New-York tribune., 1918-01-10
Break Through German
Lines and Bring Back
178 Prisoners
Attack Ordered to
Test Enemy Strength
British Assault North of
Ypres Breaks Down
Under Fire

LONDON. Jan. 9.-The French broke
the speel of inactivity on the West front
yesterday with an extensive surprise
attack in the Woevre. which met with
complete success In the region north
of Seichepray, General Petain's detach
ments broke into the enemy's positions
along a mile front, demolished the Ger
ance with their orders, with 178 pris-
oners and a number of machine guns,
Paris officially announced to-day.
The German War Office asserts that
the French movement was made in
strong force. after violent artillery
preparation. and extended along front
Of two and half miles. While admit
ting that the assailants penetrated the
German dcfences cat isolated points" "
the Berlin conmunique declares that
during the night the French were
thrown back to their original lines.
French Seek Information
All indications point to the fact that
the French troops had no intention of
retaining the positions they entered
The raid was chiefly for the purpose
of gathering information concerning
the enemy's much -heralded offensive
plans, in the belief of military critics.
Seichepray, where the French struck,
is about ten miles east Of St. Mihicl,
at which point the battle line takes the
sharpest curve anywhere on the west
ern front, turning at right angle to
the eastward after an almost straight
course southwark from Nerdun for
eighteen miles It is not wholly I'M
probable that Hindenburg intends to
launch his great blow in the St. Mihiel
sector. A successful movement here
would bring the German forces to the
rear Of Vcrdun, gravcly mperil the
position of that fortress and possibly
pave the way for continuation of the
drive toward Paris, which broke down
on the heights of the Meusc carly in
1916. In any event, it is reasonable to
suppose that the French attack IN this
region was in the nature of defensive
operation, designed to checkmatc any
such move on the part Of the Crown
Prince
While the French troops were en-
gagged in this important action Haig's
battalions swung forward against the
southern edge Of the Houtholst Wood,
ncrth of YDres, and on both sides of
the Ypres-Stadon railway, in an assault
which broke down under the fire of the
enemy's guns. The British losses were
severe, according to the Berlin War
Or.cc. ter in the evening a German
counter stroke in the same sector
brought the encmy's troops temporarily
into the foremost british trenches
from which they wero immediately
elected, Haig reports.
Many Local Engagements
In the Champagne, in the Cambra
region and in Upper Alsacc sharp locai
engagements were fought out during
the day for possession of trench sec
tions and outposts. Canadian troops
brought in two machine guns in a sue
cessful sallie south of Lens. East OF
Mont Teton, in the region of Rhems :
the French withstool an enemy thrus
which aimed at the capture Of strategic
outpost positions. Marked artillery ac
tivity developed 'on both sides Of tht
Rhonc- Rhine Canal, where Genera
Pershings troops frst saw action.
The German artillery units facins
the Belgian intrenchments again hav,
shown great activity, raking the op
posing lines with shells Of all caliblc
So energetic and accurate has been tn,
Belgian return fire, however that NJ
infantry operations have been at
tempted by the enemy on this front.