The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-02
Division After Division Sent
Forward and Ground Is
Taken and Lost Again
DAY OF QUIET ALL
ALONG SOMME LINE
Each Side Tell of Staggering
Losses of Other Berlin Says
English Have Won Two and
Half Miles at Cost 10000
Men

London. Aug. while the armies
in Plcardy today enjoyed a temporary
respite after their tremendous efforts
of the last month the Germans re-
newed their furious attacks against
Verdun.
Throughout the day division after
division was sent. forward In violent
assaults against the French defenses
northeast of the fortress. The often
siye was delivered on front of three
and a half miles extending from west
OF Thiaumont To the district of Naux.
The French war Office tonight
claims the uniform defeat of every
German effort, and in addition de-
clares that the French were able them
selves to make progress 10 the south
of the powerful Thiaumont work.
The Germans at midnight opened
strong BON hardment along almost
the entire front northeast of Nerdun.
At dawn the Grown Prince sent for
ward HIS soldiers in the first attack.
This was delivered west and south of
Thiaumont work and according TO the
French war office. collapsed before the
French shrapnel and machine gun
fire Throughout the forenoon the
Germans continued their attacks in
this sector and according to Paris.
! HuiiSita ESFEle ION@tS Nithput nav kll =
any gains 10 show.
Greatest Attack Comes.
In the afternoon they diverted their
attention to the other end OF the
front and felt out the French lines
there. Then just before shutdown af-
ter a furious bombardment the great =
est attack Of the day was delivered
on n short front comprising. ting
Chenots and Chapitre woods and ex-
tending into the Naux sector
The assault carried the Teutons
forward into advanced sections Of the
Chenois defenses, but failed elsewhere.
And before the conquered ground
could be organized 70 rdefense. Gen.
Nivelle sent his troo~- out in great
counter attack Every inch of the
ground was retained. he notified the
war Office tonight
Day of Rest ON Somme.
On the Somme front both sides
were content to rest today after a
month Of the most terrible aghting
the world has ever seen. This after
noon for the first time, intimatfons be-
gan to leak out from the rival war
Offices OF the tremendous destruction
OF the conflict. All previous estimates
of the loss Of life shrank into insig-
nificance before these figures
An. official estimate made in Paris
sets the German loss for the first two
weeks OF the Franco British offensive
on the Somme at 20. 900 men day. a
total of ESQ, 600 men in a fortnight
The losses since have also been seri-
Gus.
The Berlin grand headquarters sets
$50, 600 men as a cautions estimate
OF the allied casualties. against which
the French and British can show a
gain of only two and a half miles on
an eighteen-mile front, Berlin de-
clares that the German line has not
been shaken at any point and that
even the British will not claim that
II has after their experience of los
ing 100000 men in less than a month.
French Loss At Least 10000.
The French had to do the biggest
part of the job says the Berlin state
ment, and even taking into considera
ton their superior fighting skill their
losses cannot be less than 10000"
AS the result of the slow progress
made by the allied offensive con-