The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-08
Essential Unit i in French
Defensive Ring Taken in
Tremendous Attack
AUSTRIANS MOVING
TO AID OF GERMANS
French War Office Deeply Con-
cerned Over Heavy Drive
Now Operating Against
French Left Wing

London, March 1.-THE great
German drive against Verdun In
shifting to the west, apparently.
Infantry attacks between Betiiin-
court and the Meuse are increaS-
ing and the Germans have made
come gains there today.
With the aid of gus and under
cover OF a heavy boanba rtirnent
they advanced to the outskirts OF
Regneyilie, ON the Mouse, one
southeast of FORCES. and four
miles northwest OF Verdun.
In n tremendous attack by go
600 men they carried Hin 2a5, an
essential unit In the French de-
fensive ring.
Later they exhibited themselves In
the t'orbeaux woods southeast OF the
Cote de LOie Goose HID. thres
miles south Of Forges, which the Ger
mans captured yesterday. This makes
q great gain during the twenty-four
hours.
the German guns are now batter
ing at Cote de LOie.
Activity confines pna hatea on the
eastern end OF the line. where thu
lis p4% nv ssnf.4t lac s.t.s4 se vi
Fresnex. in the woevre District. early
.. s44HG,
i'm Champagne the Germans are
again driving against the Rheims
Nsrdun Railway and furious attacks
have uevn maoe against the French
positions around Maisons de Cham
payne This is a part of the general
scheme TO throw a ring OF troops
around Nerdun and completely cut on
tthe fortress with its army
Reinforcing Germans.
a report comes from Genoa that
Austrian troops are moving into
France to- reinforce the Germans.
y dispatch from Melbourne states
that Minister OF Defense Pearee has
announced that an Austrian sfegs
brigade is fiKhting at Nerdun.
Suspicion Ia growing here that when
the Germans ind themselves unable
TO make further progress against Yer
dun a diversion VIII be made against
Belfort, the great French fortress. 1os
miles to the southeast and close to
the frontier OF Aisace and almost due
west from Muelhausen.
Color In given to this surmise by
reports received from the border that
numerous accommodating flights Of
German aeroplanes over Belfort terri
tory have been observed. These
fights invariably cut short the Ger
man incursions, compelling their re-
treat
The Inhabitants OF Belfort wit
messed a thrilling aerial fght over tho
city. which ended in discomfort to
the Germans
According to German reports. the
Kaiser fears a big French offensive
against Alsace.
The frontal attacks OF the Germans
against Nerdun by way of Douaumont
appears to have been abandoned In
favor OF the vast encircling move
ment
French Deeply Concerned
That the French war once Is deeply
concerned over the drive at the French
left wing Is indicated by Its givina
utterance to the official assurance that
Bethincourt still remains In its hands
as we'll as a greater portion of the Cor
beaux woods, the Cumieres woods and
Cote de L'Oie. These positions are
bearing the brunt of the German at
taeks.
Cote de LCie, against which a terri
nc rain of artillery fire Is being poured
preliminary TO the new infantry as
sAults. is the hulwark of the new
French FIRST line on this sector Di-
rectly to the south and the keystone n
the second line, is lie Mort Homne
fDeadman's HID. Both these positions
are stronger geographically, and by
artificial organization than was Fort
Douaumons. frst Of the outer range o.
strongholds to fall.