The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-11
lBy Carl w. Alderman, United Press
Staff Correspondent

lBy Carl w. Alderman, United Press
Staff Correspondent
BERLIN, July 1.-THE great al
he'd offensive will end in defeat with
In . few weeks and will be followed
by negotiations for peace, in the
opinion OF well informed persons in
Berlin.
The check administered to the Brit.
ish in the death struggle north Of
Somme, has given rise to the nation
al hope that peace viii follow the
fighting in Picardy, which has been
marked by unprecedented slaughter.
The German people are practically a
unit in believing the attempt OF the
allies to force the German line is
doomed to failure.
Except on one narrow sector. the
British have been unable to make
any perceptible impression on the
German lines, despite their over
whelming superiority in men. Inn
petuous dashes have frequently car
ried General Haig's men into German
positions. where they were immed-
lately cut off and killed or captured.
The French, more prudent, have
made some progress south of the
Somme, but thus far neither French
nor British have developed the pow
erful attack necessary to break COM
pletely the deadlock in the west and
roll the Germans out of France and
Flanders. The feeling prevails here
that when the extent OF the British
losses becomes fully known in Eng
land, coupled with the fact that the
German line still remains intact.
public opinion will demand that
peace be made without further slaugh-
ter.
German experts are quite certain
that the British will never quit the
attack without first feeling out other
sectors of the German front in the
hope of finding an opening. But
they are confident that the British
will have no greater success against
the strongly fortified lines further
north, than they have had between
the Ancre and the Somme.
Some of the more optimistic OF the
German correspondents, notably the
correspondent at the front of the
Vossische zeitung, believe that the
allied offensive already has been
brought to standstill.
Austrians Sink Ships.
BERLIN, July II. (Via wireless to
Sayville, l.. I)-At least four and
possibly five armored British patrol
boats were destroyed by the Aus
trian cruiser Novara in an engage
ment off Otranto road, the Austrian
admiralty announced in an official
statement received here today.
cat dawn our cruiser Novara, off
Otranto road, met a group of four, or
according to the declarations of pris-
oners, five armored British patrol
boats said the official statement.
"All the patrol boats were destroy
ed by our fire. All sank, three burn
ing after boiler explosions. OF the
crews, the Novara could rescue only
nine British sailors"
The Strait of Otranto, where the
naval engagement occurred, con-
meets the Adriatic and Ionian seas.
1t lies between the southeastern
coast Of Italy and the coast of AL
bania.
British RepuIsed.
BERLIN, July 11.-Repulse OF
strong British attacks on both sides
of the Bapaume-Al5ert highway, be-
tween the Ancre and the Somme was
announced by the war Office this aft
ernoon. The attacking enemy forces
were moved down by German fire be-
fore they came to close fighting.
Repeated British attempts to re