Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-24
Latest War
Summary
BY Assoeiated Press

pressing forward in vital sectors on
the front south of scissors and near
Rheims
Following its policy of conserv-
at1sm, the French war office reports
nothing but heavy artillery fire
around the salient and the repulse
OF German counterattack in the
region of Vrigny, five miles south
west of Rheims. Nothing is said as
| to progress against the increased
German resistance north of the
Marne, nor is there mention of the
situation north of Montdidier, where
| on tuesday morning the French
took positions. dominating long
reaches of the Avre river.
Airmen Look For Retreat
From unofficial sources 1t is re-
ported that the rainy weather of the
past few days had slowed up the
hghting between scissors and
! Rheims, and probably also had re.
tarded the German retirement from
the bag in which the Crown Princes
FORCES were caught by General Man
gins thrust against the western side
OF the salient. Allied airmen re-
port conditions back of the German
lines as indicative of a German re-
| treat as far north as the Vesle river.
The line of the Ourcq has been vir-
tnally rendered untenabge by the
allies advance to the neighborhood
OF Oulchy-Le-C Chateau and Oulchy-
Le-Ville, north of the stream.
| Near Vital Point
Just south of scissors the French
and Americans are known to have
reached the western bank of the
Crise river, but there have been no
reports of a further advance in this
vital region. Should the allies sue
ceed in crossing the Crise in force
and in gaining the plateaux to the
eastward of that stream, German
occupation of Soissons probably
would be short lived Such an ad-
vance also would make the line of
the Vesle of slight advantage to the
Germans and probably would COM
pei their eventual retirement to the
Aisne river. For this reason the
allied efforts to forge eastward OF
Buzancy may be expected to be re-
doubled and the German resistance
at this point probably would be OF
the sternest character.
Allied pressure on the Rheims
scissors salient maintains it's pro-
gress against the Germans. who also
are being hampered in their prepa-
Tations for an eventual retirement
by hurricaneS of she'll from allied
guns and hundreds of bombs
dropped by allied airmen.
Stubborn as is the resistance of
the Germans at vital points, es-
pecially from the Ourcq along the
Marine to the Ardre, the French,
American and British continue to
advance. Heavy artillery fire and
hundreds of machine guns form the
backbone of the German defense
This has tended to slow up the al
lies, but has not stopped their prog
ress.
French Move Forward
On the important sector astride
the Ourcq the French have moved
forward another kilometer toward
the important German base of
Fere-en- -Tardenois. The town with
its supplies of food and ammunition
is now within six miles of the ad-
vancing French line. A great fire
has been burning there for many
hours
While the French progress toward
Fere from the west, the French and
Americans are gaining steadily from
the south. Around Barbillon wood
and toward the Marne the allies, in
heavy fighting on rain-soaked fields,
are pressing back the Germans who
have attacked viciously but appar-
emily futily. Further east along the
L Marne the bridgeheads on the north
ern bank are being enlarged by the
I French and Americans who have
advanced two more miles between
Mont st. Pere and Charteves. The
Il Germans evidently have been driven
entirely from the north bank ex-
cept at several points east of Dor
4 mans.
Allied Pressure Is Heavy
II Southwest of Rheims in the heav-
! iily-wooded country along the Ardre,
the British and French pressure
continues. An average advance of
/ about two-thirds of a mile has been
made on a limited front. The drive
here is a corollary to the French
pressure astride the Ourcq. The
/ British have taken three hundred
prisoners, making their total for
three days 1.1OO.
4 Fresh troops constantly are being
thrown in by the Germans. appar-
emily only for the purpose of check
ing the allied advance sufficiently to
permit the removal of large guam
titles of stores and big guns from
within the salient to a line par
alIeling the Vezle. The enemy is re-
4 ported to be removing his supplies
as rapidly and as we'll as he is able.
but the allied artillery fire and
bombing activity is proving most
harassing Stores and ammunition
dumps which cannot be moved are
being fired.
Aviators Busy
American and British aviators are
aiding the French airmen in their
raids and bombing expeditions in the
zone behind the German lines.
Thirty-seven machine guns were ac-
counted for Monday, while Berlin
claims that fifty-three allied air
planes were brought down.
Since the fighting began July Is
the Germans are reported to have
used between sixty and seventy di-
visions. Estimates from French
headquarters place the German
losses in that period at 10000 in
killed, wounded and prisoners.
In Picardy the Germans have
failed to react against the French
stroke northwest of Montdidier in
which three towns and heights DOM
mating the Avre were taken from
the enemy. Paris reports that the
prisoners taken total 1900. The
French losses were said to have
been slight.
on the other fighting fronts there
has been no activity of importance.
In Albania the French and Italians
continue their progress UP the
1 I.saes T.,