New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-06
Germans Fail
oStrike Back
In landers
Calm Follows British Drive
Shock of Victory Appar-
emily Has Left Enemy
Powerless

LONDON, Oct. 5.--Following the
great battle east Of Ypres yesterday,
which complete reports prove was one
Of the most brilliant and important vic
tories for British arms since the war
began. an almost unprecedented calm
has settled over the battlefield in
Flanders.
General Haig's troops consolidated
all their new positions to-day on the
eight-mile front from Pcelcspelle to
the Menin road with hardly moments
interference The shock Of the British
attack was so terrific that apparently
the Germans found themselves power
less TO strike back Whst few counter
attacks they did organize were smoth-
cred By the British fire before they got
under way. No victory since the Marne
has been so complete, so clean cut.
All England is rejoicing over the
success. The King has telegraphed
congratulations to Field Marshal Sir
Douglas Haig. commander in chief OF
the British forces in France and Bel
gium. for his leadership and the etfi-
cheney and courage of his troops.
The extent Of the british success is
made fully apparent by the latest re-
ports from the front. Seven villages
fell before the irresistible dash OF the
men from Australia and New Zealand,
Scotland and Wales, and from twenty
eight English counties, who snare IN
the glory that is all Brtaln's to-day.
Nolenaarelsthock. Gravenstafel, Poel-
capelle and Broodseinde, all were con-
ouered and held, placing the British
guns on the dominant points Of the
Shell-torn ridgo that overlooks the
Flemish plains and the railroad system
that feeds Germany's submarines.
The number of prisoners gathered in
the British collecting stations has been
swelled 10 4,446 The casualties of the
Germans il is impossible to estimate.
The dead Of FIVE broken German dlvis-
ions. caught like rats in a trap under
the deadly British barrage as they
were plunging forward 10 the assault,
lie in countless thousands In the Flan
ders mud before and behind the new
British lines. The famous Prussian
Guard was cut to ribbons in the fury
Of the battle. Bodies lie thick around
the tanks that numbered forward
through the mist over the German
trenches in the early hours Of the com
bat The British losses, in comparison,
were exceedingly light.
Germans Hide Defeat
The German command turns again to-
night TO the camouAage Of speculation
concerning the objects Of the British
attack in order 10 conceal from the
public the true nature of the defeat.
The objectives Of Haig, affirms the of
fetal statement, were Gheluvelt and
Becelaere and other points far beyond
their present lines. The thrust failed
70 reach these objectives therefore the
attack was failure. The 4th Army
gloriously withstood all attacks"
The Berlin report does, however. ad-
NIT the loss Of positions 10 a depth Of
more than a mile on the eight-mile
front under attack. Eleven British di-
visions were used in the battle, the
statement says, and the enemy suffered
"sanguinary" losses. Every German
man and gun were forced TO work un-
ceasingly at the maximum effort 10 de-
feat the British, il concludes.
British Victory proclaimed one OF
the greatest OF tcGr-on page /.