The sun., 1917-12-07
BYNG MAINTAINS
GRIP UPON LINE
Retirement Made Deliberately
to Positions Chosen in
Advance.
MOST OF THE GAIN HELD
Berlin Claims Three Mile Ad-
vance Over Front of
Seven Miles.

LONDON. Dec. s.-Reports persist that
the Germans are still rushing heavy re-
endorsements into the Cambria sector
and apparently have not given up hope
Of recovering the ground won by Gen.
Byng in his famous drive last week.
There was sharp fighting yesterday eve
ming and last night about La Vacquerie.
on the south side OF the salient. in which
the British advanced their line slightly.
The withdrawal Of the British from
the untenable part Of the salient on the
north side. near Bourbon Wood. which
was effected quietly on Tuesday night.
was discovered yesterday by the Ger
mans. who announce to-day the capture
of Graincourt, Anneux. "Cantaing. Noy.
elles and the wool and heights north o:
Marcoing.
Claims Made by Berlin.
Berlin asserts that the German line
has been advanced to a depth of almost
three miles over a front OF almost seven
miles and that the number of prisoners
taken by them has increased to more
than 5000 and Of guns to 14S. The
British are said to have destroyed vii
lagos and to have retired to the heights
north and east OF Flasquires. The new
British line. however. at its neares
point. is still only three and one-hali
miles from Cambria.
The Reuter- correspondent at British
headquarters In France sends the fol
lowing:
Gen. Byng has realized Napoleon'i
definition OF a Generals greatest qualit,
TO know when to retreat and do it.
1--WE have fallen hack deliberately ant
successfully upon a we'll chosen line
which rules out the salient made b,
bourbon Wood, and should enable us e
maintain our hold upon the captured
length Of the Hindenburg line agains
any pressure
THE territory we abandoned is prob
ably less than one-third of the tota
gained in Gen. Byng's great tank drive
The work of destroying everything valu
| able to the enemy was very thoroughly
done"
The British statement on the retire
ment follows
on the night of Tuesday our troops
holding the salient formed by our po-
! stions in the neighborhood of Noy-
| elles-Sur-L Escaut and Bourbon Wood
were withdrawn a short distance to n
! position southwest OF these localities.
The withdrawal was made success
! fully without interference from the
enemy. who until late hour yester.
day appeared not to be aware OF the
! movement.
! Prior to the withdrawal the enemy's
| field works in the abandoned area were
| Systematically destroyed.
! Further hostile attacks Yesterday
| evening in the neiehborhood OF La
! Eaoqucrie were repulsed. Local fght-
ing continued in this locality during
| the night Southwest OF the village
our line has been advanced slightly.
/ Paris reports spirited artillery fir
! to-day on the right bank of the Meuse
| in the region OF Beaumont and in uIpe
Alsace. Three German aeros wer
brought down and eight others. dam
aged. fell within their own lines.
| French air raids were made on rail
way stations and storehouses at Lich
! tervelde and Cortemarck and on canton
ments near Laon and depots at Rous
sach. German airplanes on Wednesda,
night raded Dunkirk, where scvera
casualties are reported. and Calais
where no one was injured.