The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-10
to DO put forward, according 10
a prominent Berlin newspaper.
Important Gains.

WITH TIE FRENCH ARMIES IN
FLANDERS. Oct. 9.--tiJ the AS$ociat-
ed presS)--Amid On" uf Nh" most ter
rifle hurricanes VI artillery fire the
French army. cooperating with inc
British carly This morning. won brill
liant victory which carried th- troops
forward to n depth Of half mile along
front about 4 mile long stretching
from Drac.hank to Wydcndrecft. Their
advance look them TO n position where
they command thu" western border OF
the forest Of HouIholst.
The movement was a pivotinE one
and as a result. virtually all OF the OBJ
Srrvutorics dominating The vast F>Ed-
nrS plain now are In the hands OF the
allies.
The attack was preceded by bowling
wind storm accompanied by drench-
ing rain which made the ground q
1uaemirr. TIL. correspondent passed
over the French side Of tho battlefield
On ;hc evening preceding the nttnrk and
found everything arh everybody ready
for tho difficult work OF the morrow.
E;W underneath the feet the ground AhrG
way while the atmosphere rcscmhled g.
shower bath. No garments could with
stand the penetrating qualities NJ the
. clrnrnrs All ground shell holes wcro
filled To their hrims with water and the
only prot cotton Of the French troops to-
ward III" enemy wc"r the drencicd sand
bags piled ur !icre tho sheiterless
troops had passed the day and night
swRitin!; orders tn Ep oyer.
AT length, soon after o'clock in the
morning the definite orders arrived and
the troops were glad. They went for
ward with great rRpdity nntwithstard-
ing tho conditions. They knew that the
"a, f1nr fAG
upon their efforts today.
When they reached their first ohjec-
tive points they found the Germans
crowded In nests OF cratcrs. which here
ahouts fern the first lines, the building
Of trenches in this section Of Flanders
hcirg impuSS! blc owing to the porous
soil.
Coed luck had made the advance coin
eide with the period when the Germans
were changing the troops occupying
their front lines. y German division
was just handing over the lines TO Il
fresh division. The French with Won
durful dash wcro upon them before they
realized the situation and killed many
, Of them.
There MAS 4 short respite before the
next forward movement was undertaken
in corporation with the British. who
were advancing simultaneously on the
French right. SlthcrinE along over the
broken ana muddy ground the French
troopers made their way quickly to-
ward Mangela"rc, which soon fell into
their possession.
The whole scheme u: operations for
! the day had been carried out long be-
fore noon. The lnfantry's advance was
greatly assisted by the daring Of the
nvintnrs. whu would not permit the
,rhIrb t-5 tho
greatest danger for the armen. to in
Lcrfcrn with the work over the Ger
I man lines. taking capital photograph his
Of the destruction caused by the guns.
/ and then returned in tho fearful gallo
tn thuir haScs Ia turn in their. reports.
I Meanwhile. not Il single German air
plano was seen In the air.
The result Of the days Fighting. in
addition 10 the mon and material cap
tured is that of the Forest Of Hout-
hoist. which comprises five or six milns
NJ thi..kly wooded ground. now Is Writ
ually thanked on both sides. As far
. as can he learned, the wood contains
considerable artillery and large num-
hrrs Of machine guns. but the Germans
must find extraordinary difficulty in
keeping them supplied.
For the moment. the French troops
are occupied in consolidating the ground
won. which, although small In extent.
represents an invaluable gain. as 1t de-
privcs the Germans OF their points Of
observation.
BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE AND
BELGIUM, Oct 9.--(By the Aasocie ted
I'resa. )--Another big attack was begun
at dawn today against the German po-
Fitluns TO the east and north OF Tpres
By both tho British and French armies
md haf met with great SUCCESS In The
first few hours Of the fighting. Al many
places the allied forces had battled
their Way forward to n depth Of 1900
yards or more within tho enemy terri
tory, and reports from all along wide
front inGlcnted that everything was go
na III favor OF the assaulting troops.
nctwith funding the exceedingly bah
condition Of the ground. due 10 the las
few days rain.
A mragre report received just as this
dispatch was flcd caid that the Ger
mnns wrro counter attacking heavily
n*trlde the Yprcs- Roulers railway.
The air service is doing fine work
notwithstanding A gale Of wind. Six
German nir7lnneB that ventured over
the British lines at height OF $500
feet were engaged. in battle by British
armcn. and a spectacular fight Is pre-
ceeding.
Prisoners were being brought back in