The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-07-21
SLAVS AND TEUTONS
STRUGGLE FOR KOVEL
BOTH SIDES HURL HUGE FORCE
OF MEN AND GUNS INTO
ACTION.
BRITISH MOVE FORWARD
French and British in France Fortify
Positions Already Taken and Bat
tie for New Territory-on
Italian Front.
Latest European War News.

LATEST european war NS"O'
Latest From European War Fronts.
The most violent fighting in the
great entente allied offensive is on
in the eastern front, where General
Brussiloff's tremendous blows are be-
ing continued without apparent Iull
or hesitation. Temporarily, at least,
the Austro-Germans appear to have
halted the Russian advance. Both
sides are reported to be hurting huge
reinforCements of men and guns into
this titanic struggle, the prize of which
is the immensely important strategic
town OF KOyel.
Farther south a battle Of almost
equal intensity is raging on the Low
er Stripa, where the Russians are strik-
ing north in an effort to crush Gen
eral Won Bothmer and flank the en-
tire Austro-G German line.
The Austrians admit the Russians
have penetrated General Won Both
mers front at some points, but assert
they were driven out again in counter
attacks. The Russians claim to have
taken 1000 prisoners Friday, but make
no mention of a gain in territory.
The British have held their gains on
their portion Of the Somme front and
the usual period of consolidation and
the pushing forward of the big artil-
lery is presumed to be taking place.
A similar situation exists on the
French line and a remarkably brief
French official statement of Thursday
simply records the continuance Of the
bombardment of Fort SouVille in the
Verdun region.
Two important statements in regard
10 the situation on the western front
were made in London Thursday. Pre-
mier Asquith, speaking in the house Of
lords, declared that the British supply
of munitions was ample and that the
Franco British offensive was merely at
its beginning
The second statement was made by
LlOyd.George, addressing an allied con-
ference on equipment. The minister
Of war declared the British output Of
ammunition will soon be overwhelm
ing and the new factories and work
shops have not yet attained one-third
their full capacity.
Fighting desperately in the face of
determined German attacks, the forces
under General Haig succeeded We'd
nesday in gaining control of the entire
Mametz Wood, which had been enter
ed the previous night by the Germans
In the same region north of the
Somme, the British made some prog
ress in the Trones Wood and repulsed
two heavy attacks against Contalmai
son. The Germans are reported to
have lost heavily in their attacks on
Trones Wood.
The British gains in the battle of
the SOmme after ten days continuous
fighting cover a front of nearly eight
miles and include the entire German
first system of defense, according to
the official report forwarded by Gen
eral Haig, the British commander in
chief on the western front. This ad-
vance includes number of small
towns or villages and positions which
are considered of great strategic i'm
pOrtance.
The British advance extended into
the German positions from a depth of
from 1000 to 1000 yards, many of the
villages having been strongly fortified.
The woods were full of trenches sur
rounded by barbed wire and what Cen
eral Haig describes as immensely
strong redoubts" had to be carried by
storm.
The British have retaken Contalmai-
son and are again in control of nearly
the entire extent of Trones Wood and
Mametz Wood. There has been des-
perate fighting on both of these sec
tors for several days past.
In this great battle about $4,000
prisoners have been taken by the
FrancO-British forces, of whom the
British announced they have captured
$500.
AT the same time the French army
under General Foch has moved up in
the southern section of the Somme
until It now holds the dominating hills
around Peronne, town which has
been strongly fortified by the Ger
mans and the possession of which they
are likely to contest with the utmost
determination.
The French along the Somme car
ried out some minor detached opera
lions which enabled them to strength
en- their position at La Maisonette and
apparently the French are waiting fol-
the British to straighten out their line
before making the attempt to drive
the Germans out of Peronne.
The Russians have met with success:
in Armenia and report the capture o.
Mamakhatum, fifty miles west o.
Erzerum and about the same distance
from Erzingan, the objective of thC
Russian drive in this direction. The
Turkish forces in retreating from thu
town. which was taken hY assault gel