The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-28
Two of Four Main Railway
Lines Feeding st. Quen-
tin Are Cut.
LAST DIRECT ROAD
TO Ia FERE IN PERIL
British Advance Toward
Cambrai and Win Three
Points.

LONDON, Marcn Si-l he FESHCH
troops, advancing with irresistible dash.
have captured the whole Of the lower
Forest OF Coucy. the formidable natural
barrier which lies between them and
Laon the southernmost fortress on the
Hndenburg line. In driving this wedge
they captured the villages OF Petit
Bariss, Verucuil and Coucy-la-Nille,
which are clustered within a radius Of
Ave or six miles, approximately thirteen
miles west OF Laon and elk miles south
Of La Fere. The villages are about
thirty miles southeast of st. quentin.
Meanwhile the British, advancing to-
ward Cambria from the southwest,
have taken Equancourt, Leranont and
Longavesnes. thirteen. fourteen and sew
enteen miles. respectively from their
goal and tine most distant OF them eight
miles from Peronne. from which they
pressed forward few days ago.
To-day's German statement admits
the loss also Of Raisel. six miles directly
east of Peronne. occupied by the Entente
uoops, the announcement asserts. "after
repeated efforts" The French gains to
the south between the Oise and Coucy-
le-Chateau are explained by Berlin In
gave way to avoid being outfianked."
Two Of Railway Lines Cut.
Driving forward both north and south
Of St Quentin, the very heart or the
Hir!enbury line, the Allies have cut
two OF the four main railway lines which
feed the city. while to-days advance mas
brought a third we'll within reach OF the
French guns The Germans are con-
,inuing their desperate efforts to wrest
from the French the Essigny-Benay pla-
teau, from which Gen. Nivelle's guns
command the southern approaches'to to the
CITY, rendering it's position, in the opin-
Ion OF military critics. one of grave peril.
The French made a substantial ad-
vance to-day south of the Somme. mov-
ing forward In places as far as three
miles from their positions yesterday
with the result that the big bulge In
the line formed by the lower Coucy
forest has disappeared and the front
runs continuously straight from the
Sonme 10 the Aisne.
Coucy -le-Chateau, which is perchet
or height, could not be attacked from
Ire front, and the French, following Ma
poleons maxim OF going around an OBJ
stacle that cannot be surlnounteo
cleared the Germans out of the lower for
est The operation was carried out witt
skill and despatch and Coucy. turned oil
the right, fell into their hands.
Strong German Position Located.
The Germans naturally did not place
Their main position on the automaticali!
ou;fankable Coucy plateau, and 1t eVi
IDENTIFY lies further In the rear. Behint
the lower forest and plateau Is a Nalt
passing from Anizy-le-Chateau through
Quincy Rasse and Aulers to Fresnes
On the upper. side Of this natural moat
rising abruptly to n height OF $50 feet
lies the upper Coucy forest. from which
artillery can sweep the plateau.
Il is there that the enemys main po
s.ton will be found. II Is most Tor
mdable position and admirably adapted
to defence. and IL is to be foreseen tha
tie French. who are acting with tn
great prudence the situation demands
Will mark time here, as on the NOR
northerly sections, and give the column
operating between the Ailette and tn
Aisne time TO work UP toward Anizy an
threaten The position from the left hank
Aside from the announcement OF tn
capture by the British of villages nort
and east Of Peronne neither the Britis
nor the German communication throw
much light on the operations in the Ar
rss sector, 1t is apparent that tn
progress Of these troops Is much slowe
than that OF the French further sout
and that Gen. Haig Is meeting with de
termned resistance OF the general sit
nation IN France the Reuter- correspon
dent at British army headquarters tele
sraphed to-day:
notwithstanding a continuance OF ad
verse weather conditions. there was cor
siderable activity during the last twenty
Your hours. The taking of Lagnicoui
sraghteus our line between Beaumet
and 'roisilles, sector of our advanc
which the Germans continue to dispu,
more vigorously than elsewhere.
our cavalry yesterday captured II
Village OF Equancourt. on the Tortil
River. on which the enemy at one tin
expected to make stand. but which "
now are well across. They also took II
village Of Longavesnes. the possession
which greatly improves our line b.
tween Rosel and Nurlu. The wcath'
Continues bad"