Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-04-26
Two British Patrol Boats Sink
Three in Raid on English
Coast After Short
Fight.
BRIToNs RESCUE 1c5 MEN
Night Attack Is Said to Have
Caused Little Damage to
Land-Ships Sunk in
Five Minutes.

London. April 23--The admir-.
atty announces that two German
destroyers, probably three, have
sunk in the course Of German
raid near Dover.
Five German destroyers took
part i'll the Dover raid. They were
engaged by two Dover patrol ves-
sells. The British suffered no ma
terial damage.
The British casualties were
slight in comparison to results OBJ
tanned. One hundred and five Ger
mans were saved.
The announcement follows:
."The vice admiral at Dover reports
that on the night of April 20 five Ger
man destroyers attempted a raid on
q number of rounds into a pioWed field
a few miles from Dover. The enemy ap-
ear then to have steered in the direc-
ton OF some Of our shipping. possibly
with the intention OF attacking, but was
by two vessels of the Dover patrol.
In five minutes these two vessels
engaged n sank at least two, possibly
VA CSp O0l vi Liz ttfc Cl1C!liy DOdlS, ltiC
remainder making OFF at high speed.
They escaped in the darkness.
our vessels suffered no material
damage and our casualties were ex-
ceedtngiy slight in comparison with the
result obtained. Our patrol vessels
were handled with remarkable gall
lantry and dash and the tactics pursued
were a very fine example Of destroyer
woi'S. We were fortunate in being able
to save the lives OF 10 German officers
and IS men from the vessels sunk.
London. April 23-General Nivelle
maintains his unrelenting pressure
against the enemy at the most vital
points of his defenses. The sharp angle
at which the German line, running
south from Lens, turns east toward
Rheims.
That General Haig is preparing for
another tremendous blow is taken for
granted, and London believes that this
battle will not be long withheld now.
Paris. April 23-French forces made
further gains last night in grenade
fighting south of J%uvincourt and east
of CoGrcy, A German attack against
Mont Haul failed. the war office an
The artillery was very active over the
front Of the French offensive. The bat
tie Of the guns ragged with particular
violence east of Craonne and north OF
Rheims.
BRITISH TAKE GONNELLlEu.
London. April 23-British troops last
night captured the village of Councillor
on the front between st. Quentin and
Cambria, it was officially announced
today. A number of prisoners were
taken in the sharp fighting here.
Paris. April a3--Hard fighting con
Germans al! along the southern front
in France. The French war office Fri
day evening recorded further progress
for the forces of General Nivelle north
of the Aisne, in Champagne, and in the
Argonne forest. More than 10000 Ger
mans have been mad prisoners, and
guns in excess of 100, not counting ma
chine guns. have been captured by the
French since the offensive began last
Monday.
BIG GERMAN FORCE ARRIVE.
London. April 23-One Of the cor
respondents at British headquarters in
france, in a dispatch dated Friday.
says;
France is that the intense concentra-
ton Of German troops exceeds anything
known during h war That c
tration is being intensified, now that
Field Marshal Hindenburg's effort to
avoid a battle is known to have failed.
The German morale perhaps has
fallen since the reduction in rations.
fantry against the artillery. but the
enemy is fighting stiffly and working
feverishiy at his defenses."
-
SEA AND AIR BATTLE.
Rome (via Paris( April ga sea and
air battle near Venice. on April II. is
reported in an announcement by the
war. office as follows:
"A number of a~irplanes, aided by tor
pedo boats, approached Venice on April
II, in order to effect a reconnaissance
in force. A rapid counter attack by
Italian and French airplanes and the
fire OF batteries prevented the enc
my machines from flying over the city.
In a series Of aerial duels one enemy
hydroplanes have failed to return to
their bases"
ARTILLERY FIRE INCREASES.
Berlin, April 21.-"Yesterday after
noon,' says the official statement is
sued today. strong artillery firing was
commenced on the whole River Aisne
front and also in the Champagne. On
the Chemin-Des ann and in the
Champagne enemy attacks failed.
Between Loos and the Arras--Cam-
brai railway line" the statement adds.
there was a gradual increase in the
artillery bombardment."
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