Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-11
BERLIN ACCOUNT z
DESCRIBES RAID
AS BIC failure
German Submarines May
Be Compelled to With
draw From Bases.
POPE BENEDICT SETS JUNE
20 AS DAY FOR PEACE PRAYER
American Infantry and Artillery
Participate in Raid in Apre-
mont Forest
rEU-TCN RESERVES on. sONINiE
Will Conitnrc Attarks in Flanders,
Asserts Representative of
General Radcliffe.
POPE BENEDICT SETS JUNE
29 AS DAY FOR PEACE PRAYER
rECTcN RESERVES on soNiNiE
Icy Associated PrcssI

German submarine opera tions from
the harbor Of Ostend. Belgium. have
been seriously hampercd for time. IL
not rendered Impossible. Ivy a daring
raid made on the harbor bv the British
FRIDAY morning. An official statement
issued by the British admiralty says
the channel leading out of the inner
harbor has been completely blocked by
the hulk OF the Old cruiser Vindictive,.
which was nt,ntuNc. ed into position
under heavy fire. anl then sunk by
bombs. II appeals. however. that there
is some doubt that the entire channel is
blocked. one report saying that the ves-
sci lies at an angle. aud does not abso-
luteiv interrupt the use of the fairway.
The German official statement con-
cerning the raid Says the attempt was
a failure. and that the hulk OF the old
cruiser lies outside y; the navigation
channel. This report may he compared
to the one issued on April "a, the day
following the raid on Zeebrugse. which
claimed that no damage was done to
the mole or the harbor there. Subse-
quent events have proved that the dani-
age done Il" the raid April "A WAS
OF a serious nature. aa
1t is pointed out that the obctruc-
lion in the caannel At Osiend will tend
eventually TO close the harbor through
the action OF tho tiles and the rapid
sitting up Of The harbor.
BIG NINE FIELD IN NORTH
SEA READY NEXT WEEK
If Ostend ana ZeebruSge are removed
as ports from which The German
C-hoats may he operated the Germans,
apparently. will he compelled TO with-
draw their submersibieS to their home
ports In this connection, it is interest
ing to note that a week ago it was
announced that the greatest mine held
in the history Of naval operations had
been planted IN the Nortn sea to COM
bat the submarines Ii WAS officially
stated that the area of this mine field
won d be l:l.1S. square miles. and that
tt would be completed by May 1o. Some
months ago ADMIRAL Jcllicoe, OF the
Rri 'sh navy. announced that the sub
marine menace would he met by Au-
gust |. and it is possible that he had
the blocking OF the harbors of Zee
brugge and oatend snd the laying of an
immense mine hcld in mind when he
made lis statement.
While the naval arm OF the entente
natiors was busy on the Belgian coast,
the military forces were engaged in To-
cal hShtinS In the fpres and Somme
sectors. The French made a notable
advance at C:rivesars, where they took
The park of the town. which had been
in German hands for three weeks.
Along the from; to the north there were
scattering engagements, notably at
Aveluy wood north OF Albert. where
the contending armies are striving for
strategic ground There were also
small operations in The KENNEL Hill
{ ont. southwest Of Y~res
NO GENERAL ENG tGEMENTs
FOUGHT On ITALIAN FRONT
There have been The usual local en-.
Cagements between patrols on the
Italian fronts. bu, nothing approach
ing a. general engagement has feen