Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-24
BRITISH WITHDRAW
|. TO NEW POSITIONS
|. BEFORE ST. QUENTIN
Berlin Official Dispatch Lays
Claim to Capture of
$4,000 Prisoners.
PARIS BoMBARDED BY GUNS
SEVENTY-FOUR MILES AWAY
Teutons Reach Ham, Nine Miles
West of Line Formerly
Held. ~,
HUNS HAVE CAVALRY READY
Field Marshal Ha1g's Men Maintain
Unbroken Front, Despite
Forced Retirement
rs
PARIS BOMBARDED BY GUNS
SEVENTY-FOUR MILES AWAY
HUNS HAVE CAVALRY READY
Unbroken Front, Despite
Forced Retirement
IBy As.oci.ted Pr-u.l

I
AsB1ulting the British lines on tho
south. tho Germans have forced their
way forward over 4 front Approxi-
mately twenty-ono miles In length,
have pom etrated to depth Of four or
five miles west or Cambrai and have
reached Ham. west OF ST Quentin, q
distance of about nine miles west of
tho British lines they stood before
the inception OF the Teutonio offensive
on Thursday. The German claim that
the forces OF tho central empires are
fighting on a limo northeast OF Ba-
paume, Peronne and Ham has not been
substantiated by British official dis
patches. but the British reports show
that there has been a retirement at va
rious points. especially at st. Quentin
where Field Marshal HalE says his
forces have taken up their new posi-
tions and arc heavily engaged with
the enemy.
According to Berlin oriclal dis
patch, "a considerable part OF the
British army has been beaten" but
this is not borne out by any facts SO
far known. That $4,000 men have pos
sibly been captured by the Teutons
may be considered as natural result
I
rious parts OF the line. This number,
however. is very small In comparison
to the forces Hais has thrown into the
! fray.
The frightful combat continued all
day Saturday. @".
/ The great German offensive on the
western front has developed as its
salient feature an apparent desperate
effort to break into the southwest
OF St Quentin, drive wedge between
the British and the French and push
on a<Soss the Somme Canal in the gen
eFal direction OF Compiegne and Paris.
PARIS BoMBARDED BY
NINE-INCH GUNS
simultaneously, Paris has been bonn
earded at quartcr-hour Intervals, be
ginning Saturday forenoon, with shells
OF about nine-inch caliber.
The source OF the bombardments,is Is
seventy-four miles from Paris. The
nearest point OH the front is -tso
miles distant. moro than twice as, far
as artillery fire has ever reached pre-
vously. Ono theory suggested Is, that
the Germans have developed an aerial
torpedo. which can be hred from.
long distance. 49,
British line in the ST. Quentin region
late yesterday, tho Germans forcinE
their way through the defensive sys-
TEN and compelling s. British retreat
to prepared positions within the. area
devastated by the Germans in their re-
treat in the spring OF 1917.
HEAVY FIGHTING IN
VICINITY or HAM
attacked by the Germans, and news
dispatches filed from tho front late in
the day indicated that the lighting al
ready was heavy in the vicinity OF
liam. which reports a penetration Of
some nine miles for the Germans Ham
is approximately eleven miles south
west OF st. Quentin. N..'
y supreme effort by the Germansrto
cut the lire in this region is forecast
in the dispatches. They have put cav
airy in the field TO follow un the I'm
fantry. and evidently intend to throw.
the Chians into the fray when The in
.aatry columns open the breach The
German high command is counting
upon.
RRI1'ISH LINES HOLD
WELL. FURTHER NoRTH
va 'hSt !icI III &c bFltlSn lines, While
they have drawn back, are holding well
IN their new positions. The maximum
British rctrogression there seems tn
have been about four miles. at Mory.
which has changed hands several
times. 4
Reports that the French have become
involved in the struggle seem crcdiblc.
as the recession of the British riEh,
flank. which was resting, approximate.
ly upon La Ferc, at the River O;sc
would inevitably carry with II the
French left. which had rested upon the
Disc.
The advance is being accompanied
by terrible slaughter OF tho Cert
mans, who in their masscd formations,
arc heing cut to pieces by Erltis.,
guns Of All calibers, The British cas-
uaities, too have been heavy. ard Scr.
lin claims the taking Of $4,000 British
prisoners and 400 guns\
Emperor William himself Is in com,
mand or the German armies hshttns
this battle, which he had previously
declared would be the decisive one OF