The sun., 1918-09-02
Enemy Evacuating Large
Area in Flanders; Haig
Pursuing Over Lave
BULLECOURT IS TAKEN
British Press On Vigorously
and Reach Points on the
Queant Switch Line.
FRENCH REACH SOMME
They Also Gain FOOthold in
Woods Of Coucy-le-Chateau
and Win Crecy.
BULLECOURT IS TAKEN
FRENCH REACH SOMME
Special Gable Despatch to TIE suy.
Coppriaht. 1918: oil yiohts reserped.

Special Gable Despatch to TIE Sun.
Copyright. 1918; oil rights reserped
LONDON, Sept. 1.-Reports Of Ger
man activity in preparing new defen-
sive positions along the Meuse and
the Rhine are regarded by military
experts here as significant of a reali-
zation by the German General Staff
that German retirement much fur
ther than the old Hindenburg line is
not remote possibility.
The Somme line now has been
turned from the north and also forced
to the northeast of Brie and Queant,
which is the pivotal point of the old
Hindenburg line and the DrocOurt-
Queant switch line, which now Is
menaced by the British thrust east
Of Riencourt and also Is threatened
by the steady pressure from the west.
Gen. Mangin's advance on the Ailette
threatens the Germans hold on the
Chemin des Danes position, with the
consequent menace to Laon, which,
with its Strategical value as the CEN
ire of great railroad system, Is the
key position to all the territory that
the Germans hold between Rheims
and st. Quentin, including their none
| too firm grip on tho Vesle and the
| Aisne
The turning Of the Drocourt- -Queant
line would open the way to an ad-
vance on Douai.
| Australians Take Peronne.
On the northern end of the line the
outlook for the Germans is no better.
but rather worse. The capture by the
! British of Mont KENNEL yesterday was
telling blow, the consequences OF
which in all likelihood will be very
serious for them. In the Somme sec
tor Peronne was taken to-day by Aus
! tralian troops. as were also Flamicourt
and st. Denis. London troops. opera
! ting on their left. captured Boucha-
Nesnes and RanCourt Between them
they gathered in more than 1000 pris-
oners.
| Ihe Londoners took also the high
ground in the vicinity of their gain.
and passing on penetrated as far as
the western outskirts of the wood OF
St Pierre-Naast. The British are
pressing the enemy hard in lie Trans
10y. They completed the capture of
BulleCourt and Lendecourt
Correspondents at the front believe
that the Germans are beginning an i'm
portant retreat on the northern end of
! the British line. Certainly the enemy
Is showing an unwonted disinclination
to fight. and when they do offer resist
ance il lacks the punch of former days.
Are I'm Outskirts of Lens.
The British in their gradual advance
nave reached the outskirts of Lens
and have seen large fires burning there
and in Armentieres such as usually
herald German retreat. In the Lys
salient the British troops have crossed
the Lave River and arc approaching
the Estairesl La Bassee road
The French are doing remarkably
well also. After great artillery activ-
ity in the Somme sector they improved
their positions there and on the Canal
| du NOrd, while north of the Ailette
they won a footing in the wood west
of CouCy- thateau. one of the po-
sitions long defended by the Germans
with extraordinary stubbornncss be-
cause of its protection of Laon, an
south OF the river they captured Crecy-
au-Mont, Last night they captured
Leury and 1000 prisoners. They
crossed the SOmme canal at Epenan-
court. seven miles south Of Peronne,
and captured Rouy-le- Petit, two miles
northeast of Nesle.
Foch May strike In Rear.
Spencer Wilkinson in the sunday
TUUcS. discussing Marshal Foch's pos
sible plans for launching a great often
sivc, says:
Marshal Foch now has three great
armies-the French. under Gen. Petain
the British. under Field Marshal Haig,
and the Americans, - 4er Gen Perish
ing. His object wall be, while two OF
these armies maintain steady pressure
on the German front TO strike with the
third against vital part OF the Ger
man army.
THE vital part OF an army IL its
communications. TO crush an army you
must strike it in the rear. An army
destined TO deliver an effective blow OF
the kind under consideration must
march fast and far and il must be kent
supplied, Its route therefore. must ba
through a country which admits of the
movement of supplies"
Il Analyzing the available routes Mr.