The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-21
Cavalry Reaches Outskirts
of ROupy, + 3-8 Miles
From st. Quentin.
GERMAN RETREAT
Is SLOWING DOWN
British Occupy II More
Villages and Push on
Toward Cambrai.

ADSpoS' "arSu <V-E feHrn cavalry
north OF the somme. pressing hard on
the retreating Germans, has pushed
forward TO the outskirts OF Roupy.
within four and half miles OF ST.
Quentin. at which point. according to the
latest dispatches Tonight, they gave
Chase to German cavalry patrols.
Between Amens and Rheims the
French have occupied Tergnier. an i'm
por,ant railway junction Of 5000 in
hab,aNts, a scant thirteen miles south
Of 81. Quentin.
The hrst of these announcements
means that the troops Of the tricolor
are now within striking distance of the
so-called Hindenburg line. the supposed
goal of the retiring foe. To the north.
meanwhile. the British are doggedly
pushing forward toward Cambria. on
the Lille-La Fere line. They are sd-
vancing more slowly than the French
troops, but nothing in the official reports
or IN the versions OF newspaper corre-
sponjents at the front indicates that
either army has yet come in contact
with the main German forces
~ More villages Occupied.
British troops have cleared fourteen
more French villages Of Teuton invaders
on the front south OF Arras. passing the
genera line stretching from Canizy
through Estree-en-Chaussee. Nurlu and
Nclu to 81. Leger. the most distant OF
'hes. within twelve miles OF Arras
oil a,N1>t III.
th headquarters in France, Reuters cor
Respondent says:
The pace OF the German retreat
seems to have slowed down considerably
during the last twenty-four hours, a fact
Tor which the very wild weather may
veil be responsible. A violent equinoc-
tial gale has been roaring over northern
France and Is still very heavy. although
II has veered more to the north. with fire.
Quent feeting slimpses of sunshine.
Many rain squalls have swept over
the battle area, but these have no; suf-
hccd 10 render the ground bad and there
IL keen drying edge in the wind. Not
NithstandinS the tempestuous weather.
however, our troops nave made consid-
cradle progress.
Followed roughly from the south Of
SErss our front now runs through or on
tie fringe OF the following places Beau
rains, Mercatel, Boiry- Becquerelle. Boy
e!lcs. St Lcger. Mory. Vaulx-Vraucourt,
bsuguy, Hapl!ncourt. Barastre. Bus Lee
chee, Etricourt. Mo!siains. Peronne.
Do!ngt. 81. Christ, Voyennes and Canizy
70 the ne!g borhood of Ham, on the east
ward bend Of the Somme fourteen miles
southeast OF Peronne).
No Heavy Fighting.
'pur cavalry and infantry patrols are
e""rywhere active 10 the east Of this
line. We hold the line of the somme in
s'TengtR from Peronne southwark 10
Csn!zy. our reconnaissance patrols are
active n ilr east as Mons-eH-Chaussee
IL several sectors between Bapaume
and Arras our cavalry maintained their
touch with the enemy all day yesterday
There Was a good deal Of skirmishing.
but no heavy fighting"
French av!ators report the destruction
by the Germans OF the thirteenth century
ruins OF Coucy-le- Cha teau, one OF the
htr,k.ns monuments Of the feudal aRes.
Coury \ ten miles north of Sois sons
Ia medieval castle was unsurpassed in
the sOlidty OF its architecture az was
evidenced by the fact that its huge tower
has remained standing to the present.
The German statement records the in
f!cti"n Of heavy losses to our adver-
rait III SSNefal engagements OF III
farry ana cavalry detachments in the
district between the Somme and the
Cse. In the preparation OF this field
Tor an engagement, everything. the re-
port says, which might later have been
o. advantage 10 the French In their oper-
atoms had been rendered useless.
40 indication Of the purpose and
meaning Of the dramatic retreat IL
forthcoming from Berlin. French mill
ran retirement has already released
100000 TO 100000 troops, who are now
sra!!able for long predicted counter
offensive against the Allies At a point
which Is yet only speculative. The Paris
newspapers regard some such move on
the part o' Won Hindenburg as almos,
certain and discuss the possibility Of
smother tremendous effort TO smash
way through to Calais.
official Reports.
To-day's ;Siciai reports follow:
French-From the Somme 70 the
Aisne our troops while making new
progress occupied the reconquered
zone
North OF the Somme our cavalry
pushed forward as far as the out
skirts OF Roupy. about seven kilome-
.ers flour and three-eighth miles)
from ST, Quentin. where they gave
Chase TO German cavalry patrols.
Northeast OF Chauny our infantry
occupied Tergnier to-day and crossed
ne canal OF st. Quentin. Several
'rely skirmishes with enemy detach-
ments ended TO our advantage.
In the course OF this pursuit ex-
tending over several days we have suf-
Tered quite insignificant losses on tho
entire front Everywhere In our ad-
vance we have been able to observe
proved vandalism and systematic de-
struction carried out by the enemy
wh!ch for the greater part was OF no
military value.
This afternoon our av!ators reported
that the historic ruins OF Coucy-le-
Chateau have been destroyed by an
explosion.
Evacuatins Noyon the enemy car