The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-02
Situation Which Once Ap- peared Serious Is Saved by
 Dash of British
BERLIN STATEMENT SAYS 1000 PRISONERS
 WERE TAKEN FRIDAY
Teuton Commanders Are Doing All in Their Power to Hold On to
 Cambrai
By the Associated Pres.


 General Byng's troops in the Cambrai salient in north ern France were on the ag- gressive again Saturday, at tacking the Germans, who, in a determined thrust the day previous along virtually the entire 18-mile front, had thrown back the British from a few of the advanced positions they had captured in their recent great drive.
 Prompt counter attacks by Byng's troops while the Germans were still trying to push forward on Friday checked the Teuton advance before it had gained too great an impetus. For time the situation looked serious for the British, however, as the Ger man encircling movement toward the south end of the salient, pivoting on the west bank of the Scheldt, north of Banteux, swung its left flank through Gonnelieu and on to Gouzeau- court, one and one-half miles back to the original British line, while it's center reached La Vacquerie.
 There was hurried exodus of the British from the sector where envel. opment was threatened and apparsnt+ " all but a few of the most exnossd parties got clear Berlin. however, claims the taking of 1000 British pris2 oners with several field batteries. and. dispa tches from British headauarters report that the British blew up num- ber of their guns which were in dan ger of falling into the enemy's hands.
 BRITISH RETURN ATTACK
 The prompt counter attacks relieved much of the lost ground, including the towns of Gouzeaucourt and La vac- querie where the penetration ha5 been deepest, and on Saturday Byng's forces pushed the fighting in an ef-
 
 lost ground.
 No admission of any retrograds movement by the British elsewhere on the front of the attack has como from the London war office, although Berlin claims to have thrown the Brit ish back upon Graincourt, Anneux and Cantaing, along the northerly side of the salient. The Germans seem to have gained initial successes in this sector. but apparently were driven back by the British counter thrusts before they could establish themselves.
 GERMAN LOSSES HEAVY
 The German losses in the massed attacks are reported extremely heavy, and Byng's forces also suffered con- siderable casualties in repeIling the assaults and in their vigorous counter drives.
 On the Italian front there have been no further efforts by the Austro-Ger- man forces to break into the Italian line. The attempt, if one is to be made. is apparently awaiting the ar rival of heavy guns, which are report ed on their way to the front. General Diaz's armies appear also to have been largely reinforced, both as regards men and artillery. In one sector they have been on the aggressive probably in an attempt to rectify their front slightly, according to Berlin, which reports an attack. declared to have been futile, on Monte Petrica, in the hills between the Brente and the D;nx,e Ia paIautina General AIteubvsS troops, while not undertaking any general attack upon the Turks, have inflicted considerable losses upon them in minor operations along the lines to the northeast of Jerusalem. Important developments in the Russo German situation. as regards the armistice negotiations between the Bolsheviki emissaries and the German authorities were lacking on Saturday. The armistice barley is set for sun day. the indications being that 1t will take place at German Headquarters at