Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-02
MILLION SHELLS DAILY
FIRED IN PREPARATION
tremendous Offensive Launched by British Is Cuina.
ton of Five-Day Bombardment Which Exceeds Any-
thing of Kind Previously Known in World War

The tremendous offensive which has
been launched by the British army on
the German front is the culmination of
five-day bombartiment which in the
amount OF ammunition expended and
in the territory involved, exceeds any
thing OF tho kind that has been pre-
viously known in the world war
For weeks reports have been current
in England and France that the big
push" of the British was about to com
mcnce 1t was stated that England ha d
100000 mon, fully equipped and
trained. in preparation for the supreme
effort to break the German lines More
than 100000 shells are declared to
have been fired daily in the prclimi-
nary bombardmcnt which extended
over front ninety miles In length
The menace Of the British attack was
fully appreciated in Germany, accord
ing to newspaper comments from Bcr-
lin. and the utmost confidence was ex-
pressed in the ability of the Germans
to meet and crush it,
The allies arc now on the offensive
in practically every field or the war
The British assault comes on the heels
of the great successes won by the Rus
SLAMS in Galicia aud Bukowina, which
have resulted In completely driving the
Austrians from Bukowina. ON the
Italian front. the central powers have
also mot with severe rcverscs. and for
several days the Italians have boon
steadily driving the. Austrians from
positions I'm the Trcntino. The defense
also OF Vcrdun by the French appears
TO have stiffencd. and the balance of
battle In that bitterly contested sector
favor OF the defenders.
ABSOLUTELY NEW DEPARTURE
IN TACTICS HITHERTO PURSUED
The great offensive undertaken by
the British offers, according to reports
from the front, and the comments Of
military critics. an absolutely new de-
parture in the tactics hitherto pursued
by the bclligercnts. Contrary to the
faroritc tactics OF the Germans. the
British did not attempt a partial ad-
vance hy massing their artillery at a
given point on tho line and following
an intense bombardment by an infantry
attack in Serricd columns
Employing an enormous number OF
guns, the British maintained con-
tnuous and even bombardment of the
German lines along the entire ninety
miles of attack. They sought to level
the German trenches and destroy the
concrete fortifcations which sheltered
the German machine gun squads IIur-
ricanes OF shells were also directed
against the German barbed- wire en-
tanglements. In the evenings, follow
Ing this daily artillery storm. raiding
parties dashed out from the British lines
to complete the destruction wrought
by the big guns. In this way the
British claim that many prisoners were
taken, machine guns destroyed or cap
turcd. and tho entire defense Of the
Germans dcmoralized. y French Of
lccr who witnessed this plan OF opera
tions described II as the last word
in scientific warfare"
The last considerabl offensive under
taken by the British was a drive in
force At Loos in September, 1915, In
conjunction with similar French
effort in the Champagne district. The
British captured Loos and claimed TO
have taken 10000 German prisoners and
many guns. They We're unable to press
home their advantage, however, be-
cause, according to the British War
Office, the reserves failed to arrive on
time