The Washington times., 1916-02-27
FRENCH BREAK DRIVE
upon vERDUN FORTS
Joffre's Troops Resting After
Smashing Crown Princes
Front.
Continued from FIRST Psss)

CONTINUED from First Psge)
Cote du Ppivre. are covered with Ger
man dead.
The war office reports the repulse OF
every assault directed against the
ridge.
II is believed here that the climax Of
the German Offensive has been reach
cd
Forts Value DISCOUNTED.
Fort Douamont Ia the northernmost
outpost of tho fortress of Verdun as
II was constituted prior to tho pres
ent war. t.t
The value OF the various points In
the organization OF the Verdun fort
ross as II has been. rebuilt to cope
with the latest high-powered guns is
not a matter OF public knowledge.
Fort Douanlon; vas the most ad-
vanced OF the northerly forts OF the
old organization. which have been
onstrated the effectiveness OF their
high angle guns by new forts of sand
construction.
The wording Of the official com
lighting around the fort seems to I'm
dictate that Douamont In not regarded
IS an important element In the new
by the Germans of such a position so
rear to the main fortress would un-
doubtedly be of advantage to them.
Relief Felt in Paris.
The news OF the successful counter
attack by the French was greeted by
Paris with relief and renewals of
confidence in the fortress and the
troops defending It,
The past week has been one of
anxiety. and the welcome news that
the Germans had been thrown back
out OF a. strong position relieved the
strain. It is recognized that the
battle for the fort Is still in progress
the successful counter attack as a
turning point of the battle.
At the same time the fact that after
on the narrow front the Germans
have been not only held but thrown
back Is taken as an augury OF greater
With the Withdrawal behind point
north of Champneuvillc and Ornes,
these two points representing the wings
Of the battle line, the front on wnich
the Germans are concentrating their
attack, narrowed to about three miles.
Battle Line Narrow.
The French occupy heights Offering
excellent opportunities for defense. At
one point. the heights OF Louvement.
the Germans succeeded in pushing the
French hack from the edge of the
heights In their attack on Douaumont
but even this lost point seems tonight
possible OF recapture. since II IL here
that the French counter attack Is push
ing back the Germans. who for brief
interval held Fort Douaumont.
The narrowness OF the battle line per-
Inits heavily concentrated attacks. nut
n 70 IIxF NAA
Tense.
Military experts in France predict that
a French counter offensive, II not al
ready begun, will be begun in good time
and will throw the Germans, exhausted
by extraordinary losses. back over the
ground that they have struggled for
nearly q week to gain. Already the eye
witnesses at the front describe the Ger
man assault as the most sanguinary
that the war has yet developed.
Previous Attack 4 Feint.
The Petit Parisien says that the
German attack in Champagne on
February ~ was intended as a feint
10 divert attention from the prepa-
rations being made against Verdun.
Three successive waves were sent
against the French lines. supported
by asphyxiating gas and liquid fire.
but the wind changed inopportuntely
and the gas fumes and flames were
turned back against the Germans,
frustrating the attack.
French officer returned from this
front gave the following description
of the situation:
"The work up there is hot indeed.
They are gnawing at our lines q
little faster, but with no positive ad-
vantage for themselves. Previous at
tacks made by the Germans in that
section are nothing to what they are
now delivering.
II cannot of course give details, but
] can say that we are holding well
against their formidable attacks. The
artillery exchanges are intense.
Our batteries. admirably handled.
have changed ground in mastery
really fabulous.
Two Forts Under Fire.
ours are slight. a feeble percentage
OF theirs. The Germans are. 80 to
supeak. at the limits Of the Argonne
and the Mouse heights. the topography
OF which constitutes what might COM
pare to a series OF Golfer dams. The
Germans have been preparing this
stroke for a long time. 1t was in the
region of Comfans- Etain that they
gathered the bulk OF the material for
tho assault, as they had erected large
factories at those points"
forts de Belleville and de Marie are
now under fire of the German how'll
zers. There are more than 100 guns
massed behind the German lines on an
elght-mile front between ConsenVoye
and Ornes. The Matin estimates the
aN. - .Ha,.a