The Pulaskian., 1916-07-07
UNPRECEDENTED BoMBARDMENT OF SEVEN DAYS PRECEDED
 THE ATTACK.
BATTLE GROWS MORE INTENSE
Russians Continue Their Drive South of Dniester Having Captured 217,- 900 Austrians Since June-ltaI-
 fans Continue Advance.

London.-The grand offensive on the western front began by the Brit ish and French on both sides of the River Somme, SO miles north of Paris has already resulted in a great wedge being driven into the German lines along 16-mile front, with it's sharp point penetrating nearly five miles.
 At 6 o'clock the British had pushed from short distance east of Albert as far as Montauban, more than five miles away, and had repulsed Ger man counter-attack on that village.
 Both to the north and to the sourn number of other villages, including Hebetrun, Serre, La Boisselle and Ma metz, had been swept out of German hands, some of them only after de. termined resistance by their de lenders.
 Fricourt three miles east of Albert was still in German possession in the early evening, but with the capture of Montauban and Mametz. to the east and southeast of it, and La BoisselIe to the northeast, the place was nearly surrounded and it's speedy surrender seemed inevitable.
 Further south the French are coop erating with the British and have taken the village of Curlu and scored other notable advances.
 The entente allies drive was begun against German trenches leveled af ter seven-day bombardment, 1n which more than 100000 shots daily had been fired.
 Battle Grows More Intense.
 The progress of the battle has been marked by steadily increasing inten- sity of the fighting. North of the River Ancre it has been particularly severe The enemy in several vii lages offered strenuous resistance, but the gallantry of the British troops resulted in their gradually working around various strong points.
 With Fricourt now nearly surround ed the British further north are on both sides of the Gommecourt salient and the village of Mametz now is com pletely in their hands. A German counter-attack on Montauban was sue cessfully repulsed. The number of prisoners so far taken in this regron is about 1,500 The record naturally is incomplete, and other prisoners are being brought in. The operations are being favored by fine wather.
 The battle is characterized by the British effort to surround villages which the Germans have made a strong point of resistance.
 At 6 o'clock the British were around Gommecourt and Beaumont-Hamel and fighting at this time was con tinuing determinedly, the first stage of what promised to be a long action developing.
 Among the troops opposite the Brit ish. it has been found, were the Prus sian guard reserve division which fought at Loos and Neuve Chappelle.
 Many Prisoners Are Taken.
 The British are fighting gallantly and have taken many prisoners in the front lines.
 The French, advancing on the British right, are moving with great steadiness. After the assault they very quickly covered a distance of two kilometers beyond the German front line. Thus far the day has gone well for France and England.
 The British offensive was preceded by a bombardment of a week, com pared with the bombardment of 31 days before the advance at Loos last September. The shorter duration of the artillery preparation, however, was more than made up for by its intensity.
 The terrible effect of the British fire was described from day to day by correspondents, all of whom agreed that. nothing to equal it had occurred before on the British front.