, 1916-02-19

W" 'OJ ONiAAs LII
Artois our trench guns shelled the enemy
organizations IN the neighbourhood of the
road to Lille. 10 the west of the Disc our
batteries bombarded a train and a reyictual-
ling convoy in the station at Epagny north
OF Vlcalsne. TO the northeast of SCISSORS
we carried out destructive fires on the Ger
man works. In the Argonne at La File
Morte we exploded a mine occupying the
crater. In Upper Alsace in the course of
the day our artillery held under it's fire Ger
man positions east of Seppois.
London, Feby. 15th.-The official COM
munlcation issued last night says: Last
evening after heavy bombardment on the
whole front of the Ypres salient to the south
OF Hooge the enemy made several infantry
attacks. Between the Ypres Confines canal
ana the Apres-Comines railway the enemy
broke into our front trench on a front If
about 600 yards. All his other attacks fall
ed. A heavy bombardment on both sides
continues.
Petrograd, Feby. 15th-The War Office
to-day made public the following communi-
cation: Caucasus front: In the course of
our offensive in the Erzerum region after
artillery preparation we stormed and carried
one OF the Erzerum forts, capturing more
than ~ guns as well as prisoners and MUM,
tlons. On the west (Russian) front German
avlators have appeared over the Riga sector.
The firing from both sides has been lively in
this entire sector. On the Dvinsk Sec r
there has been a continuation of the despe-
rate lighting for the possession of a crater
near llloukst which we now occupy. Be-
tween the Modmousk lakes enemy detach-
ments have occupied q wood southwest of
Rouguenlchky. South of Pripet, in the re-
glon OF Ezetzy, a force of Cossacks attacked
an Austrian force and destroyed it. In the
region of the upper Stripa numerous detach-
ments OF our scouts worried the enemy
throughout the night provoking an enemy
fire which LASTED throughout the day. on
the middle Stripa our artillery fired upon
four aeroplanes. One of them was hit and
fell inside the enemy's line.
Petrograd, Feby, 15th-An official state
ment to-day reports the failure of all German
attacks along the Riga front, where he Rus
SLAMS are declared to be retaining all their
positions. The statement also asserts that
there have been serious outbreaks among the
German troops near Wilma, in one of which a
lieutenant was killed and numerous officers
and soldiers afterwards court-martialled.
London, Feby. 15th--The Germans are
preparing for a still greater offensive blow in
the Champagne designed to hurl back the
French on a ffteen-mile front from the Chal-
let7nse runway according to dispatches re-
celved here to-day. Since yesterday a steady
roll of heavy German artillery has shaken
the hills OF the Champagne. The Germa1s
are hurting thousands of high explosive shells
on the French positions or the ridges cou-
centrating their fire on Tahure just east of
the Navarin farm. Paris expects the Ger
man blow to fall before tonight. The bonn
bardment was SO vicious that French troops
were under cover practically all of yesterday.
According to advices received here sharp
clashes between hand grenade parties oc-
Cured at the western end of the Cham
payne battle front, but there was no
attempt during the daylight hours to
recapture the trenches taken by the Teu-
tons in the violent assaults of the pre-
ceding night. The present struggles be-
ginning with nibbIing attacks are now
spreading to every front and are be-
beginning to attract the serious attention of
military critics here. It is admitted that the
German gems in the Champagne 10 the last
three days have been the most important adj
vances registered by the enemy in several
months.