The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-17
Flower of German Army
Beaten Back at Important
Points With Heavy Loss.
MARINE FIGHT GROWS
French Send 10000 Gas
Shells Into Advancing
Germans.
THROWN OFF ATRHEIMS
Four Villages Retaken-
Machine Guns Spread
Carnage.
ALL MASS ATTACKS FAIL
Allies Improve Positions,
Italians Furnishing Part Of
Unbreakablc Front.
ALL MASS ATTACKS FAIL

Special Gable Despatch 10 THE suS from tao
London Times.
Copyright. 1915 all rights reserred.
PARIS, July 16.-Fighting continued
last night on the Marne front with ex-
traordinary violence, which showed no
diminution but on the contrary in
creased to-day, the Germans seeking
by every means to extend the scant
footing they had gained south of the
Marne and on the line between the
river and Rheims with the idea OF
pushing on to Epernay and Month";
rail. an important railway point.
In this sector the Germans. despite
heavy losses. succeeded In getting yes-
terday only as far as the southern
edge OF the wood Of Bouquigny, the
French retaining their hold on
Mareuil- le-pont, at the junction of the
roads leading to Epernay. In this sector
south Of the. .Marne first the Amer
cans alone by series of counter at
tacis recap ptured Fossoy and Crezancy
and in combination with the French
the villages OF St. Agnan and La
Chappelle- -Monthodon, all places OF the
greatest strategic value in connection
with the hills Immediately north OF
them, which also We're taken. The
French report the capture OF 900
prisoners and the Americans almost
1000.
Mnrne Crossing Not Dangerous.
nf hn h,.t
Germans has not Decome dangerous
The river at that point. in the Dor
mans region, Is sluggish. running
through banks not more than ninet,
yards apart. South OF Dormans there
are only one or two little valleys
through which they could advance In
front OF Dormans Itself there is q
small island. which was n great help to
the Germans in crossing the river N
the narrow strip OF ground which the
Germans gained south Of the M1rne, a
large part OF which they lost to-day
they are having the greatest difficulty
in holding what Is left to them on ac-
count of the extreme violence OF tie
counter attacks by the French and
Americans.
East OF Rheims the Germans made
no impression whatever yesterday.
although to-day they succeeded in
forcing the French back to the Vesle
River in the vicinity OF Prunay, The
excellence of the French intelligence
service on this occasion probably was
responsible in large degree for the
check of the German attacks.
So we'll did Gen. FoCh's staff under
stand the intention OF the GermanS
that already on July s the French ar
tillery had begun effective counter
preparations On that day alone they
flooded the German lines in the Cham
payne with no fewer than 100000 gas
shells, and they were SO well informed
in regard to the time Of the offensive
that they began their artillery counter
attack AN hour before tho commence
| ment of the German bombardment,
| The French fire at one point was SO
violent that the German infantry
were unable 10 leave their trenches
| until two and a half hours after the
time set.
| bridges of Germans Destroyed.
There Is no doubt whatever in the
minds OF French military critics that
the first day OF the new German Of
fensive went in favor of tho Allies
The fighting was OF such vigorous
nature that after being engaged but a
few hours more than one German
| division had to be withdrawn owing to
losses, both east and west OF Rheims,
which. according to the German sched-
ule. was to have been taken within one
hour. and they we're then to push on
to Montmlrall and the railroad to Cha
Ions, which was to have been cap
| tured to-day. The map shows how FAR
short they have fallen.
In the series OF loops made by the
Marne between Chateau Thierry and
Dormans the Germans succeeded in
throwing over pontoon and lattice
bridges. but the bridgehead ther
| GAINED on the south bank WAS not eN-