The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-02-28
War SUMMARY
PROGRESS OF CONDITIONS As
COMPILED BY THE ASSO-
GATED PRESS.

New York, Feb. especial: The
French war office. in it's latest of
fetal statement, describes the battle
around Fort Douaumont, II of the
outlying forts Of Verdun, as desper-
ate, but makes no actual admission of
the capture OF the fort by the Ger
mans, as claimed in the official com
munication issued at Berlin.
Fort Douaumont. says the French
statement, is an advance element of
the old defense organization of the
Verdun fortress and goes on to say
thai the position captured Saturday
morning by the Germans, after sew
eral fruitless attempts, vas reached
again by French troops, who succeed
ed in advancing beyond that point
and have maintained their ground.
The position referred to is not clear
ly defined.
Heavy bombardments by the Ger
mans. to the east and west of the
Meuse were met by vigorous counter
attacks and the French have resisted
the attempts OF the Germans TO cap
ture Champneuville and La Cote de
IOINIf u GDDtl illllJs WV H13AtA~A
of strategic importance.
In some quarters a continuation OF
the battle %centering around Verdun
for the next few weeks is looked for.
The crown princes armies engaged
i'm the terrific battle have had their
way blasted for them. according to
correspondents near the scene, by
what is said to be the greatest con
centration of artillery fire known to
history, in which the monster guns OF
the Germans and Austrians, brought
from the Serbian and Russian fronts
have played an important part.
With this mighty aid, the infantry
has, down the valley of the Meuse
gained the hills southwest of Lowe
mont. not more than four miles from
the fortress and carried fortified po.
sitions to the east, Berlin declares
the Brandenburg regiments p%artieu'
larly distinguishing themselves il
storming Fort Douaumont.
While this was going on, the Ger
mans in the Woeyre were assailint
the French lines on the eastern side
OF the salient, the w operations ap
parently being designed to push il
the sides of the projecting front,
buckling process. which, If kept up
would soon result in the fall of the
fortress.
Notwithstanding the concentration
OF attention upon the great struggle
on the western front, the current dis
patches show hat events of consider
able interest, while not comparable ii
importance TO those around Nerdun
are happening in other war theaters
From Persia the Russian an
nouncement that the important cit,
of Kermanshah has been taken b.
storm by Russian forces. Recent Pc
trograd adyices have indicated an ex
ception that the southern moyemen
of this Russian army might eventual
ly link in up with the British operat
ing in n%eighboring Mesopotamia. Tn
advance to Kermanshah places tn
,. Russian column within $50 miles o
Kut-el-Amara on the Tigris, nea
which a British force is at presen
stalled on its march to the relief o
; Gen. Townsend's beleagured arm
at Kut.
In Albania the Austrians are eyi
IDENTIFY having things all their ow.
way. particularly in the territory a
far south as D%urraZo. An officia
, statement issued in Rome admits tn
|. evacuation of Durrazo by the tia
: ians, who recently were reported t
, have beer defeated on the outskirt
of the city by the Austrians.