Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-27
French and British Continu-
ing Efforts TO Widen Sack
like Position.
HOPE GERMANS
Official Statement Says Off
GERS and Men Are Now
Confident.

HeaGluaTterS or the German army
on the Somme, July p. via Berlin.
July 26, to London, July 27D-The
French and British are continuing
their efforts to widen the sack-lile pO-
s-tlo4 north ana south OF the Somme,
wherein they are now pinned on three
sides by German armies.
German officers and men are con-
fident they can hold their own. They
are aided by the most powerful aggre-
CATION Of artillery which Germany has
as yet accumulated in any single bat
tie theater.
Violent Artillery Duel.
Yesterday afternoon, shortly after
the correspondents had left the battle
field, an artillery duel of violent pro-
portions signalized the renewal Of the
struggle. From the intensity of the
bOmbardment it was soon evident that
the main effort of the allies would
again be made on the line from POZ-
ieres to Hardecourt-the sector which
was the scene Of such bitter fighting
from July 20 to %. The lombard
ment continued with increasing inten-
sity the whole afternoon Toward
evening an attack was made in strong
force by q British division headed by
picked troops and bomb thrOweTs.
alta ckers Driven Ont. --------.
The attackers were able to estab-
lish a fOOthOld in the German lines,
but were later driven out by a German
counter attack The British also sue
ceedad in entering temporarily the
German trench in the vicinity Of Lon
gueval and GUellemOnt, but here also
were finally expelled.
General FOch supported his British
colleague with a determined attack
dreuched terrain between Estrres and
SOyecourt, he gained a fuw hundred
meters Of front line trenches south Of
Estrees, but was unable to hold them.
Take $3.50 TeutOns.
Petrograd, July 81, Cvia London -
In the battle Tuesday on the Russian
western front, $3.50 Teutons were TAX
en- prisoners, says the official statement
issued today by the Russian war de-
partment The Russians also captured
five guns and p machine guns.
Russian forces operating IN the eau
casus are continuing their pursuit Of
the retreattng Turks, the statement
says. In the Turkish fortress of En-
zingan, the capture Of which was an
nOunCed yesterday, the Russians took
a depot Of war materials.
British Meet Bepulse.
bGTlIuy y uiN Il VIA ILOlltlOl- -
British hand grenade attacks against
the German lines to the west of the
town Of POHeres in the SOmme region
were repulsed yesterday according to
the announcement made by German
army headquarters today.
South of the SOmme a French at
tack launched at q point northeast of
Barleux failed
In the Ferdun region several strong
French attacks were carried out in the
region Of Froide Terr0 and FleuTy but
they were repulsed. Fighting cOntin-
ues at some points.
Artillery Active.
London, July 21-ThroughOut the
night, the British troops continued TO
press the enemy with hand to hand
encounters al various points on the
SOmme front in France, says the Offic-
iaI British statement issued today. The
text says.
Throughout the night our artillery
had been active and we continued to
press the enemy with hand to hand en-
counters at various points.
The enemy is using Il large num-
Der of gas and tear shells in the bat
tie area.
elsewhere on the British front
there was no incident Il importance in
the last As hours"
Denies Turkish Report.
London. July 27.-A British official
statement issued today denied the
Turkish official report OF July IS that
CONTINUED on Page Nine.J