The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-03-02
.LULL NEAR VERDUN
MAY PRESkG[ MORE
VIOLENT ASSAULTS
Entente Observers at
Loss Over the Ger
man Inactivity.
81 MILLION RUBLEs
Daily Cost of Conflict TO
Russians. Reports
Nightly Bombardments.
81 MILLION RUBLES

Nightly Bombardments.
London, England-The German
offensive against Verdun, which
brought the crown princes armies to
the inner lines of the French defens-
es, has halted there it is reported.
The lull which yesterday gave signs
OF setting in, now extends along vir-
tually the entire front, where the
desperate struggles of the last ten
days have been going on.
Unofficial commentators in the En-
tente capitals admit themselves at
loss to determine as yet whether the
German drive has spent its force or
whether the pause is simply . pre-
Jude to its renewal before the hard
Won positions at Verdun or elsewhere
on the western front
There are signs of German pre-
paration behind the front west OF
Pont-a-Mousson, eighteen miles
southwest of Metz, in the Moseele
river region.
Paris Reports Little. N
Paris, France.-There is nothing
of Importance to report in the reg
ion north of Verdun or in the Woevre
district, according to the announce
ment today of the progress of hostili-
ties made by the French war Office.
There was an intermittent lombard
ment last night along the French
front between Regnieville and Re-
menauville
Cost 81 Million Rubles Daily.
Petrograd, Russia. According to
the budget laid before the duma to-
day, Russias' daily war expense is
thirty-one million rubles. Her 1916
expense was eight billion rubles and
that of 1916 is expected to reach
eleven billion rubles.
British Steamer Sunk.
London, England The British
steamship Thornby is reported sunk
All members of the crew were killed
or drowned.
The Thornby was owned in West
Hartlepool, England. He gross ton
mage was 1882. She was built in
1889 and was 258 feet long. She
sailed from England for Sicily Janu-
Iary 10.
German Troops United.
Berlin, Germany.-All reports of the
battle of Verdun show more and
more remarkable cooperation of all
arms. A study of progress during the
week since the first attack was deliv-
cred shows that guns have been stead
I lily brought forward as fast as the in
fantry cleared any French position,
there to resume the work of making
the next position ripe for storming.
! In view of the character of the
ground fought over, the pioneers and
other technical groups must have full
filled their duties with the utmost
precision and according to program.
! The fact that the French were unable
to take any number of prisoners
worth reporting is taken here to in
dictate that the German troops are
splendidly in hand and are carrying
out the work planned for each adj
vance, but are not advancing farther
until the ground is we'll prepared for
Them
Guns Well Placed.
The Germans east of Verdun, who,
reached the base of the Lorraine hills
Sunday appear now to be in a posi-
ton to bring their guns to bear on
the Nerdun forts at the most effective
i distance. The abandonment by the
French, of the so-called Meuse penin-
sula was expected after the taking OF
4 lChampneuville by the Germans.
| The advanced German line from
i Champneuville towards Bras shows
THAT the Germans gradually are
Strengthening out the kink in the line
Northwestern corner of the Verdun
4 and Fort de Marie, which forms the
Northwestern corner ofthe Verdun
1 |fortifications, lies the Muese and on
the western short is a broad stretch
of at meadowland which is command
led by Fort De Marie and by its ad-
vanced batteries, and hence lmmed-
late further progress in this direction
His not expected.
4 U Boats Sowing Mines.
London. England.-That German
submarines have been sowing mines
loft Dover was the belief expressed
Yesterday by Ralph Foster of Kansas
and other survivors of the Maloja dis
|aster, including some Of the officers
Of the ship. The fact that q numner pei
lof disasters have occurred in the
neighborhood of Dover during the
Hast two Sundays is considered in
some quarters in London as positive
, evidence that German submarines.
j; knowing that number of boats clear
for foreign ports Saturdays, have tax
en- advantage Of that fact to creep IN
las near the coast as possible In the
might time and discharge cargoes OF
} slexplosives.
5. Portugal Gets UltimAtum.
}. London. England.-German has
slsent an ultimatum to Portugal de-
{ manding the reservation within forty
.|eight hours. of The German ships
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