American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-09-25

sitions as Glencorse wood, Inverness
copsc. the western section OF POlygOn
wood. Schiller redoubt, Anzac and a
number OF other positions. all OF the
greatest strength.
Preparation for the offensive began
with the usual artillery lombard
ments. raids here and there so as 10
mystlfy The enemy and reconnaissance
by aerial scouts. The artillery turned
a destructive fire on enemy positions
from the coast to points south Of
fprcs. Tins keeping the enemy on the
qui vlve 10 md out where the main
attack would take place. So heavy
was the fire near the coast that the
Germans felt almost convinced that
the drive would occur there. In the
Nprea region they had been kept busy
by British raids and By local drives
for position. especially along the Men
iu road. running from Yprea 10 Men
in ln a s-Ouihsaaterly direction When
the real attack came 10 was launched
north and south of this road.
Each offensive seems 10 develop
notifications OF tactics. Usually only
a single barrage fire precedes the at
lacking troops. This time the British
owing fo the time given the enemy TO
strengthen his defenses, we're not sat
isned with "a single barrier OF she'll
nre. but put I'VE into operation. Five
harraEea moved forward ahead Of tho
troops. mus catching Germans again
and again under an inferno Of nre as
they spraug 20 their machine gun en-
placements. The Germans must have
suffered hundreds Of casualties before
they had a chance 20 resist the advance
81 tho British, when the rush came
they were speedily over powered. 1000
being captured ln "a few hours. The
total ia tWO or three days Of lighting
exceeds 5000.
The British took all their principal
0blectivea save one. The Germans
were able 20 hold the powerful works
known aa Tower hamlet. southeast OF
fprea. Here tho emplacements were
80 strong that they we're not badly
shattered boy shellhre and when the
British stormed the works they were
beaten back by a pitiless storm OF bull
let's from machine guns Back and
forth the battle still continues to
sway Ia this region. with the Toutons
SIN retaining their position.
Tho British estimates that the enemy
lost $4,000 Ia killed. wounded or miss
ing Ia a little more than two days OF
lighting This can be compared with
British casualties of $1,000 in one
week during ordinary lighting
Ia the regions thirty miles. more or
less. north OF Riga the Russians op-
Grated with some SUCCESS against the
Germans. driving them back al a mum
bor Of points The magnitude of the
operations and the extent OF LOSSES
have not been made clear The OBJ
iect OF the Russians Is not 10 recap
ture Riga, but 10 stem the enemy adj
vance.
When the Russians abandoned Riga
and the DYlna river sectors they still
maintained their forces on the west
side of the river near J%acobstadt. Thoy
evidently hoped that as they swung
their line back they could pivot ON Ja.
cobatadt. but now they have lost their
strong deionaes on the west side OF
the river and have fallen back to the
eastern hank along a front OF twenty.
I'VE miles Whether the hghtiug was
severe remains obscure n ls quite
probable that the Russians. finding
their strategic positions unteuable. re.
treated without much pressure from
the foe
la Rumania the line OF battle hns no
changed much for weeks. The leu.
tons under General Mackenscn have
not been able TO attempt Il big often.
Hive since they were compelled to sen,
endorsements 20 strengthen the Aus.
trian limo on The Carso and Bcinsi1za
platoaua. The Rumanlans took ad.
vantage OF the situation 10 force ths
lighting Last week they managed tC
capture a height ia the Ocna sector
northwest OF FOkshani. but lost IL In d
counter-attack by the enemy.
British air and naval squadrOns
we're active during the week In aid oI
the offensive at Nprea. Airmen bonn.
| bRrdod coast points as we'll as many
positions back OK tho enemy lines in
the Npres sector Twice Ostend and
neighboring coast points haya he@.
/ hombarded once by q large force OF
airmen and the second time by a con
siderable detachment OF warships.
Little ha4 been said In Washington
about the attack on American trans
ports which Secretary Daniels. as th'
result OF an error. announced as al
American victory AT first he state,
that four merchant vessels were SUM
and six submarines. Later he sal,
that a mistake had been made and tina
Il had been ascortainod that only Onl
enemy U-boat had probably been sunk
salt Lake Tribune.
China has decided TO send a tria