The Sentinel=record., 1918-07-09
(By The Associated Press }

Continuing their aggressive defense
i'll the face OF impending German Of
fenslve along the western battle front,
the French have once more attacked
the enemy southwest of Soissons.
Launching their blow from the east
ern side of the Retz forest. north Of
Longpont, the French have advanced
over a front OF approximately two
miles taking Chavigny farm and the
slopes to the North and south of it.
Several hundred prisoners were cap
tured by the French in their sudden
attack. This assault may be linked
up closely with the recent offensive
operations at St Pierre Aigle aud
gives the French a new front line from
Long Pont north as far as the south
ern limits OF Ambleny, distance OF
almost eight miles.
Australian troops holding positions
astride the Somme river east of Amer
leans and north of Hamel have swept
the Germans back over front of
more than mile and Strengthened out
an awkward angle held by the Ger
mans since the Australians and Amer
leans carried their lines forward in
their spirited attack july 4.
Berlin mentions local attacks in the
Clignon sector which is held by the
Americans and between the Marne
and Rheims
Italian forces operating on the ex-
off nil nf a N
Albania have struck hard at Austrian
positions along the Voyusa tVojutsa)
river, which flows into the Adriatic
about twenty miles north of the town
of Avlona, one OF the most important
places in southern Albania.
Vienna admits that the Austrian
advance posts have been Withdraw wn
TO their main positions" this report
from Austrian headquarters probably
refers to the action mentioned in the
French official statement on Sunday
night. 1t was said that the French
and British forces had seized heights
in western Albania and had held them
against counter attacks.
Although the movement is as yet
not fully developed it may be that
serious offensive operation has been
initiated there. Italian naval vessels
would be able to cooperate with the
land forces and if the line is pushed
back a very great distance, a re-elec-
ton of the enemy lines running over
the mountains into Macedonia might
be necessary. The fighting north of
Avlona has been going on for at least
three days. which indicates that it
may be more than a mere local action.
Events are moving with rapidity in
Russia since the assassination Of
Count Won Mirbach, the German am
bassador at MOSCOW. Rumors of a
counter revolution at Moscow come
from various sources. but other dis
patches say that the uprising has been
crushed and several hundred OF the
revolutionists are under arrest Ger
many seems on the eve of relegating
the Brest-Litovsk peace treaty to the
scrap of paper" category. for there
are indications that German troops
may be sent to Moscow in the near
future. There are large Teutonic
forces within 300 miles of Moscow and
it is reported that they are being
heavily reinforced Dispatches say
that Emperor William has forbidden
the German foreign office to negotiate
in any way with the Russian ennis
saries, and the stage appears to be
set for new act in the drama that
is being played on what was formerly
the eastern theatre of the war. There
is a threat of new offensive against
Italy, this time directed from the
Trentino front and carried through
by large Austrian forces led by Ger
man shock units sent to that sector
of the Ita.3an line. Large bodies OF
German troops are reported concen-
trating preparatory to launching the
blow to revenge the utter defeat oil
the Austrians at the Venetian plains.
pEpt I'M OEEICIAI REPORT