The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-26
British and Australians
Strengthen Grip on Strategic
Artery North Of Pozieres
RUSSIANS GAINING
TERRITORY In ASIA
Turks Hastily Moving Gu,
of Important Armenian
Iown-Slavs Gain Again
in Volkynia

London. July 25.-Under cover Of
a strong artillery fire, the French and
British forces are engaged in feeling
out the German third line in Picardy,
which has been greatly reinforced
and strengthened. a series of scat
tered, but violent, engagements, each
in itself battle of some proportions,
marked the day. Especially heavy
fighting took place before dawn this
morning on many parts of the front,
both north and south OF the Somme.
The most extensive of these attacks
was launched simultaneously by the
British and French on the six mile
twisting front from Pozieres TO Maui
repas. The German lines were found
to he tremendously strong. Grand
headquarters at Berlin, in an official
statement today. says that the Ger
man fire was effective in stopping
this attack at certain points, while
at others the allies were repulsed In
sharp hand to hand fighting.
Make Further Gains.
North OF Pozieres, however, the
British and Australians made further
gains, as well as In the village it
self. while south of Estres the French
Strengthened and strengthened their
lines by seizing a group of strongly
fortified houses. The French also
had local success north of vernlan-
dovillers. on the southern tip of the
Picardy battle front, occupying some
German trenches.
OF these advances the most impor-
tant was that made by the British
north of Pozieres Here the wedge
was driven, across the Bapaume high
road was widened and strengthened,
so that now a firm grip has. been es-
ahHEhe5 an this Sfrafaqtr artery
Tremendously Reinforced.
Huge numbers of reinforcements
have been poured behind the German
front. according to news from France.
and have made their precence known
by a series of the most violent coun-
ter-attacks yet delivered on this front
Throughout the night the Germans
battered at the French and British
lines. but General Haig notifies the
war office that they were uniformly
repulsed by the English gunfire.
The heaviest attacks were aimed al
the British center, but massed bat
teries poured SO terrific a fire into the
closely packed ranks which could be
moonlight that the Teutons were not
even able to reach the British
trenches. Violent as they were, the
night attacks of the Germans were
completely surpassed by an assault
launched this afternoon against
Pozieres. practically all of which il
now in the hands of the Australian
and New Zealand corps. This smash
aimed from the northeast was deliver
ed with the full power of the re-
inforced Teuton divisions. It was met
with a furious shrapnei fire. which
sprayed the advancing columns with
lead, while the heavier shells tore
great gaps in the ranks The attack
was completely broken up General
Haig wires late tonight
More Than 100000 Engaged.
Military experts estimate tonight
that more than 100000 men are
engaged in the fearful struggle in
northern France. The main battle
front is little over twenty-five miles,
although there is lighting for fully
fifteen miles beyond the original linn
its. That .he German general staff
believes the crisis of the battle is
rapidly approaching is The informa-
ton contained in a dispatch from Ge-
neva. Switzerland. which quotes Aus
trian correspondents with the Ger
man army to that effect A prolong-
ed offensive at the pressure being ex-
erted by the allies lis regarded as i'm
possible by the German generals"
says the dispatch.
An official statement issued by the
war office at Paris says that so far
the French have captured more than
$4,000 prisoners, 40 cannon. several
hundred machine guns and num-
Der of trench mortars.
More Violent Bombarding at Verdun
The night statement from Paris re-
cords violent bomhardment on the
La Laufee sector of the Verdun
front. This artillery action has been
in progress for more than eighteen
hours and is believed TO herald an
attack against the strong field work
by the Germans. here has been vio-
lent infantry hghting both northeast
and northwest of Verdun during the
last twenty-four hours German as
saults in the Hill No. 3o4 region, west
OF the river. Were repulsed. while
Berlin reports that the French un-
successfully attempted TO regain po-