Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-04
BRITISH. FORCES ABOUT
TO ATTAIN PURPOSE
OF BIG DRIVE
TO S|EZE 0STEND
CAPTURE OF IMPORTANT BEL.
GUM CITY MEANS CUTTING OFF
GERMAN UNOERSEA FIGHTERS
FROM THEIR MOST IMPORTANT
BASE.

London, Oct. 4.-The battle OF Elan.
ders fiared up with a terrific burst of
fighting today when the British re-
newed their offensive and gained i'm.
pOrtant ground east of Ypres.
AS result Of this victorious thrust
which followed a long and villent
bOmbardment Of the German positions.
the German hold upon Pass Chen.
daele Ridge is perilously menaced.
With this strategic ridge in their
possession the British will be in plain
sight of their main objective in Bel
gium-the seizure OF the German sub
marine bases at Ostend and Zee,
brugge.
Not only did the Germans lose i'm.
portant positions, but lost many men
killed and prisoners as we'll Latest
reports said that the fighting con.
tinues.
The Russian offensive in the Riga
sector of the eastern front is still In
progress, but no new offensive of
decisive nature had been received
from Petrograd up to the time this
despatch was written.
London, Oct. 4-Satisfactory pro.
gress was made when the British
again renewed their offensive ON the
West Flanders front this morning. the
war Office reported at noon.
Following mighty ,bombardment
that rocked the earth as though In
the grip of an earthquake Field Mar
shal Haig sent heavy force gainst
the German front east Of Ypres.
The assault was delivered over q
wide front north of the Ypres- -Menin
road and northland south of the Ypres.
ROulers road
The British plunged forward In the
misty dawn. stumbling through shell
craters and great, ragged burrows
where bursting projectiles had literal.
ly plowed the ground into series OF
uneven trenches. The wrecked front
line trenches were soon in the hands
Of the British
There was heavy fighting all along
the front over which the attack was
delivered for the Germans resisted
stoutly could not withstand the Brit
ish thrust.
Isolated machine gun stations In
ficted some loss upon the advancing
regiments but the English losses were
very far less than the German casu.
alties.
Many German prisoners were cap.
tured and at last reports prisoners
were still trickling through to the
British rear.
This latest drive in the battle OF
Flanders is part of the British cam
paign to force the Germans from
pass Chendaele ridge back upon the
Belgian plain, where there Is no hilly
ground to give them shelter.
Flanders Rocked by Bolt.
Amsterdam. Oct. ALL of West
Flanders today rocks and trembles
under the violent cannonades Of the
British and German artillery. This
British are bombarding the German
positions with hundreds of guns of
every calibre and the Germans are re-
plying with might and main, but at
no point does the artillery fire OF
Prince Rupprechts guns equal that OF
the British.
At numerous places the German bat.
teries have been completely silenced,
50 terrific and accurate was the Brit
ish fire. When the wind is from the
west the thusder Of the big guns can
be plainly heard in Holland
Deny Truth Of Prussian Boast.
London, Oct. 4The German boast
that nearly 100000 tons OF allied
shipping is being destroyed by submar.
ines every month is at least fifty per
cent. too high, according to state
ment made today by high naval au-
thority
1t was declared that German subma.
rine commanders are misleading the
German government as to their
achievements.
The number Of British ships sent
down last week was the lowest since
the ruthless Uboat warfare began,
according to the admiralty figures.
Eleven vessels Of more than 1000
tons and two Of less than that ton.
mage were sent down
Bombard Frankfort
Do Nat A