The sun., 1917-03-30
'LULL IN BATTLE
THE SOMME
Allies Bringing Up More
Artillery to Smash ''Hin-
denburg Line"
BRITISH TAKE A VILLAGE
French at Verdun Strike
Crown Prince a Quick and
Brilliant Blow.

before new and iercer French and Brit
ish attacks are made, in which both
armies settled down before the German
Arras to Rheims the only advance or
even attempt to advance recorded was
the capture by the British OF the village
Of Neuville Bourjonval In an outpost
fight after a mile advance from Ytres,
fifteen miles southwest OF Cambria.
On the whole front the Allies are now
in touch with the German permanent
line. according to a despatch from
correspondent In the field. It is a strong
position. prepared at leisure and safe
from shell fire. and more artillery must
be brought up to smash it. The German
heavy artillery is making itself felt again
from positions back OF the line he says.
though German machine guns, sometimes
thirty in a position, we're counted on to
delay the Allies.
The French, on their part Of the new
front, discontinued their attacks to-day.
hut Paris reports that In the recent OPP
erations Important depots of materials
and munitions were captured. which had
beSn left by the Germans in their haste
when they were forced from positions
they expected to hold. Active artillery
fighting Is reported. however III the
Margival sector near tho point Of the
German salient where the old line meets
the new. which probably preludes more
heavy fighting.
crowu Prance Loses Ground.
At verdun, however, the French made
up literally for the inactivity on the
Hindenburg line On the west bank Of
the Meuse the troops OF Gen. Mangin
struck the Crown Prince a quick. brill
liant blow and recovered every foot OF
trench that they lost on March Is. That
means that French trenches several lines
deep on a front OF two-thirds Of q mile
were reclaimed at the point Of the bay
onet. Most OF the fighting was on the
east slope OF Hill 304 and in Malancouft
wood. 1t had been prepared by bonn
bardment of some days.
On the British front the capture or
Neuville- Bourjonval was the only fight
ing except for trench raids. The Ger
mans suffered heavily in this engage
ment and the British casualties were
light The country about the village
furnished excellent; cover for the attack
ing troops, which were not under the
usual handicap of crossing no man }
land swept clean by shell fire.
The German statement reports great
artillery activity between Lens and Ar
ras, north of the new German line, and
may prelude more retirement or German
attacks.
A despatch from the front says a Ger
man plot to poison cavalry horses has
been discovered by the British. A Ger
man agent has been taken prisoner who
had a vial OF meteorological cultures and
instructions how to use them. This Is
the same plot that was discovered in
Bucharest. when Walls and instructions
were dug up from the garden of the
German Embassy In the presence of u
representative Of the American lega-
ton.
Kaiser Approves Barbaritles.
The same correspondent says that dur.
ing the German retirement the Kaiser
visited the territory over which the
Germans retreated in company with
Field Marshal Won 'Hindenburg. He
gave his approval OF all the ruthles.
methods adopted during the retreat
| The official statements follow:
I French Night Statement-From the
| Somme to the Oise the day was rela-
there was active artillery fighting.
The artillery actions were quite violent
! In the direction of Maisons de Cham
payne and Hill 304 and in Lorraine
! in the neighborhood OF Embermesnil.
Yesterday German airplane was
brought down.
Belgian--After great artillery ac-
tivity during the night in the region
OF Steenstraete the day was marked
/ @,l, h.,
mehts.
French Day Statement--From the
Somme to the Aisne there Is no change
in the situation. Intermittent artil-
! lery fighting occurred during the night.
| Our troops everywhere maintained
contact with the enemy's lines.
In the course of the operations of
recent days south of the Oise we took
possession of important depots OF ma
terials and ammunition. Yesterday
German long range guns fired seven
shells at Scissors. In the region of
Rheims we made a successful surprise
attack north OF La Pompelle.
In the Champagne, near Tahure, and
In the Argonne. at Courtes Chausses.
attacks by the enemy were repulsed
completely by our fire. On the left
bank Of the Meuse (Verdun 'front.'
our troops reca ptured In a spirited at
1. tack the last elements or the trenches
which the enemy had been holding
since March IS. We took prlsorfers In
the vicinity of Avocourt Wood and
Hin 304
There were no important events on
the remainder of the front.
British Capture a village.
Brtish--The village OF Neuvlle
Bourjonval was captured this morn
ing after a short fight, In which the
enemy lost heavily. we took a few
prisoners
Our raiding parties entered the en-
emy's lines during the night east OF
Arras and In the neighborhood OF Neu-
ville-St. Vaast and Neuve Chapelle.
Several dugouts were destroyed and
casualties were inflicted.
Two German alrplanes we're driven
down in damaged condition during
air fighting yesterday. Three of our
machines are missing.
German-Thero was vigorous artil-
lery fighting yesterday. continuing into
the night between Lens and Arras.
Before daybreak yesterday, In an en-
gagement near Croisilles and Ecoust
81. Mien. northeast Of Bapaume. the
y British lost one officer and hfty-fOuT
men who were taken prisoner, IN addi-