The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-04
Associated Press.)

(Associated Press.
Northeast of St. Quentin tn,
British today are reported a
fighting in the open country be
yond the Hindenburg line aftel
having pushed ahead five or ST,
miles since Monday. From Len,
northward and from Rheims east
ward to the Argonne the. allie,
continue to bend back the Ger
man fanks in smashing attacks.
The breach driven through the
German defenses south of Beau.
revoir is on front of five miles
To the north, the British are
plunging forward east-southeas
from LIE Catelet, while on the
south the French are attacking
successfully between Sequchar,
and Les Dimes. The German re.
sistance is bitter, but there has
been no let-up in the strong allied
pressure. In the fighting in this
area Thursday Field Marshal
Haig's men captured 1000 pris-
oners.
With the British in the open
country northeast of St. Quentin
and the cavalry and tanks pour
ing through the breach the Ger
man positions about Cambria and
Laon will become most preca-
rious. Through the opening in
the. line Marshal Foch would be
able to throw troops to take both
CambEai and Laon in the, rear.
West Of Lille the British con-
tinue to press the Germans east
ward while extending their line
south of Lens to Mericourt, where
Il good advance also has been
made. Between Lens and Ar
menticres the British have moved
forward an average of more than
three miles on twenty-mile
front and east of the Bois Gre
nier are within six miles of the
outer walls Of the fortress of
Lille. Meanwhile, the British
and Bclgians in Flanders are wild
ening the salient east of Ypres,
which threatens the German posi-
tons on the coast and the net
work of railroads west of Client.
There are no indications that the
Germans have halted their retire
ment in the Lille salient. The
enemy is still several miles west
of the Deule canal, which runs
from north of Armentieres
through Lille to north of Lens,
and which probably will form
part of the German defense sys-
tenn before Lille. 1t is not prob
able the Germans will give up
Lille without heavy fighting.
German armies which have
been holding the front along the
sector from Lens to Armentieres
are in retreat and, with the Brit
ish in close pursuit, are hurried
ly abandoning the region south of
the Lys river, where they were
in danger of development. This
retreat seems to have uncovered
the important city of Lille and
will probably make imperative a
withdrawal all the way down the
line in front of Arras. North of
the wedges driven into the Ger
man lines by the Anglo-Belgian
drive there are no indications of
a retirement, as yet, although mil
itary critics believe that the Ger
mans hold on Ostend will be
short-lived, now that Roulers is
in the hands of the al
lies.
Near Rheims, Gen. Berthelot's
army has made new progress and
the time seems not far distant
when the cathedral city will be
freed from German artillery fire
for the first time since 1914.
This advance by the French has
very close relation to that of the
British around St. Qeuntin as
we'll as on operations further east
n Champagne. There are some
military experts who believe that
his drive is of greater strateg-t
cal value than any other now 60
ng on in France.
Gen. Gouraud's army in
Champagne has at last cleared
he western gate of Grand-Pre
rap, which runs north of the Ar
,onne forest. Challerange has
,een taken and the Germans
vest of that village have been
orced to give more ground.