New Britain herald., 1917-10-17
ALLIED OFFENSIVE
 STILL SUCCESSFUL
War Department Gives Out Re- Sume of Weeks Fighting
ALLIES LOW CASUALTIES


 While the Infantry Was Further Im-
 peded By the Fact That the Artillery
 Had Flowed Up the Ground.
 Washington, Oct. 17.-French suc- cesses in Flanders, broadening the great wedge which the Allies are re- lentlessly driving into the German line are described as the outstanding feature of the week in the review of military operations for the week end- ing October 13, issued today by the war department.
 ''The Allied offensive in Flanders continues ethodically," says the re- review. Assigned objectives attained with increasing regularity indicate ef1i- cient coordination of artillery pre- paration and infantry attacks.
 ''The precision of the Allied bar rage is proved by the low casualties of the assaulting columns.
 "The deadly effect of Allied artil- lery fire is confirmed by reports reach ing us regarding the concern of the German high command at the new Allied "typhoon'' fire which is com- polling the enemy to amend his tacti-
 
 the shock of shells rained upon his lines.
 "The successes attained by the French forces operating north of the British sector, more particularly ill the neighborhood of the Houtholst wood, have given the Allied advance in Flanders the needed elbow room.
 Breadth of front is an essential condition for operations which are to have far-reaching results for, confined to a too narrow base, really import ant encircling movement can have no sustained value If along its entire length it can be flanked by artillery fire.
 y''The zone of operations in the Ypres salient formerly too narrow for the proper disposition of large masses of troops, has now, by the French CO., operation and their recent successful advance, so extended the line that fighting in what was the Ypres salient has changed in character. It Is no longer to be considered a salient, but an ever extending wedge progressive ly driven into the German lines.
 'The operations of the French dur ing the past week are in fact comple- mentary to the engagements which r0SulLoO III Lu0 CdpIuIO oA "SooAlASS ny the British last June.
 During the engagements of the week the French everywhere main- tained the positions won in the race of repeated onslaughts.
 "As was to be expected at this sea- son, bad weather has come. which re- tarded the Allied advance. Opera tions were hampered owing to the fact that the well-drained ground of the Passchendaele ridge once passed over, the advancing columns are confronted with the waterlogged, soggy Flanders plain, which stretches on to Roulers and beyond.
 s"The infantry was further impeded by the fact that Allied artillery prep aration has so plowed up the ground that the terrain has been turned into a sea of mud, making the going almost impossible Torrential rains and low lying clouds rendered aircraft obser- vation difficult and, under ordinary circumstances would have caused a suspension of offensive operations. But the inclement weather has not pre- vented the extension and consollda- ton of Allied gains during the week.
 "The Germans. fearing lest the AL lied advance in Flanders would be fol- d sectors of the front, particularly north of Verdun, endeavored to thwart AL lied plans by launching powerful at tack preceded by the usual intensive artillery preparation in this sector.
 The enemy was able to gain a tenn porary footing in certain advanced French lines. Latest advices show that he was driven out after some hot fighting.
 "It must be remembered that if commander in the field is willing to pay the price both in the lives of his men, as we'll as in an overwhelming expenditure of munitions, he is in- variably able to score a local success. This the Germans gained in their as- sault On the French positions along the right bank Of the Mouse, in the region north of Hill 344.
 "The enemys success was however, more short-lived than was to be antici- pated when it's cost is taken into con- sideration For not only did the French regain the positions momen- tarily lost, but they are now holding their positions against exceedingly heavy enemy pressure. at the same time successfully carrying on their of- fensive engagements in Flanders, as we'll as raiding the enemy's lines at other points"
 STEAMER IS SENT DOWN. Norwegian Vessel Sunk by Submarine