Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-03

faucon and ran south Of that city
through Ivory, Epinonville and the
woods east Of Eclisfontain.
The Americans already have broken
through this principal zone Q! resist s
ance and so is facing the Kriemhild-
Steelung system. From the west to
the east along this front the system
runs from north of st. Juvin to south
of Landres-et-St. Georges and con-
tinues eastward including the heights
of Romagne wood and Gesnes wood.
which dominate the important valley
Of the Andon. This river Is crossed
lust south of Romagne and then the
system runs to the southeast across
the higher ground in the forests OF de
Cunel and de Fais. Then, turning
northward, it follows the crest of the
hills over naturally strong positions
Brieulles. It is further protected by
prepared positions on hill 263, across
the Meuse.
Great Natural Strength.
This system is one Of very great
natural strength, based on series OF
heights, wooded districts. ravines and
valleys, both on and behind the actual
line. Certain key positions have been
built on concrete and entanglements
are prepared for immediate use. AT
other points the enemy Is reported to
be working busily and to have been
active in erecting new fortifications
since the beginning of the American
offensive.
begun last year before the Americans
became an active factor in the war.
1t was strengthened from time to
time, trenches being laid out and
dugouts finally added to the work. So
far as known no new wire mas mas oee cen
certain strategic sections have been
strengthened. The system is not as
strong as the famous Hindenburg line,
but, nevertheless, has extremely
strong positions.
TEN between the Americans and the
Mouse where it flows north to Mesi-
eres a stubborn effort to hold it may
| be expected and the difficulty of car
rying this system is not underrated
by Americans.
Violent Artillery Actions.
Violent artillery firing developed
along the center of the American line
between the Mouse and the Aisne to-
day. The Germans also bombarded
the American positions on the right.
near the Mouse, to limited extent,
hut on the extreme left there was a
significant silence for the greater part
of the day.
Along this sector Of the front the
positions held by the Americans fol-
low a zigZag line. The number of
Germans near the Argonne forest is
LESS than that fighting on the eastern
Ii side Gen. Gouraud's drive west of
the forest, together with the advance
of the Americans to the east of it.
threatens to cut of the enemy units
| still clinging to the wooded hills
south of Grand Pre-.
No general offensive was undertaken
by the Americans today. All along
the line fighting was restricted to
patrol actions.
All day the sky was very cloudy
and aviators were hampered in their
work. This forced the armies to work
without material assistance from the
observers. According to the calcula-
tions Of one airman, it is shown that
in the calendar of 1916 all the pilots
in the aviation section of the allied
armies flew an aggregate of 200
miles. In September of that year one
squadron alone few for an aggregate
of 4.719 hours over the lines and COW
cred total of 10000 miles. This does
not include numerous trial flights.