The Washington herald., 1916-02-25

Five Miles from Nerdun.
ION the wings" says the midnight off,
cial statement. we have carried back
our line. on one side to the rear Of
samogneux and on the other side to the
south Of ornes.''
The Germans, fighting within FIVE miles
of the great fortress Of Verdun itself.
now hold the villages of Brabant-Sur-
Neuse, Haumont, Ssmogneux and ornes,
as well as the entire wooded district TO
the northwest. north and northeast They
also report the capture Of Beaumont and
Herebois.
The French deny that their front has
been broken at any point The retire
rnent has been made in good order, it is
stated. and certain points surrendered in
oder to avoid unnecessary losses.
With the Kaiser himself reported on the
verdum battlefield and with the crown
prince directing operations. the Germans
ere launching countless attacks against
the French front.
Fight on Twenty-nve-mile Front.
Their UNPRECEDENTED expenditure of
shells continues and the bombsrdment Is
Continuous on a twenty-five mile front.
The roar of thousands Of guns and the
shrek Of shells continues day and night.
Fierce infantry assaults, delivered with
what the French describe as desperate
determination" are multiplying.
According to dispatches to London
newspapers, the Kaiser is making nu-
merous speeches to his troops as they go
into battle. encouraging them to face the
deadly fire and inspiring them not to
yield until the great French stronghold
IL in their hands
Long trains of wounded are being
transported back across the German from
tier. according to news dispatches to-
night. The German losses are described
as enormous
The French midnight reports tells of
heaps Of German bodies left upon the
field"
The attack on verdun is viewed as
Germany's final and greatest effort.
Last Desperate Effort.
Tt is recognized" says a dispatch,
that if this supreme effort fails, an hope
Of Germany ending the war VIGOROUSLY
will be abandoned"
The leading military critics declare
that the Kaiser chose the present mo-
nent to launch an offensive in order to
forestaH the concerted offensive planned
by the allies for the spring, in which,
the authorities estimate, more than
100000 troops operating in every the
alter of war. were to cooperate and en-
compass Germany's immediate downfall
The loss Of the village Of Brabant-Sur-
Meuse Is not regarded here as serious.
The attitude taken by all critics here is
that the fve days bombardment of the
French advance positions must neces-
sariIy have resulted in the abandonment
Of certain shattered portions of the line.
II Is felt that the outlook is far from
gloomy.
staying Powers Praised.
Parisfans are expressing intense salts
fatcIon in the staying powers Of the
army. The military critics with one
voice point out that II the French troops
hold out for a few days longer the Ger
man drive will batter itsel ito pieces
and gradually die away.
News reaching here this evening is that
the crown prince Is preparing to go to
the Balkans and Turkey in the second
week Of March. indicating that the Ger
mans are not prepared TO continue the
battle longer than ten days and that they
have resolved to win through to Yer
dun or admit their complete failure by
the end Of the coming week.