The Little River news. (Ashdown, Little River County, Ark.) 1897-current, 1918-04-27
GERMANS GAIN A MILE
IN NEW SOMME ATTACK
After Three Weeks Preparation Ene-
my Again Tries for Amiens
Attacks Elsewhere
Fail

New York, April 24.-After three
during which time they launched an
offensive in Flanders, the Germans
have resumed heir hammering at the
front door of Amiens. For days there
has been heavy artillery firing along
the northern sectors of the Somme
salient and finally the German infan-
try began their attempts to advance
on the line, passing Villers-Braton-
neux, Hangard, Halle and Castel.
The first attacks were repulsed but
subsequent attacks centered about
Villers -Bratonneux have caused
British withdrawal from this village,
acoraing gto a report from Field Mar.
shall Haig. This marks German
gain of about mile.
Villers-B -BratonneuX is about II
miles directly east of Amiens and is
on the northern end of the latest
fighting front. 1t is situated between
the Somme and Luce rivers and while
it is thanked on the south by low-ly-
ing ground, it is backed by rolling
hills to the west and northwest.
The fighting on the rest of the
front, where the Germans have resum-
ed their drive toward the allied base
OF supplies in northern France, has
| mot, SO far as is known, resulted In
otoh 1o re hy o1lioc
The German official report issued on
Wednesday was silent as to events in
this sector of the front
An attack on this part OF tie line
| in the SOmme region had been ex-
pectea and it is probable that prepa
rations to meet it had been made.
| The British lines held firm in this
region during the last days of the
| first drive while the Germans were
able to forge ahesd further south un-
til they reached the village Of Castel
running to Paris from Amiens. Re-
Gently French counter-offensive at
Castel won back considerable ground
and it was evident that unless the
line further norh could De advanced
| materially the Germans mad little
; chance to make important gains in
; their operations south of Amiens.
New Blow in Ypres Sector.
This new drive has been made at
the same time that another blow has
been struck at the British and
French lines northwest of Ypres. Saw
age fighting is reported at various
points o ong the line from Bailleul to
Merville and Berlin claims that
heights northeast of Bailleul have
been stormed. Coincideat with these
attacks there have been assaults in
the British forces nem Bethune.
along the Lave river, but these have
been repu!sed.
U-BOat Bases Damaged.
Some of the uncertainty as to the
success of the British exploit in at
tempting to seal up the harbors of
Zeebrugge and Ostend has been clear
ed up by observations carried out by
viators Grave damage was done to
the mole at Zeebrugge, while the
kulks of sunken steamers are said to
at least partially block the channel
leading out to sea from the port OF
Osten1.
Holland to Remain Neutral.
The situation between Germany
an Hoi..md j.. still obscure. 1t has
been reported that virtual ultima
tum was delivered to the Netherlands
government by Berlin, but this is not
as yet known to be true. DISPATCHES
from the Hague Insist that Holland
will not depart fro.n her attituae OF
that the Dutch mini. ter mas left for
neutrality An unofficial report says
The Hague and that the German min