The sun., 1918-10-04
LENS COAL FIELDS
WILL SUPPLY ITALY
American Mining Machinery
Already on the Way.
Special Despotch 10 TnE STU.

special Despotch 10 The SuN.
WARRINGTON, Oct. 3-with to-day's
highly favorable news from the Euro
pean battle fronts military and diplo-
matte officials here see the first evidence
Of real break in the Teutonic military
and political machine. To-day brought
the news these officials have long
awiated-the account of a smash COM
pletely through the famous Hindenburg
defensive system and Of the first stages
OF what they all believe will amount
soon to widespread retreat from
France and western Belgium.
The outstanding phases of the days
developments were the retreat from
Lens and tho advance of the British
and colonial forces between Cambria
and st. Quentin. In giving up Lens
the Germans relinquished their hold on
the great French coal fields, of which
they have made full use since the first
days OF the war. There was nothing
In the cabled news 10 indicate whether
the underground workings had been
fired. and in the absence of word 20
that effect the hope was expressed that
the invaders were forced out in a haste
that did not leave them time to set
the torch to the French fuel storehouses.
Machinery on the Way.
The retreat from Lens was not sur
prisng to military mon here. In fact,
that move had been discounted for some
weeks. and preparations were already
under way to take advantage of It, The
coal supply Of the allied nations. particu-
larly Italy. has been a matter Of grave
concern for some time, and in their esti-
mates OF shipping allowances to meet
this need the possibility Of again utiliz-
ing the Lens fields was considered.
To this end this Government is known
to have sent to France some weeks ago
several large consignments OF the most
modern mine working machinery with
which to extract the largest possible
amount Of coal from the Lens field in
the shortest possible time once the grip
Of the German invader was loosened.
In this machinery was included fire
fighting equipment OF the sort used in
the mines OF this country.
With the Lens mines restored there
will soon be an ample supply OF coal
for Italy as well as France. the needs
OF the former country being SO great as
to overshadow all others.
There is no Goubt here that the Ger
man retreat in Belgium constitutes one
OF the greatest blows yet suffered by the
Germans. nor is there any doubt that
the necessity for the retreat came as a
painful surprise to them.
bigger Events in the Making.
Concerning the break through" south
OF Cambria. military men here regard
this of tremendous importance not so
much from the standpoint OF what has
been gained already as from the posi-
bilities 1t opens. The British are now
on the edge of q vast open country. un-
defended by trenches or Notifications. in
which they can use their huge fleets of
tanks to the greatest advantage.
There is the greatest confidence that
Marshal Foch will be quick to take ad-
vantage OF the situation in the north,
and 1t is reported that the French mas
ter strategist foreseeing the results that
have been attained long before 1t was
even suspected that they were contem-
plated. sent a whole French army north
ward to back up and relieve the British
and Belgians as soon as they begin to
show signs of exhaustion.
AS soon as the present gap below
Cambria Is widened and consolidated
therefore, 1t Is confidently believed m
The capital that Foch will send his fresh
French army into the breach TO over
whelm the already staggering Germans.
Big as have been the military events of
the last few days. still bigger events
are looked for in the days to come.