The Washington herald., 1916-03-08
POISON GAS Is USED
Hill 265 Carried in Tremen-
dous Attack by 10000 Men,
Breaking the French Ring.
SUBSTANTIAL GAINS ARE MADE
Austrian Troops Reported Sent to
France to Aid Kaiser's Forces in
Subsection of Verdun.
ial Cable to The Washington Herald.


London, March The great German
drive against Yerdun is shifting to the
west. apparently. Infantry attacks be-
tween Bethincourt and the Mouse are in
creasing and the Germans have made
some gains there today.
With the aid Of gas and under cover OF
a heavy bombardment they advanced to
the outskirts Of Regneville. on the Meuse
one mile southeast of FORCES and four
miles northwest Of Verdun.
In a tremendous attack by 10000 men
they carried Hill go. an essential unit
in the French defensive ring.
Later they exhibited themselves in the
Corbeaux woods, southeast OF the Cote
de role Goose HID. three miles south
OF FORCES, which the Germans captured
Yesterday. This makes a great gain
during the twenty-four hours.
The German guns are now battering
at Cote de TOie.
Activity In East.
Activity continues unabated on the
eastern end Of the line, where the Ger
mans took by storm the village Of Fres-
mes. in the Woevre district, early this
morning.
In Champagne the Germans are again
driving against the RheIms-verdun rail-
way and furious attacks have been made
against the French positions around
Maisons de Champagne. This is part OF
the general scheme to throw a ring of
troops ABOUND Verdun and completely cut
on the fortress with its army.
\ report comes from Geneva that
Austrian troops are moving into France
TO reinforce the Germans.
\ dispatch from Melbourne states that
Minister Of Defense Pearce has announced
that an Australian siege brigade is fight
ing at verdun. y. J. !
May Attack BeIfort.
Suspicion is growing here that when
the Germans find themselves unable to
make further progress against Yerdun
a diversion will be made against Bel
fort, the great French fortress, rs miles
to the southeast and close to the from
tire Of Alsace and almost due west from
Muelhausen.
Color is given to this surmise by re-
ports received from the Swiss border
that numerous accommodating flights Of
German aeroplanes over BelfOrt territory
have been observed. These flights in
varIabIy cut short the German incursions
compelling their retreat
The inha bItants Of Belfort witnessed
& rII
ended in discomfort to the Germans.
According to German reports the Kaiser
fears a big French offensive against Al
SAGE.
The frontal attack OF the Germans
against Verdun by way Of Douaumont
appears to have been abandoned In
favor OF the vast encirCIing movement
That the French war office is deeply
concerned over the drive at the French
left wing is indicated by its giving ut
terance to the official assurance that
Bethincourt still remains in its hands,
as well as a greater portion Of the Cor
beaux woods. the Cumieres woods and
Cote de ICie. These positions are
bearing the brunt of the German at
tacks.
Cote de role. against which a ter
rife rain of artillery fire is being
poured preliminary to the new infantry
assaults is the bulwark OF the new
French first line on this sector. Direct
Iy to the south Of it. and the Keystone
to the second line, is lie Mort Hommc
dead Mans HID. Both these posi-
tiOns are stronger geographically and
by artificial organization than was Fort
G'AUxmOnt.