New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-16
Advance Posts Near Serre
Abandoned Under Or
ders," Says Berlin
FOE WEAKENING,
ASSERTS MAURICE
British Raids Gained
Three-Quarters of a Mile
on 1O,0OO-Yard Front

London. Feb. 1.-THE British pres
sure on the German lines north OF the
Somme has not relaxed in the last
tventv-four hours, and while General
Haig reports no spectacular advance
the German official statement admits
withdrawal under orders" in the re-
cion between Serre, which the British
have clearly indicated they mean to
take. and the bend Of the river near
Peronne.
The war reports from both London
end Berlin agree or the artillery IRE N
this sector That from Berlin says:
Yesterdays artillery duel between
Serrc and the Somme grew to especial
strength in the evening hours. Many
heavy guns were employed. There we're
no infantry attacks, under our EN-
Gent fire, with the exception of small
local advances directed against some
of our advanced posts, which, as had
been ordered, gave way toward our
main ngntlnG postum
Maurice Tells of Successes
What these small local advances
mean. both to the Germans and th'
British. was explained to-day By VA
ior General r. 3. Maurice, Chlet u
rector Of Military Operations at the
war Office. The ground gained since
Tho first of the yeaE he declared, COW
cred a depth of quarters OF
mile on a front of 10000 yards, while
the 1000 German prisoners orougnI
hack more than counteroalanced the
entire British losses. ,. 49,
"During the last fortnight SAID the
General. II have had chance 10 see
ehe results Of our raids, when, as you
nav have noticed, are divided INTO Two
forns: those on the Somme 'front.'
where we are securing the new sroGnu'
particularly observation points, ana Or
the remainder of the front, wnere We
raid the enemy's trenches, worry the
Germans and improve our own morale
Roth forms have been succsfsful.
"On the Ancre. since the Srst OF tn
vear over a front of nine thousand
Yards we have gained ground 20 depth
of nearly three-quarters OF mile
while elsewhere in the Somme section
terrain TO an equal depth has beer
Gained over a thousand-yard front.
These gains have not only gwen US eA-
cclIent vantage posts. but the encour-
arement Of our morale has Deen VerS
g,cat. while we have reason 20 oelle'e
tine effect on the enemy has been eA-
c.edingly depressing.
Troops Becoming "Chesty'
The ground for two weeks has been
very hard. The slight thaw lately ala
rot retard the raids. II IS easy 10 get
over hard ground. The difficulty arises
in organizing captured trenches.
"Some idea Of the effect on the morale
of our troops may be gained from the
expression Of a Canadian colonel, who,
when | was visiting his troops, said
they had become very chesty' since
thew had taken part In the raids. II Is
seldom that more than battalion
takes part in a raid. Some idea OF their
success may be gained from the fact
that in a whole series of raids our total
Of missing was only one hundred. Some
Of these were dNad or wounded, whom
il was impossible to bring back.
Eve are now capturing Germans o.
all ages. including both ends OF the
seventeen 10 sixty now being enforced
ss the age limits in the German army.
While il would not be safe 20 say that
deterioration of the German army mas
become general. IL can be said that the
prisoners show marked evidence OF
such decline, and the fact that they
have abandoned villages without at
tempting to defend them confirms this
impression
German Mine Fails
General Haig reports the blowing up
of an enemy mine this morning be
tween Bouchavennes and Peronne, but
declares il did no damage. During the
NIGHT Haig's men thrust into the Ger
man trenches northeast Of GUedecourt
and returned with prisoners, whereas
German raids near Loos and Messlnes
w,rc smothered By fire in No Mans
Land. A third German raid pushed up
TO a British post northeast Of fpres
but was hurled back.
The Paris report chronicles renewed
activity around Verdun, and speaks OF
heavy fighting in the regions OF har-
daumont and Vaux. An advance was
attempted at Bezonvsux, but faded IN
der French fire.
In the Champagne the French sur.
prised the foe at ST. Marle-a-py and
west OF the butte ue ahtohlA ~ Wv
Champagne and collected twenty-siX
prisoners before returning 20 their
trenches. Another French surprise at
tack is described In the day report. Inc
"poilus" advanced between the Disc and
the Aisne and succeeded IN reaching
the German second line. blowing up
shelters and causing the enemy much
loss.
Heavy Fighting in the Air
Yesterdays fog lifted early and the
bright weather permitted much activity
in the air. German aviation camps at
Colmar, Varennes and Matigny were
bombed, as well a. the railroad station
al Athies and encampments at Curchy.
One German plane was brought down.
The British flyers bombed the mar
Dor and shippng az Bruges. They
destroyed 4 German machine ana
brought two others down damaged
and admit the loss Of thee OF their
own. The Germans, on the other
hsaA sunsgnss thAt NE Alses less