Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-23
GERMANS FIGHTING
HARD TO REGAIN
LOST POS|T|O
Desperate Counterattacks
Prove Very Costly in
Casualties.
TOWER HAMLETS CENTER
OF FIERCE ENGAGEMENTS
Tide of Battle Flows Back and
Forth Within Narrow Area,
Throughout Day.
TOWN OF OsTEND BoMBARDED
Another Teuton Stroke ON Russian
Front Results in Capture
Of Jacobstadt.
TOWER HAMLETS CENTER
OF FIERCE ENGAGEMENTS.
TOWN OF osTEND Bos1BARDED
lBy Associated preap.


Loath to give up tho valuable ridges
tho British wrested from them on
Thursday. tho Germans continue ts
launch desperate counterattaoks from
their battered Flanders line ana 70
combat with determination cvery effort
of Fold Marshal Hhirs forces to Inn
prove their positions. This lighting
has been very costly to tho Germans
in casualties, and the London ofioiAI
statement lays stress on tho exoeed-
inEly severe character Of their losses,
Tho German command seems pat-
ticularly reluctant to surrender the
slight elevation west Of Ghefuyslt.
close TO the Ypres-Menin road. Fierce
lighting developed there Saturday. the
engagement conterinE about the poni-
tion known az Tower Hnmlets. Press
dispatches Indicated that up to mid.
afternoon thoro had boon no cessation
of the struggle. tho tide of battle now.
ing back and forth within a narrow
area.
Berlin's ofYlofnl statement makes ne
claim OF any ground recovered from
tho British. It records the lighting of
Friday, tho day following tho initial
British dash, as marked by continue
tion Of British attacks along the
Lansemarok HoIlebeke front, which
were repulsed. and describes Saturdays
engagements an lighting OF . local
character. which resulted In German
SUCCESSES. s.E;.. stsi.!siss
RIVAL ACCOUNTS VARY
AS TO AW FT0HT1Na
Regarding tho afr lighting OF Thura-
day and Friday. tho customary con-
1 ,oSfs lo ~~lxv ~ -
and entente losses In machines.
down on those days by tho oermans, it
is declared, while only three German
machines were lost. This varies
| notably from tho British Official ao-
count, which mentions ton German air.
planes destroyed and six driven down;
out OF control Tho probable loss OF
ten British machines, classed as miss
Ing. Is admitted by London
Meanwhile. as a compliment to tho
land fighting in Belgium, British war.
ships off the Belgian coast patrol have
been bombarding tho town of Ostend,
where German naval works were she'll
ed with results pronounced satfsfac-
tory. British aviators continued their.
extensive bombing operations behind
the German lines, Ostend being one.
OF the points successfully attacked hy.
the aviators as we'll as by the fleet. -,
In tho midst Of Russia's internal
troubles has come another German
stroke on tho Russian northern front,
resulting in the capture of the BRIDGE
head and town OF Jacobstadt, on tho
Dvina, and the enforced retirem emit OF
the Russians in this region to the east
ern bank Of the river.
GERMANS PUSH LINES (,
TO WEST BANK OF DvIrA
The fall of the bridEehnad save The
Germans possession OF new territory.
on a front Of approximately twenty.
five miles and six miles in depth. en-
abling them to push their lines to the
west bank of the Dvina in this area.
They took only 400 prisoners from the
rctreating Russians, but gathered in
fifty guns from the abandoned posi-
tions. -Ai.fsls.,
The complete text OF the German and
Austrian replies to the papal peace note
shows that neither lays down any
definite terms as basis for peace.
There was no officially expressed com
ment in Washington. but 1t was un-
officially indicated that such examinn.
tion as had been made of the docu.
ments revealed no reason for altera-
tion OF the position OF the United
States. Its aims o. Its Intentions. {l,i
An unofficial expression from the
British Foreign Office pointed ). to the
lack OF any mention OF "reparation's
or restoration" in the German rec.
ply.