New-York tribune., 1916-07-17
Surprise Attack Had
Caused Allies to
Give Ground.
PORTUGAL HAS
ARMY READY
Will Fight with Allies
When the Call Is
Issued.
By ARTHUR S. DRAPER.
lBy Cable to The Tribune J

London, July 16.-Exhausted by
the desperate fighting of the last two
days, the German and British troops
on the Somme are resting on their
arms tonight. In the luli which has
followed what correspondents at the
front describe as the fiercest fighting
of the war, the British are consoli-
dating their new positions north Of
the Bazentin-Longueville line and
are bringing up their heavy artillery
preparatory to resuming the great
drive toward Peronne.
After four assaults hurled in rapid
succession at the German lines in the
region of Ovillers and Bazentin-le-
Petit this morning had failed to dis
lodge the enemy, operations on both
sides came TO an abrupt halt.
Germans Surprise Foch.
On the French side of the Somme
line the Germans this morning took
General Foch by surprise. Powerful
attacks enabled them to capture La
Maisonette and Biaches, but they
were elected before they had time to
rally against the French counter at
tack. The rapidity with which the
Germans were rolled back from these
two positions is hailed by military
experts as an indication of the firm
grip the French have obtained on tn,
newly won ground.
News from all the other fronts re-
cords successes for the Allied arms and
adds to the assurance that the joint
offensive will result in final victory
for the Entente. On the Riga and
Lutsk sectors the Russians have won
new ground the Italians have made
fresh advances in the Trentino, and
Russian troops in Turkish Armenia
have captured the important town Of
Balburt, sixty miles south of the Black
Sea port of Trebizond
Russians on West Front.
Russian patrols, apparently part OF
the force which landed in Marseilles
last spring from Vladivostok, for the
first time have been reported in action
on the West front. They are fighting
with the French in Champagne, Paris
officially announced tonight.
The significant news has been re-
ceived that the Portuguese govern
ment has equipped an army which is
ready TO take It's place beside the
Anglo-French armies whenever it is re-
quired.
In the last two days London has
talked about little but the continued
reports that Austria is about to sue for
a separate peace on account of the Rus
sian and Italian successes and the in
creasingly gloomy outlook Of final Teu-
ton victory. The British officials and
the British public have taken these ru.
mors seriously, realizing the straits to
which Austria has been reduced by the
overwhelming double offensive. ! have
the highest authority for stating, how
ever, that any such overtures on Aus
tria's part are most unlikely 10 be
entertained. In poker parlance, the Al
lies hold four aces and are not dis
posed to See any adversary without
raising the bid.
Halt Fully Anticipated.
The absence Of news of any advance
on the British or French front to-day
was fully expected here, as II is re-
allied that several days must be taken
up for the movement Of the artillery 20
its new positions and preliminary bonn
bardments before fresh infantry at
tacks can begin. The frank admissions
by the French OF the extraordinary OBJ
stacles which the British troops have
had 10 surmount IN the recent lighting
have given great satisfaction here.
while the comparatively light casual
ties suffered by General Haig's forces
are hailed as an indication of the splen-
did artillery preparation along the
whole line held by the British.
Both the British and the French are
confronted with almost insuperable
difficulties in moving their systems Of
communication with the advancing
troops. The biggest guns of the Allies
are too huge 70 be handled either By
horses or motors. but require freight
trucks for their transportation.
Preparing New Attack.
This work Of consolidation and or.
ganization is now being done on the
French front in order 20 subjec, the
third and fourth lines OF the German
positions 10 the same demoralizing
bomosrdment that the inst and second
lines underwent before the French