The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-28
Small Force of Invaders in
Peril as French Close In
ON Position ut Fort.
KAISER'S MEN OCCUPY
VILLAGE NEAR MEUSE
Chalhpneuvillr. Northwest
Of Fortress. Evacuated
hy Garrison.
/ SNOW AND BIG LOSSES
CHECK GERMAN RUSH
Supreme Effort to Break In
Concentrated ON Front
of About a Mile.

Npff ~ "DfS bfNpH'" 90 Ahi oN
LONDON. Feb. .7-The German drive
against Ncgdun siackened somewhat
IN intensity to-day over most Of the
line. which now lies directly under the
guns of the most northerly forts. Mar
rowing their heaviest attacks to the
snort front between the Douaumont
heights and the plateau north OF the
village OF Naux. To- the east. the Ger
mans concentrated their Efforts. but
failed to gain ground.
The position Of Fort Douaumont---
the French official communiIuts do
not call 1t a for. but a position
still occupied by small German forces.
The t'rencl are closing in on this posi-
tion on three sides and announce that
the German force is maintaining itself
! only with difficulty.
The very unfavurahl- weather con.
ditions. with heavy fail of snow. may
be one reason for the lessening Of the
force ID the German attack; dispatches
from the front indicate that heavy
losses also may have had an effect.
The slopes east and west OF the village
OF Douaumon', which has been the
centre of the heaviest lighting, are
covered with German dead. according
10 the official communique issued in
Paris tonight.
Five Attacks at Fart.
Eve separate attacks have been
made by the French in an effort 10 re-
take Fort Douaumont. the German
War Office says. Each attack was
made by fresh troops. but all five were
repulsed with heavy French losses.
The number of unwounded French
prisoners taken in the seven days bat
TIE, the Berlin statement says, has
reached $1,000.
Finding the position untenable be-
cause OF the fire Of the artillery OF
both sides the French have evacuated
the Cote de Talou, to the west of Douau-
mont, and the position is now unoccu.
pied. the French say. by either side.
The official communiquc ISSUED by the
French War office Tonight saws:
Between Soissons and Rheims a
destructive fire was directed against
the opposing works In front of Vent
Eel and to the east of Troyon
In the region north of Verdun, after
IN" Violence OF the actions which
marked the preceding days, there has
been a certain lessening In the efforts
: or the enemy in the course OF the day,
I except between the height of pouau-
mont and the plateau to the north Of
k the villag" of NauN. where a strong
attack made on our posi- ions was re-
pulsed. To the east and the west OF
the position OF Douaumont the slopes
nf ara xn.tsl a. -
mans, our troops are pursuing closely
from three Sides the small enemy
forces which were able 10 gain n foot
hold there and which are maintaining
themselves there with difficulty.
According 10 the latest reports tho
Cote de Talou, rendered untenabie
both for us and for the enemy by the
bombardmcnt Of the artillery OF both
sides, Is not occupied by forces OF
either army.
In the Woevre the enemy came into
contact with our advanced posts in
the direction OF Rlanzee and Moran
Vile. where their attempts to debouch
toward i'm 2ij were checked.
In the Nosges there was an artillery
duel at MISUNDERSTANDING We
brought under our fire and dispersed
an enemy detachment in the region OF
Senones
Germans Take Champneuvillc.
In the official statement received to-
day from Berlin, the German War Ottice 0
announces that the Germans, pressing
forward to the west of Douaumont hav.
reached Nave. on the southern border
Of the wooded district northeast Of Rras.
taking Champneuvllc and the cote de
Talou on the way, The taking of Champ.
neuvil,c had already been announced by
the Germans hut the announcement was
con'radiCted ny them as based on an
erroneous report. To the east of pouau.
mont the Germans announce the storm
ing of extended fortified works ~ Har5.
aumout
The .rrn'nn Report.
The official statement issued hy the
German War Once to-day says,
ON various portions of the western