New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-07
New British Lines on
Hill 100 Dominate Foes
Positions.
GAS ATTACKS WIN
GERMAN TRENCHES
All Other Assaults on Somme
and Meuse Repulsed
by Allies.
by Cable 10 The r1Sune J


London, Aug. 6.-Another days des-
Terate fighting on the Somme front
and before Verdun gained a little
ground for the British in the High
Wood and toward Martinpuish and q
little for the French near Estrees. and
left the positions along the Meuse
unchanged. The fighting, aside from
the constant heavy artillery Are. was
forced almost entirely by the German
counter attacks, all but one Of which
failed, after desperate efforts. and with
heavy losses. This one Melted forty
yards of q trench from the British
after a gas attack.
Far more important than the days
gains, so far as learned, is the unofi-
cial information from che Somme front
revealing the great value Of the
ground won by the British yesterday.
According to private advices. the sue
cesses in the last three days are far
greater than was indicated in the Off
cial reports.
The greatest military value attaches
to Hill 100, the dominating height Of the
Albert Plateau, which is now entirely in
British hands, and in the High Wood, a
part of the Foureaux Wood, and only a
little less dominating. The capture OF
these leaves General Haig in position
to undertake new and important opera
tions almost AZ once.
Bombardment Clears Way.
The ground gained by the British
along the front Of 5000 yards north and
west of Pozieres, to the depth Of from
a quarter 70 nearly half mile, was
not merely fortified to the last degree
but was defended with the utmost stub
bornness by the best troops in the Ger
man army. The terrific bombsrdment
which preceded the attack, however
was so effective that the British were
able to advance in some places with
their guns on their shoulders" and II
was only hours after the ground had
been occupied that the Germans were
able TO bring up reinforcements.
The care and precision with which
the attack is being conducted is shown
by the fact that, in spite of this de-
moralization of the enemy, the British
soldiers took up exactly the positions
to which they had been assigned. They
would accept no less and could not be
enticed into seizing more.
Hill $50 vitality Important.
The capture of Hill 100 gives the
British tremendous advantage in the
next move. IL is a commanding site
for artillery. which, from Its slopes
can enflade the German lines to the
north, making the villages Of Cour-
celette and Miraument practically UNI
tenable Immediately. Thieupval is also
seriously threatened, as well as the
Leipsic redoubt-in case it has not al
ready fallen. point which the dis
patches leave in doubt. The British
will now be able 10 bring into full play
their superiority in guns, and the
capture of these places is confidently
expected within few days.
Henceforward the British task will
be easier. However the future fighting
proceeds. officers believe that never
again will every inch of ground have to
be won by such heroic fighting as that
of the last month. The British are now
fairly over the crest Of the Albert
ridge, and their drive is down hill, with
the FIRE Of their guns plunging over
their heads into the trenches they at
tack.
British Sweep High Wood.
The work to-day was to extend these
gains, and it WAS carried out success
fully though on a small scale. An at