New-York tribune., 1916-07-24

was preparing his new drive the mag.
nifcent success of the Territorials and
Australians in storrning the tremen-
dous Notifications of Pozieres, in the
face Of almost superhuman resistance,
has lightened all hearts.
As indicated in yesterdays dispatch,
ali here were awaiting news to-day,
after the two days of comparative lull
"a lull which really meant that thou
sands Of men were constituting them
selves human anthiu in making
preparations under ceaseless, infer-
nal cannonade. The work they did ls
appreciated the more when 1t is real
ired that the brief dispatch OF yester.
day, telling of the Germans use OF
tear-prcducing shells, meant that tins
tremendous preparation was made IN
an atmosphere which almost blinded
the workers. But though all were ex-
pecting the news. the extent OF to-dsys
successes had hardly been anticipated
by the most sanguine.
Answers German Boast.
General Haig's message to-day means
the beginning of the third organized
offensive on the part of the British
since the first Of July. II is his an
swer-the third in two weeks-to the
German boasts that the offensive had
heen stopped. It's force is emphasized
tonight by an estimate from q reliable
source which puts the total Of Ger
mans captured BY the Allies during this
period AZ more than 26.0o0. together
with 140 guns and hundreds of ma
chine guns. Moreover, IL is considered
significant Of the relative strength oil
the armies on the Western lines that
the British should have been able 70
resume the offensive so soon after the
attacks Of last Thursday and the tire
mendous German counter attack which
had been beaten down only the day
before. II is significant, too, that
great German counter attack last night
against the French south OF Soyecourt
and other German attacks should have
shown so little force.
The Germans had surpassed them
selves in their preparations to meet the
attack which they knew was coming,
but which they. nevertheless, could not
stop They concentrated their utmost
resources in men and guns, drawing not
only from the reserves in the interior
but from the Verdun armies, on when
they had staked their last hope OF a
victory over France. Against the. capt,
ure Of Guillemont and Longueval, ana
10 flcAi iOlltItSf NItct liAHANhsN 49,
are struggling tonight with the cour-
orc and desperation Of cOrnered tigers.
Would Open bspaume Road.
The British capture OF these places
would mean the opening OF the road 20
Dapaume-the first objective of the
Great drive. As already told In these
dispatches, these positions are on the
crest of the Albert ridge and are the
chief points in the Germans third ana
ttrongest line. Beyond them the
ground lies almost fiat, without natural
fofcnces, but sloping down TO Bapaume.
n is these conditions that may make
ne battle which has now begun the
rreatest Of the war. The big "if' in
.he situation is whether or not there
IS another line Of trenches behind the
third Even if there Is, II cannot be so
,.rong as those for which the British
are now fighting. But II not
The Germans have been holding the
Western line by virtue Of their marvel
l1us feld fortifcations. Once driven
from them. strategists here believe they
will he overwhelmed in the open by the
superior numbers of the Allies. And
= there is no fourth line Of trenches
hey will be in the open. trying under
ire 20 withdraw from the front and re-
fOrm thelr deience alOnB new INV
before St. Quentin and Cambria, and the
British will have the chance to strike
the heaviest blow yet dealt the Kaiser's
forces. London does not know the
strength Of the German lines or the
plans Of the Allied high command. But
!, does know that big cavalry forces,
as has already been told, have been
gathered behind the Allies lines and
that cavalry is useful only when the
tight has been forced into the open.