The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-04-14
VI1ov Dominates Mines.

ViTnY OONnlHaICS RilfCS.
WITH TIE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE. via London, April Is. 1o:20
n. m.-From the Vimy ridge late to-
day fires could be seen burning in the
German lines and Canadian patrols
had advanced beyond the outskirts OF
Givenchy.
An exploration Of Why ridge shows
that the British artillery virtually
blew Off the TOP Of it. and the German
stronghold which had resisted all ell
forts OF the French and British dur
ing more than two years OF war was
finally forced into such a position by
high explosives that il could not re-
sist infantry charges. These changes,
of course, were backed up by conllnu-
Gus guntire. and accompanied by all
the terrible machines and devices or
modern war.
Walking on the top OF the ridge
was very nearly impossible and Just
one continuous climb from one SAe!l
;crater TO another Two surmOultlnE
knobs. known only on military maps
as numbered hills. had attracted the
Are OF the heaviest guns and had been
shattered into unrecogniZab!e Duties
on the landscape.
X is little wonder that the. Ger
mans made such desperate efforts 10
hold the Why ridge and TO re-tHke
certain portion Of it. by counter
attacks, which failed rniSorahly. The
ridge stood as natural barrier De-
tween the Germans and their oppon-
euts and was d great protective claln
of hills shielding invaluable coal. iron
and other mineral lands that Germany
had wrcsted from France in The first
un-rush of the war in 1914. The city
of Lens. now within sight OF the Brit
ish lines, IS q great mining center.
II is generally believed that In yield
ing the mines, which have been or
such help to the Invaders, the Ger
mans will undoubtedly try TO wreck
them BY every means. Bat even II
France does not regain the immediate
use OF the mines, the shutting off "t
Germany from their precious products
/ will mean an important step toward
the ultimate Allied victory.
From The top Of Nimy ridge the
British now look down on the plain OF
Douai and toward the great inuustrlaI
sections Of France which so long nave
been in enemy hands.
I'VE are the top dogs 1T last a
Canadian officer said 10 the Adsoci-
ated Press correspondent today. we
have the Germaus on The Gown-nlll
ana once II''N tl Slil t''N RP(l may ~
sure they will 90 back fast"
In the continuous hail nC shells that
lis going over and upon III" Germans
manv are their own and thrown from
! their own field pieces. They ii" tdSi-
/, Ing what British Tommy calls the
lows OF some OF their own drTIlish cX-
| nlosivcs." The Germans also az" GET
! ting Il bitter pelting from hundreds
| of their own machine %uncS.
British Report
| LONDON, April L.. tl:HJ =. n,--tn =
! Twelve MILF front from north NvC >'-i"
| River Scarpe TO south Of LrnS. FrltiSu
! troops today pressed hack th,. t;"rrInG~
! al nlnnS tic lin" AMI raI lur'.d SIX MI
! lagos Field Marshal Ila,'% m:n. '''.
! Official communication FROM British
| Headquarters i'll France tonight adj,
also have gained Il footing in H,rn:.,I
! trenches northeast Of Lens. PRISONERS
| ann guns also wrr'' taken III III" adE;H''.
SOUTHEAST of Ar:a& IL" statement
! adds The British also mad. progress
| ana now arc astriile tn" IiIndcni'TrE lin"
as far as \ point Sc""n miles southeast
| of Arras.
! The villages seized by III" British ar"
all east ana north Of the Why rIdE'
| They ar" i1aileul, Wiit"vnl. N.my. Petit
| Why. Givcrchy- in-G"h":ic. and An@r"S
LONDON. April Il. LII +. m.--Thc
British official Cnlnlnuni"t;i"n i%~il''t
| this evening announces That III" j"ia!
prisoners taken III tn. nii"uSiT" begun
! carly last Monday muEnina: now H-Gr''-
ga," more shan 5000. Gums :" The
number Of LIT ais" have l""n taken.
French Report.
PARIS. April -. n""',--rhH French
| made au attack this morning "n III" Now
| front south Of ST Quentin. T"d;y's oil
! fiCial statement says tn" t;"rnlhnS 70
! sisted desperately hut IL" French cap
! turcd several lines at trenches. inlilnE
| prisoners AMI :. rnuSii"rlh" njinllr"r Of
machine guns.
The F'r"Hci, also made further GAINS
| eest of C"ucy Ia Vile. taking prisoners
| ana booty.
The statement follows:
| "RrtWcen the Snmnlr ana til" CO."
our TROOPS this morning attached Ger
nan positions south Of st. Quentin. Not