New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-06


properly.
This information. from semi-official
sources. points out that IL must be de
90 the Germans 10 see some
10000 10 10000 cOrpses OF their com
rades lying before Che French lines.
10000 Germans in Drive.
Reinforcemente brought up by the
Germans since the inauguration OF the
second phase Il the battle on Wednes-
dav arc estimated here al 100000 men,
raising the total forces utilized by the
assailsnts 20 more than a half million.
Estimates Of losses show wide variance.
Details Of local actions end the SIZE Of
the reserve forces brought up cause
French observers 20 make the deduc-
ton that the Germans have paid very
heavy price for the six square miles o.
ground they have gained.
In front % the village OF Naux alone
four thousand German corpses we're
counted after the eighth unsuccessful
attack. This part Of the battle. though
overshadowed b. the night for Douau-
mont. is regarded in Paris as a serious
check for the attackers
The Germans carried on the assault
with great courage until the dead lay
is said. were compelled 20 urge Oh the
troops a they clambered over the
ccrpses OF their fallen comrades for
the last assaults.
Slaughter at NsuX Appalling.
The attack on Naux began or the
evening Of March .. after furious
Smelling. and continued until the fol
lowing night Columns Of Germans.
advancing simultaneously from the
north and northwest. tried to envelop
tn village. French artillery immedi-
ateiy opened "a heavy fire which sepa-
rated the first wave Of Germans from
their rcinforcements. Nevertheless. the
fresh troops came on. and Observers
saw plainly the tragic spectacle Of lines
Of men plunging into that storm Of
steel and emerging thinned 70 half
their strength. Some contlngents lost
six out Of every ten men before ever
having fired shot
The survivors, undaunted. resolutely
stormed the French trenches and
fought hand-to-hand in fierce melees
at the outskirts of the village.
The bitterest fighting was for pos
session of the road leading 10 Douau-
mont. the advantage Of which was OBJ
vious. The Germans charged eight
times there. The supreme effort was
carried out bv sly regiments, advanc-
ing I'm close formation.
French Leap TO Meet Attack.
French machine guns did grewsome
execution i'm the mass. and French in
fantry. held carefully under cover until
the ADVANCING force approached the
trenches. leaped out 10 meet the on
rush with cold steel. The fighting WAS
finished in n few short minutes The
Germans retired, leaving hundred. torn
and tangled IN the barbcd wire defences
and thousands laid low by mIChine
gun shots and by bayonets.
A the battle proceeds the strategy
Of General Pctein. French commander
al Ncrduu. s. being compared more
and more carefully with that OF Gen
eral Castelnau in the battle Of Nancy
General Petain's withdrawal 20 the
Douaumon. plateau was like General
Castelnau's withdrawal 10 the plateau
Of Amanct. away from the heaviest
blows Of he adversary 20 dominating
position. an efforts TO dlslodge him
from which failed.
French officers predict General Pc
taiu's strategy viii have the same re-
suit. SO that the Germans will he com
pcllcd TO see decision elsewhere on
the front
Four Million shells Fired.
French artillery officers who took
part in ~. battle Of Ncrdun estimate
that during the first four days Of the
struggle m, Germans discharged
100000 shells. most Of them OF heavy
calibres. The number Of projectiles
fired by ;hc French probably was as
great
Nothing like such an expenditure OF
munitions has been known before,
even in the Champagne attack. The
whole theory of operations was 10
pulvcrizc defences az long range. drive
out or kill defenders and then occupy