Evening star., 1916-09-19
Paris Reports That Five Sue
cessive Attacks Were Re-
pulsed by Russian Troops.
RAINY WEATHER CHECKS
FIGHTING ON THE s0MME
Berlin Believes the Drive in North
ern France Has About Exhausted
Strength Of British.

PARIS, September 10, 1890
pm.-The Germans took the Of
fensive in Champagne last night,
making five successive attacks on
the Russian troops there. Today's
official report says that each time
they were checked by the Russian
machine gun and artillery fire.
The German attack in Cham
pagne was made in the sector be-
tween Souain and Somme-Py.
On the Somme front operations
were hindered by bad weather.
Official French Report.
The text of the communication fol-
lows:
''On the Somme front operations were
interrupted by the bad weather. but
during the night we made some prog
ress east of Berny. taking a number Of
prisoners.
"a bombardment last night by the
enemy upon our positions west and
east of the road between Souain and
Somme-Py reached its height in the
evening and was followed by several
German attacks particularly along the
Russian sector. Here five successive
onslaughts were delivered Everywhere
our curtain of fire and the fire of our
machine guns checked the enemy.
whose losses were serious. Some pris-
ar,or oty10d In at1Y ando
"On the left bank of the River Meuse
a German surprise attack upon one of
our minor posts north Of Davocourt
and two counter attacks upon the
Mort Homme, occupied by us yester-
day, resulted in complete failure"
Bad Weather Halts Offensive.
LONDON. September 1s.-Bad weather
has set in along the Somme front in
| northern France and the Anglo-French
offensive has halted Both London and
Paris report a cessation of the heavy
| attacks by the British and French.
which, during the last few days, have
won them many square miles of new
ground. carried the British to within
four miles Of Bapaume. virtually pock-
eted Combles and seriously weakened
the hold of the Germans on Peronns
and Chaulnes.
Heavy and continuous rain has
fallen during the last twenty-four
hours" says today's official account o.
operations on the Franco-Belgian front.
The general situation is unchanged"
.'In the neighborhool of Richebourg
L'Aouve northwest of La Bassee). We
entered the enemy's trenches at three
places capturing apt ring ,ngfn,'n prisoners .a and
ualties. Our casualties were very
slight
Since last nights report five more
of our aeroplanes have failed to re-
turn"
Think British Weakening.
BERLIN. September IS. via London.
September 19.-The mass attack by the
British along the Somme front on Fri
day was. according to advices reaching
here, apparently carried out only by
means of the concentration OF the en-
tire British forces. The Germans de-
clare tnar there is hardly fresh Brit
ish division left.
The Germans nevertheless, are not at
all disposed to give way to any illusion
that the British army has been COM
pletely weakened, although it is
serted in official quarters that the latest
battle has served to convince them once
again that Germany's chief opponent in
On Sunday, while the Germans were
making counter attacks and. with
other things, regalning a portion OF the
lost village of Martinpuich, both the
British and French continued their ef-
forts at various points along the line,
particularly the British, between Thiep-
val and Combles.
Brought to standstill.
These efforts. 1t is announced WIRE
brought to a standstill. The French
concentrated their efforts at Bouoh-
ayesnes but were thrown back.
The belief Is held in Berlin that even
II Germany's opponents have not been
completely weakened. continuance Of
the attacks with their former intensity
is an impossibility because the Anglo
French offensive. especially that of last
week, has cost them SO heavy.
Reports from the front reiterate that,
little as the German troops like to re-
treat, this policy is preferred. il there
by lives can be saved at the expense Of
comparatively unimportant territory.