Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-26

mating positions on the Aisne front.
northwest of Hertebise, were captured
today by the Germans. the war office
French trenches on a front
of 1.S0o meters and 400 meters deep
south of Allies were stormed. the state
ment says.
Paris Admits One Reverse.
PARIS, July 26-German assaults
were reopcned last night along front
of about two miles in the Aisne front
from a point east of Hurtebise to La
Bovelle. The French official statement
issued this afternoon says that at the
cost of tremendous losses the Germans
were able to penetrate into certain ele-
ments of the French first line trenches.
North of Auberive, in the Champagne.
the French penetrated the German
trenches. the statement says, and in
ficted heavy losses on the Germans. On
other parts Of the Champagne front the
artillery bofnbardment was intense. Fight
lIi6 idSteu OH tiS iiSitSii ANPS''---o
every attack made by the Germans.
The Germans also renewed their as
saults on the French positions at Hurte-
bise farm, zut the attack broke down
under the trench fire of the French
The reciprocal artillery fire on the left
bank of the River Meuse in the Verdun
region was maintained with the usual
violence.
Fierce Artillery Duels.
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
July 26-The German and
British fighting lines in France and Bel
GUM which have been comparatively dor
mant for several weeks. SO far as any
large offensive is concerned. have tensed
perceptibly in the last few days Out OF
the stiffening have grown numerous fierce
duels, especially in Flanders Inc
Germans have developed what is known
among the British as 'nerves''-that is.
they have become exceptionally sensitive
to any movement of their opponents
which deviates from the routine and give
evidence of this condition in furious bonn
bardments at suspected points From this
the conclusion is drawn that for reasons
of their own the Germans may he fear
ing that trouble is impending in some sec
ton and are not certain where to look
for it's appearance.
Lens and Hill 10. nearby. have been
gunfire. Even the battle-scarred and
barren vimy ridge. which overlooks the
valley above Lens. has been the object
of vigorous shelling. which has accom-
plished nothing. except to add still
more shell craters on the already badly
punished hill.
Armentieres also has undergone a
fire, and various other
places, which appear to have come un-
der the suspicion or displeasure .of the
Germans. have withstood a rain of
shells.
Heavy Guns in Action.
Meantime the Germans have brought
long distance guns into place. and have
been throwing high explosive shells far
behind the British lines in an endeavor to
search out the roads communicating with
the front. The British on their part have
been paying off the score with big interest
and with disastrous results to the Ger
man lines and defenders.
The artillery battle of unprecedented
intensity which is being waged in
Flanders is doubly interesting because
until recently nothing but desultory
fighting has been carried out in this
no-man's land from time early in the
war. Ever since July 9. when the Ger
mans made an assault on two British
battalions near Lombaertzyde and
forced little bit of the British line
back across the User. this section of
the front has been marked by a per-
sistent hostile artillery activity which
has been gradually growing stronger
and which has found response from the
entente allied guns.
The Germans are known to have
brought up fresh troops and many new
guns into Flanders. and they appear to
be using the full force of their artil-
lery in this section
In addition to the artillery activity,
raids and bombing ex-
petitions have been increasing in num-
ber on both sides throughout the
length of the line. The opposing air
too. play their part, and some
Of the most severe aerial combats of
the war have been waged between
great squadrons of fast-lying battle
planes. Destructive bombing raids have
been made far back of the German
lines by intrepid British aviators. who
nave maintained their supremacy
throughout,