The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-17
FRENCH CAPTURE 10000 GERMANS
 IN GREAT BATTLE
 ON 25-M|LEERON

New York, April 16.-The Associated Press sums up the war news from all fronts a follows:
 The French troops in the de- partments of the Aisne and the Marne have delivered violent infantry attack against the Germans over a front of 9 miles and made important gains and captured more than 10000 prisoners and large quantities of war material.
 The battle took place be- tween Soissons and Rheims, and over a distance of 1872 miles, from Soissons to Ora onne, the entire German first line positions fell into the hands of General Nivelle's forces, while east of Craonne a second line German position south of Juvincourt and an- other position on the outskirts of Bermiericourt' running along the Aisne canal to Loivre and Courcy, also were captured. Violent German counter attacks on several sec- tors were repulsed with heavy casualties to the attackers.
 The artillery for several days had been violently shelling the region, and Monday, while the British activity along the front from Lens to St. Quentin had almost ceased owing to a heavy rainfall, the French launched their infantry in an endeavor to break through or press back the Ger mans from this point of great stra- tegic value. The German official com- munication, in briefly referring to the attack, described it as a great att tempt "to break through with a far distant object" possibly meaning that successful breach of the German lines might have made necessary the falling back by the Germans along a great part of the front from Lens to Soissons.
 To the east in Champagne violent artil- lery activity continues, probably being the forerunner of an attempt by the French at a drive against the German lines in this no less important region.
 Upon the time that the rainstorm began Monday afternoon, the British had cap tured from the Germans the village of Vileret, southeast of Hargicourt and eight miles from St. Quentin, and also had made additional progress northwest of Lens. During the week that the Brit ish offensive has been going on Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's forces have made prisoner of 14,OOO Germans and cap tured 194 guns and large quantities of war stores.
 From the fact that the French troops in Alsace and Lorraine have renewed their fighting against the Germans, pre- ceding it with heavy artillery prepara- ton and delivering infantry attacks that netted them good gains of terrain and re- suited in heavy casualties to the Ger mans it would appear that all along the French front the moment is approaching for an intensive battle from Belgium to the Swiss border.
 From none of the battle fronts eXcept that in France has there come reports of any great battles. There have been small encounters between the Austro- Germans and Russians on the eastern front A Teutonic allied attempt against an allied position in the Cerna river re- zion of Macedonia was repulsed. On the Austro- Italian theatre the operations have been limited to patrol encounters, owing to snowstorms.
 In Mesopotamia the British troops op- erating in the Tigris-Diala river sector have driven the Turks further back and made numerous prisoners.
 British airmen, aided by French avia- tors, have carried out for the first time the announced policy of reprisaf issued by the British government agafnst the sinking of hospital ships by German sub marines The town of F'reiburg, Ger many, has been heavily bombed by air men, with good results, according to British communication.