New-York tribune., 1918-09-27


The French is increasing steadily,
They are filing back by ali roads in
groups of from a score to several hun
dred. Among them there is larger
proportion of very young men than
heretofore taken. Some of the cap
tives are recruits Of the 1920 contin-
gent.
The Germans are leaving behind
them scores OF burning villages. Thirty
had been observed in flames up to noon
to-day. Even this additional and un-
justifiable devastation can scarcely add
TO the desolation that has been spread
all over this sharply disputed ground.
The ridges are covered thlckly with
she'll holes that touch each other every
where. All vestiges of vegetation long
ago disappeared, the surface of the
ground giving the impression that it
must have been reduced to state OF
mud violently churned and then left to
dry. The ground is crossed and criss-
crossed in every direction by trenches
that have been blown out of shape.
A feature of to-day's operations was
'he activity of the enemy airmen,
which furnished spectacular encounters
with French observation balloons and
anti-aircraft artillery.
The reaction against General Gou-
raud's artillery preparation was feeble.
The French guns, heavy and light,
opened fire at II o'clock last evening,
and for six hours the front of the
attack was clearly defined, long line
of bright flashes lighting the fog and
the sky, with here and there steady
glow from the burning dumps of
munitions and supplies behind the
German lines.
The glare of the bursting German
shells could be seen from time to time
between the flashes of the French
guns, until about o'clock. when the
artillery reaction virtually ceased.
Aviators Bomb Hun Positions and
Troops
French aviators, favored BY bright
moonlight, took the air and cooperated
with the artillery by bombing the
onemy's positions and attacking his
troops with quickfrers.
After six hours artillery preparation,
in the last hours of which it developed
INTO an intense drumtire, French in
fantry bounded out Of the trenches in
a thick gray fog, which furnished the
best possible camoutfage for crossing
the low ground and ravines, to the
slopes of the heights. where most OF
The formidable German positions were
TO be stormed.
The abandonment by the Germans of
formidable positions that they had not
ceased to strengthen from the time
they coupled them reveals state of
nervousness. symptoms of which have
appeared at different points along the
front in the last month. This is taken
more as a confession of weakness than
a tactical measure.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY On
THE CHAMPAGNE FRONT. Sept 26
BY The Associated Press).-The
French troops attacked the German po-
sitions in the Champagne from Aube-
morning about 8 o'clock, and carried
The first 9bjectives without much oppo-
sition. except on the left whore rather
stiff fighting was required.
By . o'clock General Gouraud' S
troops mad taken Seryon, which had
been in German hands since 1914. and
were in possession of the Main de Mas
siges, Butte du Mesuil and Navarin.
The operation, which was personally
directed by General Petain recalls in
some of its features the first Battle of
the anniversary. General Pctan was
then, as now, in command, aud the
direction Of the attack was the same,
but the means available for the attack
then were less in proportion to the ma
terial obstacles to be overcome.
The developments to-day resemblcd
also those of the second Battle of
Champagne in July last. Then General
Gouraud skilfully parried the great
German thrust by drawing his infantry
back out of range of the artillery
leaving his own guns in position to
inflict smarting losses on the advanc-
ing infantry,
1t is learned from prisoners that the
Germans were initiating General Gou-
raud in retiring their infantry from
the first line. But that is as far as
they profted from Gouraud's lesson
Their artillery went back with the IN
fantry.