The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-10-22
Defeat Enemy Attacks.

Defeat Enemy Attacks.
North of Journal the British are
along the Scheldt river on front of
five miles and north and south of
iris sector are rapidly gaining the
western bank of the river. Between
Valenciennes and LaCateau the British
maintain their pressure and have now
reached the Escallion river at Thiant,
southwest of Valenciennes.
French forces continue their pres
sure on the front from the junction of
the Disc and the Serre eastward to
Vouziers. On the extreme left they
have advanced north of the Serre.
East of the Aisne at Vouziers, the Ger
mans have ceased their violent effort
to dislodge the French from important
hill positions. The French here are
in position to outflank the Germans
facing the American sector west of
the Meuse, which accounts for the
strong German effort to drive the
French back. General Gouraud's men,
however, have defeated all enemy at
tacks.
Strong French forces attacked this
morning on the center of the allied
front in Belgium and are reported to
be making excellent progress in the
direction of Ghent
The general situation in Belgium
this morning seemed to be that on
most of the front the allied armies had
reached a period of pause which is
| inevitable when rapid advances have
| been made. German resistance stiff.
fened appreciably during the night,
al tho Ccholdf ,.iyor
| On the front of the British fourth
army, with which the Americans are
fighting, the night was quiet and the
| situation is unchanged in the Valen.
ciennes-Le Cateau area.
GERMAN STATEMENT
American attacks Monday north OF
Sommerance and on wide front on
both sides of Bantheville broke down
from German general headquarters to-
| day.
Metz Used as Pivot.
Development of the plan being fol
/ lowed by the German high command
in conducting it's retreat from north
ern France and Belgium, makes it ap
parent that Metz is being used as a
pivot for the movement. While the
/ Germans are pouring fresh divisions
! into the line in front of the American
northwest of Verdun, in an attempt to
hold the line firmly, the rest of the
German legions are swinging back
toward the Belgian frontier.
There are several situations along
| the front, however, which render il
possible and even probable that Mar
shall Foch viii seriously interfere with
the orderly retirement of the enemy
I, forces. 1t seems certain that the Hun
ding line has been outfianked in Bel
GUM, where the Scheldt river has
been crossed, and east of LIE Cateau
where the British and Americans ap
| pear to have fought their way through
all distractions This line, therefore
may be rendered untenable for the
Germans, who may be forced to fall
back to the line of the Meuse. before
| attempting to stand at bay.
May Outfiank Foe.
! In the meantime, attacked by the
/ Allies in Belgium, east of the Selle
river and in the Disc region, threaten
/ to disorganize the German retreat. In
Belgium, the French and British are
boring into the enemys positions sc
swiftly that they may completely out
! flank the German forces still holding
! the line to the southwest. Belgian
troops advancing toward Client are
Systematically clearing the country
I from the Dutch frontier down as far
! as Feoloo, on the Lys-Zeebrugge canal
: The French are within seven miles
of Ghent, while the British have
reached the Scheldt, near Journal.
| Field Marshal Haig's men are with
| in two miles of Valenciennes and the
! Germans are expected to abandon
| that city very quickly. Further south
the railroad running from Valencien
nes into the Ardennes region is ir
peril and only increased resistance
viii prevent these British and Ameri
! cans from cutting In. In the Serre
Disc, the French have made material
progress at various points.
In the Champagne region, Genera