The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-24
AND 25 GUNS LNNIGHTY THRUST ONALSNE; KAISER LOSES MANY SHIPS NINA VAL TIL TI
Summary of Outstanding Developments in News From Fronts and Capitals

While the allied troops were busiIy engaged in consolidating positions won Monday in Fland- CTS, the French forces of General Petatn struck mighty and up- expected blow against the German line northeast Of SOissons Tuesday morning and made some of the most important gains of terrain since they threw back the army of the German crown prince which was besieging Verdun.
 SIX-MILE FRONT
 The strike was made over . front of about six miles, from the east of VauxaiIl0n to Pnrgny-Fl- lain. Under rainy and generally unfavOrable weather conditions the French pushed forward all along the line. aided by audacious avia- tors. who flew over the German positions at an altitude of about 150 feet. using their machine guns and penetrated the German line at one point to depth of two and . fifth miles.
 Numerous important positions fell one by one into the hands of General Petain's men and in ad- dition more than 75OO Germans, nm enormous amount of war mate rial and 25 heavy and field guns were captured.
 VIOLENT STRUGGLE
 The greatest depth of the drive was in the center of the line, where the village of Chavienon was cap- turcd after a violent struggle which reaulted in the enemy flee- ing peIl-mell. Some of the best troops in the army of the Ger man crown prince were engaged in endeavorinE to hold hack the onslaught. but their efforts were unavailing under the entAuslasm of the French tO win petitions which would place them more ad- vantaReously to Dress on later to- ward LAOn.
 For about . week the French artillery had been Anrling tons If steel into the German line i'm front of them in preparation for the drive, and when 1t was start ed sad havoc already had been wrought by the guns. In addition to the prisoners taken by the French, the Germans also suffered heavy casualties.
 FLANDERS LINE
 Tn Flanders, both the British and French troops are holding all the gains made in Mondays drive northeast of Ypres, except at one plnce on the southern fringe of the Houtholst wood, where the Germans. in q furlous counter at tack. forced a slight retirement by the British.
 The latest advices cOncerninx the naval activity In tho Gulf of Riga between the Gcrmans and the Russians show tAat although the RussiaAs lost the battleshfp SlavN and . lnrge torpedO-boat de- htrOyer, the Germans were the heavlest losers. Two of their dreadnauEhtss one eruiser. IF tor pedO bOatns ono trannpOrt and nu- merous mine sweep<rs were put out of action by the Hpssian fleet. While the exact fate of these vea- neln has not been asceftained by the Petrograd xovernment, it fa announced that at lenat sfx of the German destroyers were aunk.
 Further German attempts to land foreen on the Esthonta coast, tc the north of Werder. have been repulsed by Russian detachments.
 OTHER FRONTS
 On the other fronta 10 important engagementn are in progress. ex- cept In the nature of bomhaEd- ments. On the Julian front of the Austro-ItAIian theatfe. the artil- leFy activity aGain haa become in- tense An Apatrtan attack VI with in- fantRy n the Caderp EeGlep War rspnisse " tho Itealans With 4easy lesaen. @ ,;