The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-11
y TOWNS FALL


but the troops waited there until ade-
quate preparation permitted an at
/ tack on the farm buildings at the sum-
NIT which the Germans had converted
/ into a small fortress.
They are now in full possession of
this height from which they could look
} into Peronne $50 feet below. The re-
suit they claim from the whole days
fighting is command of the left bank
/ of the Somme from east of FeillereS
to a point opposite Flaucourt, the Ger
mans holding only few positions on
/ the edge of the river.
| Germans Strongly FOrtify PerOnne.
! This does not mean, French military
critics say, that Peronne can be cap
| tured out of hand. The Germans, ac-
cording to the statements of prisoners,
have constructed formidable defenses
! outside the city but the French be-
! lieve that these are not likely TO delay
the capture long when General Foch
| decides the time is ripe to make it.
/ French artillery already is begin
ming to throw a ring of fire around the
| city. How effective that artillery now
has become is described by an officer
| attached to a heavy battery on the
| Sonme front. He said:
Thanks to our aviators we never
have been spotted by the enemy's air
service since we have been in our pres
ent position. Under those conditions
our work is excellent. Objects aimed
at are smashed with remarkable pre-
cision. For example, we have just
fired four shells at a bridge more than
fourteen miles away. Four times the
aviation officer who was watching
where our shipments arrived signaled
us by wireless the simple word
! bridge
Primary Object Achieved.
London, July 11.-11:45 a. M
With the capture by the French of La
Maisonnette Hill which dominates the
frnr7
thing which happened in Peronne can
be observed, one of the primary OBJ
/ iects of the Anglo-French offensive
has been achieved. The two armies
now are engaged in an effort to or
ganize and extend the limits of the
ground they have gained and in re-
polling German counter attacks which
ara directed particularly against the
British to the north Of the river where
they succeeded in regainfng a footing
in the Trones Wood. At other points,
however, the British have been able to
make some progress, although neces-
sarily against fortified positions
The Germans on their part are
heavily Smelling the allied front from
Lens to the Belgian coast, but thus far
there have been no attempts at in
/ fantry' actions except for the usual
raids in which both sides engage. ..--..
The Russians continue their adj
vance toward Kovel and now are en-
| RdReQ IN a plICn0Q DdILlo dtOnB the
banks of the Stokhod which they
have crossed at some points. On the
rest OF the eastern front, while there
is continuous fighting at many places,
no important change occurred. Both
sides are concentrating their efforts
! on the Lutsk salient to the east of
Kovel.
! In the Caucasus and Mesopatomia
the fighting between the Turks and
| the Russians continues with varying
results The weather in the greater
part of this region, which is extremely
hot, precludes any strained efforts.
Fierce Fighting at Verdun.
Paris, July 1.-THE situation re-
manned unchanged on the Somme
front last night.
The war office statement of today
says it has been ascertained that south
of the Somme the French in the last
two days have taken more than 1900
prisoners.
On the Verdun front the Germans
launched an attack at o'clock this
morning on the French positions from
Fleury to a point east of Chenois.
They succeeded in penetrating ad-
vanced French trenches at some
points, but were expelled Immediately
by a counter attack.
/ West OF the Mouse there was active
artillery fighting in the neighborhood
! of Avocourt and Chattancourt
| Northeast of Veho the Germans ex-
/ ploded four mines, the craters of
/ which eventually were occupied by
the French.