Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-07-29
GERMANS STRIKE
HARD AT BRITISH
Make a Desperate Attempt to
Win Back the Ground Pre-
vi0usIy Lost.
FIERCE BATTLE AT OvILLERs
Russians Strengthen Positions
at Three important Points.

London, July ia furious battle
Is raging tonight on a front of more
than two miles around the ruined vii
lage of Longueval and in the she'll
swept DeIyille woods, north of the
Somme- The Germans are striking
heavy blows at the new British front
in an effort to recapture the village
and forest.
The first German attack was
launched just as night was falling, af-
ter day of wind and rain. The thick
weather had interfered seriously with
the British artillery and had cloaked
the German preparations.
Late in the afternoon the heavy
guns posted on the German third line,
east of Longueval, opened fire on the
British line. High explosive shells
rained down on the trenches. while
tear producing shells blinded the men
who held them In addition. the wind
carrying toward the British trenches,
the Germans loosed great clouds of
noxious gas and then, under cover OF
the clouds, advanced to the attack.
Battle Still Under Way.
Hand-to-hand fighting developed
early all along the front OF attack, and
.
according to report sent to the war
office at late hour by Gen. Sir Doug
las Haig.
This report. the second of the day,
also tells of the unfavorabIe weather
conditions under which the British are
laboring. The commander-in-chief's
earlier report announced a gain of
considerable proportions. In this at
he D-;f
on a front of two-thirds of a mile
north of Ovillers. driving the Germans
from several strongly defended points
and capturing prisoners and machine
guns.
Slav Positions Strengthened.
Petrograd, July 19.-Although the
issues of the struggle between the
opposing forces in the region of the
Stokhod river still hangs in the bal
ance and there has been during the
last few days no essential change in
the situation along the main Russian
front, the Russians have achieved
three important advances at widely
separated points in the eastern war
theater.
The first is the successful drive
from the new quarter in volhynia,
southeast of Lutsk- The second is an
advance of the extreme southern wing
of General Brusiloff's forces along the
high road leading into Hungary. and
the third is the improved situation in
the Caucasus resulting from the tax
ing of Baiburt.
Allies Gain Ground
London, July 18.@The successes of
the Entente Allies are following each
other with great rapidity. Today
brought news of further important
gains for them on both the western
and eastern fronts, arousing enthusi-
asm among the British public hardly
less than that caused by the reception
of the first news of the allied of
fensive.
The report of Gen. Sir Douglas Haig
today shows that the steady pressure
of the British arms is forcing an ever
deepening salient into the German
lines, and the commander-in-chieff for
the first time produces evidence in
the shape of documents captured from
the Germans giving testimony as to
the high price the Germans are pay
ing in casualties.
Slavs Smashed Through.
The news from the eastern front
today was equally important The
Russian commander, General Kuropat-
kin, has launched an offensive against
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg on the
Dvina river, and General Won Lfnsin-
gems troops southwest of Lutsk have
been compelled to retire behind the
Lipa river. General Won Linsingen's
retirement, according to the Petro-
grad military critics, represents a
great Russian tactical success. 1t was
preceded by heavy fighting in which
the Russians smashed the Teuton
front on width of a mile and pene-
trated several miles into their posi-
tionS-
While the powers of endurance of
the Teutonic Allies. should they be
forced to act entirely on the defensive,
have still to be tested. the British ma
ton is full of confidence. 1t is taking
nothing for granted, however, but is
fully prepared to acquiesce in the ad-
vice of its leading ministers, like For
eign Secretary Grey and Chancellor of
the ExcheQuer McKenna. who are pub
licly exhorting the nation to the need
of patience