The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-09-12
Troops Under General Sir Doug
las Haig Also Capture Ground
To South As Far As Fringe Of
Bots Leuze In Hard Fighting
CIRCLE OF STEEL NOW
DRAWN AROUND COMPLIES,
Hundreds Of Miles Of Front Is
Wrested From Teutons In Con-
tIict Where Both Sides Admit
Battling was Most Desperate
(Asspctatod Press by Federal wireless)

tAssPciated Press by Federal Wireless)
T ONDON, September 10, The
French and British armies NORTH
Of the Somme river are slow III
closing on COmbles. South of that
heavily fortified German positions the
French have pushed wedge well TO-
the east of lie Forest, while to the
north the British yesterday recaptured
Ginchy, and took all of the ground ly.
ing to the south as far as the southern
fringe of the Bots Lcuze. ~, -
This advance brings the troops undor
Sir Douglas llaig to less than a Cdliar
ter of a mile from the fOrtifcations
protecting Comblcs, about which there
is now drawn a half-circle of steel,
Nowhere at that whole front has the
lighting been more desperate than that
in this sector yesterday. q
Germans Hurled From Trenches
1t began with terrible lombard
ment Of the guns, as usual, then at
tack followed attack, until the Brit
ish infantry had fairly thrown the
Germans out of their trenches, and had
reoccupicd all of the town for which
there has been so much fighting during
the last few days.
lie ROis LcuZC has afforded a protec-
tlon to the flank of the COmbles posi-.
ton, which the Allies apparently do not
wish to attack by direct assault until
they are in II position to pour heavy
fire upon it from all sides. They have
therefore concentrated their efforts
against the woods, and have taken it
although they must have paid heavy
price for the ground.
Fighting Was Desperate
French official dispatches yesterday
declared that the fighting was the
most desperate -eharacterp and the
British accounts say that the loss suf-
f"rcd by the German defenders of
Glnchy and the woods was Extremely
hcaVy.' This was due in large part
I" the tremendous fire of the heavy
guns, ns we'll rs to the hand to ha nd
lighting that followed the advance OF
the infantry hnttnlions.
East of High Wood the British also
reported gains. Here the struggle wat
severe, for the Germans were in an ex-
c"llrnt defensive position, and the at
hackers were exposed to the fire of the
German machine guns and heavier ar
tillrry.
In spite of this handicap, however
the British stormrd the positions anG
tue official accounts Of the fighting say
that they gained three hundred yards
Of German trenches and withstoo tn,
cnuntcr-uttacks which were launched bv
the Tcutons.
The British also launched a number
of attacks northeast of Pozieres, in the
ncighborhood of Martinpuich,. on the
road TO Bapaumr. Here they were
even more successful, for the official
c"mmumqurs tell Of the capture of 900
yards of German positions there after
some exceptionally heavy fighting.
South Of the Sommc the French con!
tinurd their steady advance, slowly
widening the salient they are driving
into III" German line and strengthening
out tl"ir own line wherever possible
The Paris statement issued by the war
othr" last night reported series OF
minor gains in that sector.
French Drive Out Teutons
The N"rdm fighting continued. Yes
terdUN there were Il number of attacks
and rountrr-uttacks from each side
The French reported that they had re
pulsed German assaults on their posi-
tions, while in the neighborhood OF
FIrurN til" poilus under General Pc
tain cleared the Germans out of 9
whole section of trenches, and With
stood the counters launched at them
Immediately afterward. Paris officially
reported yesterday that the French
have tnhrn ZOO prisoners since Sep
TENDER ).
Other sections Of the western line re
ported heavy artillery fire in places
but for the most part there was moth
ing verify of especial note.
The Italian front in the TrentinC
Was not so quiet yesterday. The Aus
trinnS attacked in force and succeeded
in breaking through the first line OF
the Italian trenches. Rome in max
ing tn" announcement, added that
cpuntr. attacks by the Latins had re
suited in the rccapturc Of most OF
thrs" POSITIONS.
Farther north and east, in the
Mount +, fnna zone, the Italians re
Iortrd cams in the taking of some
minor Austrian positions and The re
uiar {, IL number of Austrian attacks.