The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-04
FRENCH GAINS
GREATER, SAYS
BERLIN REPORT
Asserts British Scored No Note
worthy Successes.
Only French Forced Enemy to
Second Lines.
RUSSIANS RENEW ACTIVITY
Launch Offensive Against
Northern German Army.
Admit Defensive Helpless I'm
der Hail of British Shells.
RUSSIANS RENEW ACTIVITY
Launch Offensive Against
Northern German Army.
Admit Defensive Helpless I'm
der Hail of British Shells.

Berlin. July 8, p. M, via London,
July 4.-On the basis of information
received by the Associated Press here,
the first results of the long heralded
entente allied offensive may be sum-
married. as follows:
mo noteworthy successes have
been scored on the British front. The
only considerable results have been
attained by the French, whose Of
fensive, as usual, was marked by
great bravery and dash. Retirement
to the second German lines occurred
where the French were the oppon-
ents.+
In coincidence with the Anglo
French offensive, the Russians have
developed activity along the whole
northern front Their activity against
the northern German armies for the
time being appears merely demon
strative but vigorous fighting is in
progress against the front OF General
Woyrsch's southern army, where at
least eight divisions are engaged. The
battle here is still stationary with no
decisive results in either direction
Bombarded Days and Nights.
1.-THE Berlin papers publish long
dispatches regarding the Anglo
French offensive from correspondents
sslt field headquarters but these con-
sfain no particular information. being
for the most part mere commentaries
on the official reports. The CORE
spondents point out that the offensive,
as in the autumn, again was launched
from the junction point of the Anglo
French armies which has moved
southwark since autumn"
The correspondents of the Lokal
Anzieger, gathering on Sunday from
German headquarters in France, de-
scribe the opening of the Anglo
French attack as follows:
For seven days and nights, artil-
lery of all calibres from field guns to
long ship guns have increasingly ham
mered the German positions, camps
and shelters behind constantly renew
ed waves of poisonous gas. The gas
drifted over, mingled with shells,
which as they burst threw corrosive,
benumbing fumes.
Helpless Under Hail of Missiles.
''The country between Ypres and
Roye was hell during the long
period OF preparation which was dou-
bic the length of that before the bat
tie in Champagne last autumn. The
only pauses cameo when saIIies were
made to determine whether an on
slaught was possible The Germans
first line trenches in many places
were completely buried under a hail
OF missiles against which the best pio-
neer force was helpless.
II CdIile as d T6lleI TO the German
troops from an almost unbearable
strain when the bombardment yester-
day ceased and strong columns ad-
vanced. These did not attack the
whole front but broad sections on
either side of the Somme and Ancre
rivers from the British northern sector
10 La BoiSselle and along the second
sector from La Boisselle to the Somne.
The first line trenches were so de-
molished that they offered no support
for their hard pressed occupants and
retirement was executed. The ruins
OF F'ricourt, Mametz and CurIu which
lay in the line of the front trenches.
had to be abandoned to the enemy
who found here relatively his greatest
success of the day.
The sector south of the Somme
reaches to Lihons, just south of the
road from Amiens to st. Quentins.
Destroy Supplies Before Exacuating.
The material left behind in the
abandonment of the front trenches
was destroyed before retirement. The
struggle continues along the whole
front with enormous violence and the
utmost use of artillery both in recur-
rent and counter attacks.
These are the results of the first
day of the monstrous combat in
which the united forces of England
France and Belgium, with an incon-
ceivable supply of munitions and can
non from the whole world, attempted
to breach the German front The first
days success may be regarded as COM