, as they had erected large
factories at those points"