The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-14
KAISER BRINGS UP
REINFORC DEMENT'S FOR
GREAT FINAL EFFORT
Four Towns Have Been Blown
Completely Away and Yer
dun Itself Stands But a
Wreck. Piled High With
Debris

Rax1s, March la,--JThousands
Of guns tofaieht are engaged ON
the f1tty milo CURING frO7t around
Vordun la duct 70 terrific that
tho deep rcvcrbceattons are heard
In the cnyirons Of PArio itself.
Every available German howft~
xer h being brought 10 hear
axainst the great fortress against
which for twenty-five days. the
Germans have been launching
the full strength Of their armies.
The French, Supplied with noun
tains or shells are replying gun
for gum
The German emperor has re-
turned to the front for tins. final
and greatest German effort
against xcrdun which, II 10 ex-
pccted will be made within the
next forty-cight hours.
Ii IL learned tonight that f00.-
600 additional troops, iiciutiing
the imperial guard. the corps
d'eiitc OF the German army have
arrived behind the German front
for the final terrific smash. The
last tines include new reserves OF
the class of 1915, many OF whom
are boys Of twenty.
Hurrow Deep.
rowed deep In their shelter trenche
10 escape the effects of the might.
born bardmaat. the transcendent ertil
lery effort of sthaA--xar-----f'or mile
around the ground IL ploughed ant
furrowed ~ the hurricane OF steel
verdun itself il SHAMELESS of shat
tered buildings and the debris o.
homes. Forests have been reduced *
spIinters ana hills swept away.
IT la the belief sf military critics
that the Germans are determined Il
blast the French defenses with such
a storm of steel that wide breaches
will be cut for the infantry when thu
moment of assault comes.
Four to Ms have vanished from tbs
man before the fire OF the German
batteries. Elk. Mouiainviiie. Dam
Ioup and Bras. north and east of Yer
dun have been scattered like rhanf
Not q building stands Hardly
STONE remains upon a stone.
The midnight war office report
states that during the day the bonn
attained its greatest In
ensity In the region west OF the Mense
where the Germans are swcepins
Dead Man Ftili and Hangnau's woods
{ Bots Bouvru) with q tornado Of
.heiIe. The French batteries. reply.
ing, are doing great execution among
the German forces assembling be
tween FORCES and the Corbeau,
woods. The Germans hold on some OF
their advanced positions, in thi'
region. il IL stated. has been weaken.
ed by the furious French fire.
No infantry action has occurred al
any section OF the front during the
day. the midnight communicate adds
although, from the sea to Aisace
there has been incessant artillery mr.
Ing.
The weather is ideal FOR ohserva-
tons and the aviators and gunners oil
both armies are collaborating In q
rreat effort For more than 200 miles
along the winding lines in Northern
France field guns and howitzers are
In terrific cannonade.
BARRIER Fire Hats Advance.
Dn The trevious day the French by
/ sudden attack In lie Pretre forest
pierced 20a yards OF trenches in the
vicinity of creix des Charmes. but
later returned to their own lines a
German movement in Alsace. launch
ed with the object of rezaining the
trenches lost last week to the French
near Sepppis, was halted on the In
ception by the French barrier lire.