The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-10-26
TEUToN LINES SMASHED
As French Continue Drive = Italy
Loses Ground - Germans Flight
Along the Alsne 30 Hurried
That They Are Forced 10
Abandon 100 Heavy
Guns.


Paris, October 25-The French
forces on the Aisne today continued
their successful advance, capturing
several important villages as well as
two thousand prisoners. Since the
beginning OF the present operations,
says the announcement made tonight
by the war office, more than twelve
thousand Germans have been captur-
ed, as well as 100 big guns and many
guns OF smaller calibre.
The French again attacked Thurs
day along the entire line, forcing the
Germans to abandon Monkey Noun
tain east Of Vauxillon, the village
Pargny-Fllan, on the extreme east Of
the line and numerous fortified farms
and many other points Of vantage.
The latest drive of the French
brings General Petain's army within
sight Of the important railway juno
ton OF Laon, the objective sought for
which now Is a scant eight miles dis
lance. Large quantities of war stores
were abandoned by the enemy In their
retreat and additional guns and pris.
oners were captured. The number
of prisoners taken since the drive be-
gan now exceeds 10000 more than
200 Of whom are officers. Two thou
sand Of the prisoners were taken
Thursday.
An indication of the rapidity with
which the drive has been carried out
Is the total number of guns the Ger
mans were forced to leave behind
them. These amount to 120, among
them several howitzers not to mention
several hundred small calibre pieces,
such as minenwerfer and machine
guns.
While the operations on the Ypres
sector Of the front in Flanders con-
tinue to be carried out mainly by the
artillery, with the British and French
guns hurting the greater weight Of
metal, the Germans have launched an
other strong counter attack south of
the Houtholst forest where the Brit
ish and French armies have Joined
hands. Again this attack met with
repulse.
Rome, October 25-Taking advant-
age of their bridgehead of Santa Mar
la and Santa Lucia, the Austro-Ger-
man forces which yesterday began an
offensive on the Isonoz front brought
the battle on to the slopes Of the
right (west) bank Of the lsonzo, says
today's official statement.
The enemy broke through the Ital-
ian advanced lines on the east bank OF
the Isonoz. Powerful Austro-German
attacks also were made on the Bainiz-
"a plateau and on the west slopes of
Monte San Gabrielle, but these were
checked by the Italians, who took
few hundred prisoners.
On the twenty-five mile front run
ming from Monte Rombon to the Bian-
liza plateau, the battle between the
Austro- German forces and the Ital-
ians apparently Is growing in inten-
sity with the Austro-Germans the ag-
gressors, but with the Italians stub
mornly resisting everywhere.
Although the German war office as
serts that gains have been made at
various points along the line, the Ital-
ian official communication does not
concede any losses except on the east
bank of the IsonZo south OF Monte
Rombon. To the contrary, this COM
munication asserts that on the Balm
liza plateau, where the Germans had
announced successes, and on the west
slope of Monte San Gaebriele enemy
attacks were repulsed and that the
Italians even took several hundred
prisoners.