Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-24
ASSAULT ON VERDUN
PROCEEDS WITH FURY
[Continued From First Page. ]

lSohtlnued From First Page.
have not been broken at any point bv
the terrific assaults of the 800 900 Ger
mans engaged in the offensive 1t adj
mits the loss of the village of Brabant.
which 1t characterizes as an advanced
position, but disputes the German
claim to the capture of Samogneux
An attack on the village was repulsed
it is declared.
Along the twenty-five mile front on
which the German attack is being.
directed the lighting has been of the
most desperate character. Appar-
entity 1t has been particularly intensive
near Beaumont. one of the strongest
of the French positions. but wave after
wave of German infantry rolling
against the defenses has failed to dis
lodge the French. They have been
driven out of part of the wood of
Caures. but their lines are holding
farther to the east, in front of Ornes
The French explain their retreat in
certain sectors by declaring it was to
avoid useless losses. The Withdrawals
are declared to have been effected in
perfect order
Kaiser at Front
The importance which the Germans
attach TO the Nerdun drive is indi-
Gated by the report that Emperor Will
liam has established his headquarters
back of the German front opposite
Nerdun. He is said to be making daily
speeches to the troops engaged in the
great offensive, urging them not to fall
ter in their attack.
On the French side the progress of
the battle is being followed with the
most intense interest by the public,
but confidence is expressed that the
French lines will hold. The Germans,
the Parisians declare, have suffered
tremendous losses without having
gained any real advantage as yet.
May Use "I2"
Many military observers have ad-
vanced the belief that If the Germans
succeed in pushing forward as far as
they apparently have planned they will
bring their 2-centimeter guns to
bear on the fortress in an effort to re-
duce it, The possibility is pointed out,
/ however, that unless the desired po-
sittons are reached, the character of
the terrain might prevent the success
. ful employment of the German heavy
artillery for the purpose, much of the
territory about Verdun being broken
and hilly, with elevations too great to
be cleared by shells from the giant
guns.
Paris to-day announces the bonn
bardment by squadron of French
aeroplanes of a railway station on the
outskirts of Metz, east of Nerdun. fol-
lowing which great fire was OBJ
served.
Scuttle Prize
After the men OF the German prize
crew on board the captured British
steamer Westburn had landed their
prisoners on the Canary Islands they
took the Westburn outside the harbor
of Santa Cruz, Teneriffe and sank her,
according to a Santa Cruz dispatch.
The prize crew is believed to have
been from the German sea raider
Moewe which captured the British
steamer Appam.
Portugal Seizcs Ship
An unexpected war development is
reported from Lisbon where thirty
six German and Austrian vessels in
the Tagus river were seized yester-
day by the commander of the Portu-
gese naval division. The commander,
who apparently acted on his own
initiative, hoisted the Portuguese col
ors on the vessels and saluted them
with salvo from the Portuguese
fleet.
Portugal, although not in state of
war with the central powers, is in close
| treaty relations with Great Britain
and the Portuguese congress long ago
voted to cooperate with the allies
whenever that step seemed necessary.
Pick Up Zeppelin Letter
A bottle containing last messages
from the captain of the German Yep
pelin Lie, which was wrecked in the
North sea after the recent airshfp raid
on England, has been picked up. The
final message said that the airship had
dropped into the sea and that the
crew was drowned.
Germany is reported to have Sc
cured a second contract for 100000
carloads of Rumanian grain, and TO
have entered into other commercial
engagements in Rumania.