The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-05-10
Naval Forces oil Allies Make
Dashing Raid To Bottle Up
Hun U-Boat Bases.
GREAT BATTLE IS RENEWED
Germans Gain Little by Heavy Attacks
Holland Being Pushed 20 Wars
Hrlnk--Jehn o. Ryan Made
Director Of Aircraft Pro-
ductlon.
~ EDWARD ". PlckARp.

~ 1F0FfN1 W. fGFNNnOs
Last week brought forth ono Of the
most spectacular and dashing opera
tons Of the war-the raid OF British
and French naval forces on the Ger
man U.boat bases at zeebrugge and
Ostend, Five obsolete cruisers and
two old submarines were sacrificed.
The former, laden with concrete. were
to be sunk In the channel mouths, and
the latter full Of explosives, were driv-
on against the moles These vessels.
escorted by destroyers and all making
dense smoke screen, approached the
Belgian coast IN the night but were
discovered and deluged with shells
from the shore batteries and from Ger
lHan dsstroyers. The chief fight took
place al Zeebruege, There the cruiser
Nlndtetive ran inside the harbor under
heavy fire, and landed her crew on the
mole after a great gap had been blown /
IN u by submarine The men cleared
the mole. destroyed all It's guns and
sank a destroyer and were able TO get
away again, though their losses were
severe. Meanwhile three OF the block
ships were sunk at the entrance Of the
canal or In the harbor. and one 81 the
old submarines was believed 20 have
destroyed the lock gates, letting the
water run out OF the Bruges canal.
AZ Ostend the operation was simpler
and az least one OF the block ships has
been observed from alrplanes block.
iug the greater part Of the channel.
Az this time Il Is not known just
how successful the operation was IN
hottling up the UboHt bases, but prob.
ably II was no more 80 than was Hob.
sons attempt 20 bottle up the Spanish
aeet IN Santiago harhor. However II
was gallant enterprise fearlessly
carried out. aud American navy men
hope Il win be followed up by add.
tlOnal naval exploits
81
There was comparative quiet along
the hattie front Ia France and Flanders
during the first half of the week. and
both the allies and the Germans took
advantage ~ the opportunity to
strengthen their positions IN the
minor operations the former had rather
The hesI OF It usually and the Huns
we're pushed hack On various sectors
by both the British and the French,
Meanwhile the Germans were bringing
ap their heavier artillery difficult
thing because oe the nature Of the ter.
| raln aud were evidently making prep
arations for resumption OF the attack.
This came on Wednesday, when.
after an intense homhartiment, the en-.
envy attacked with very considerable
forces The allied positions south of the
somme and along the Avre. Ia the
regions u fiangard, Hailles and Sene-
cat wood. For the time being these
assaults wera successfully repulsed sS.
eept at Hangard. which village again
feli into the hands cf the Germans.
The reports from Paris said that
American troops were lighting with
the French ON this line aud that their
resistance 10 the attacks OF the Huns
was desperate. About eleven miles
directly east OF Amiens. the German
objective IN this region. the British
withdrew from the village OF yillsrs
Tlresonneax. but elsewhere they stood
frm
Az the same time the Huns launched
attacks against the British In glanders
and there was neree lighting on the
line between Bailleul and MeFviIle and
near Rethune.
Next day by a smashing eounter-at.
tack the British retook ytllers, taking
some TOO German prisoners and hnd.
Ing the enemy dead heaped up about
I the village The Huns also attacked
strongly On the south slopes Of Mount