Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-12
BRITISH GR|MLY
HOLD MESS|NES
RIDGE, Bull WARK
Firmly Maintain Lines Toward
Ypres Despite Furious Attacks
by the Germans.
FIGHTING ON WHOLE FRONT
Piling Up Casualties; Only Definite
Results Attained on
Either Side
Associated Press summary - 70

Associated Press Summary = 70
With the Prtish hanging on grlmly
Ia The great bull. OF Nlc4-Incs ridge thor
bulwark IN Flanders the Germans to the
south are pushing thcir wrdgc deeper
into the British lfuc- northeast and north
of Bcthunc, one Of the Pritieh advanced
bases
The polnt of this wedge vas driven
last night further along tho iy5 canal -
Ncrvile. two miles west aI lf'stran
winch the British held ~ 10 Yesterday
The salient was extended also lightly to
the north near IT. TIP - the virlmsy o.
Scuf Rcrqun, tWo miles northwest ot
FStarcs. another point whore the British
had been making a stand
mrs pREssrEE CONTINUES
The Germans today were continuing
what appeared - be heir heaviest pres
sure in this region and had nadc some
progress when the noon Official report was
issued in London
The solltheriv side of the salient. as il
runs southeast toward Givenchy. IS be-
ing strongly held by the british They
we're standing firm today If lnisue
three miles northeast sc Pethune, and
along he llnc northwest II thc Nerriilc
region Further southeast theg rcDcllcd
4 ,er1nan attempt 70 advance northwest
III Civenchv. he high ground about
which protects the British right laDk
before Rethunc
HtIG GUARDING SALIENT
The British task here patiently j 70
prevent the sides Of this salient from beng
materially widcned ~ the Tip cannot be
pushed in much further without grave
danger I'D tho attacking forces from flank
don
their advanced front
Northwest Of ArmentIercs. abandoned
yesterday by the British he line Was
Strengthened out by their withdrawal from
pl0egstecrt, whence they fell back tight
lng to the vIcinIty TO Neueye Lglise,
close 10 the southeriv end II Nesslnes
ridge, which protects their pew positions.
BATTLE on WHOLE FRONT.
The British lines apparently are being
firmly maintained along the high ground
IN the Messines and Nytschaete regions
and To the north toward 4pres. M
material change IN rhe situation ls re-
ported here The battle. however, IS
continuing along the whole front from
Ia Basset Canal n0rthward 10 Hoilebeke,
the Germans hammer'ng hard their
desperate attempt 70 win something
substantial IN this new ambitious effort
ii theirs - far It's only definite result
has been the piIIng up u casualties on
hoth sides NOTABLY their own.
HoMB&RDlSG o< SoMHE.
On the Somme battlefield there has
been no resumption II infantry engage
mrnts On large scale The British.
however were subjected 10 strong locaI
attacks near \euYliIe-k l,a>ee, southeast
ii Arras. all of which they repulSed
The artillery i reported Increasingly
active III the slclntts of he Sonlme y hlle
Paris announces 4 rather heavy bombard-
ment along he French line 70 he south
east OF Amlens. Il The vicinity II Han
gard
I. :. MARI<E9 At 1LADItu-Toh.
American marines have landed j
Niadivoatok with the British and Jap
auesc and then presence Is expected T,
have rcassuring effect Oh the Russian
feelings Nthough no official notltica
ton has been received IN Washington, tht
step was not unexpected Petrograd :
sud to view the situation at ladlvostob
more calmly