The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-18
ALLIED filters SUPREt {
Bomb Machines Civa
Strong Support to Ac-
tive Battle Planes.
BIC DRIVE COMING
Military Critics Are Ger
tain Renewal Of At
tack Must Occur u
in Few Days. n

London. May fT.---Thc cavalry
OF the air. taking advantage OF
ideal weather. again dominated
all activity and interest I'm the
west during tho last twrnty-Four
hours.
Both sides had great fleets 81
hattIeplanes up and innumerahte
duets were fought in the intense
struggle In which Tcuton and al
lied armies arc franticaiiy trying
to cut ono anothcr'@ ewes" before
the titanic battle on the ground
rcopens.
Whole squadrons clashod in
spectacular finish fights. The al
lied flyers maintained their STD
prernacy throughout as may he
sccn FROM these figures contained
in tonight'S British. French and
German official communicates:
German planes downcd by
British, 40; by French, :. Total.
~.
Entente planes downed by Ger
mans. is.
Thus a total Of sixty-fiye ma
chimes were put out of action In
one day. the figures covering yes-
terday's aerial fighting
While the hattlepIaneS were
locked in their fierce struggle
tor aerial supremacy. their
brothers OF less spectacular. hut
more destructive branch. the
bombing machines. were per-
forming their deadly work above
and behind the hattie lines. drop
ping tons upon tons Of high cx-
piosives upon the cneIny's lines
OF communication. troop eouceu-
trations. ammunition dumps. rail-
way stations. military works of
every description, biiiet~ and
hutmeuts. cncampmenfs and biN-
ouac~.
Their real WORK did not begin
until darkness had nut stop
TO the aerial duets. Out into the
pitch black night the grey car.
riers OF destruction, flying arse
mails. propelled their way. tn
places on which the foe relies for
the supply. rcinforcemeuts. and
fortication Of his lines. Blast af-
ter blast shot up as bomb after
bomb hit its mark.
Between them. the French and
British bombing planes dropped
ia tons OF bombs between Tues
dav evening and last night.
6HfffF. lftts u lCt1Ft
dropped thirty tons and tho
British thiris-three and half
tons.
And all the way The armies n, In
ground continued "stalline t.xcep
or few raids, successful for tn
french and British, there was litera{i
lothing doing as far as infantry opera
ions are concerned The guns thun
Tered away. but seemingly more I
Jeep up appearances than any parti
ular purpose, It was another nigh
nd another day of the proNerhial quAe
'eforc the storm.
Only artillery actions and minor Ia
antry enterprises arc reported frar
he Austro italian 1&hting front
The French press expects the Ger
nan offensive n break loose any mo
nent now, THE Germans have con
entrated during tho lull large quaint
les Of new artillevy including gun
In italy and Russia and som
u those taken from the British IN III
asst DAYS of March
Eighty German divisions are said r
- ready To attack when Ludeudort
gives the word for one more desperat
lttempt against the British lines
The Belgian official statement show
he PelE}sn lines now extend as ia
Is Pjlken. above Langemarrk, whjc
indicates that the British have concen
rated the great hulk 81 their force
II and below tho Ypres salient
The Exchange Telegraph company
military critic says the operations o
he past Two days turned out fayorabt,
or the allies. He expects the Germ Al
Intensive to begin any moment Every
hing supports the belief that IL vii
,egin ar several points simultaneously
he enemy proposing to strike hard OF
ach OF these points and then rearrang
'is plans as the drive PROGRESSED
hrowing his reserves into that Secto
where he finds allied resistance weak
st.
Supreme confidence reigns here tina
,e will find II weak nowhere, but will
meet a stone wall no matter wheri
ie strikes.
The general opinion among experts /
hat the main blor will fall on the sec
or between Arras and Albert Til
German army on that front In com
handed by otton Won Below.