The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-25

Inc.)
The Allied armies In Flanders have
virtually destroyed tho line OF the
Schrldl as a barrier 10 their advanc" to-
ward Antwerp. brussels and Mons. VAL
enciennrS WAS occupied yesterday by the
British forces after some lively rear
guard street fighting. TO the north or
this city practically all of the big bend
Ior the river around III" Forest or
Raismcs has been cleared by the Brit
ish Fifth Army.
This army. which began to appear In
the news very recently. was rho one
commanded by Cough last March. II
was broken and overwhelmed in IN" first
, l.udnnd"rff offensive west from ST.
Quentin. 1t WAS apparently reinforced
and rcorganIzrd during the summer and
held rs n reserve. After the German
retreat from the I.ys Valley sn lent IL
was brought into line between the Sec
ond Army and the First Army. So that
;hr disposition Of the Allied armies III
the north since the beginning OF the
September offensive on the Ipres front
has been from the coHst down.. The Bel
gIan army, De Goutte's French army,
rho Second British Army. under Bird
wood the First British Army, under
! Horne: the Third British Army. under
! RynE. and the Fourth British Army.
uncd Tawlinson. Mkt TO RawlinSnn's
! army IL the First French army, under
Dchcncy. The appearance of the Firth
| British Army and the transfer or Dc
! Iiouttr's army from tn" Marine to Flan-
I drrS--gavc the Allies IL numerical pre-
! pondcrance in the north and account IN
| part for the very rapid progress which
! has been made In the last three or four
| weeks on that long relatively quiescent
! sector Of the Western front.
| The British Fifth and Second armies
! have now reached the Schcldt Mt many
! noiIts between Nalenciennrs and Tour
mai and between Journal and Oudcnarde.
The French and Bclgians. having fur
! thor to 20 70 reach the Scheldt, are ap-
! proac ching It at Client. which, according
| to unofficial reports. the Germans Arc
! already preparing 10 eracuRte. West OF
! Client the Allied forces have crossed
5he Canal dc Derivation dc In Lys-nn
| artificial waterway running from the
| I.ys, southwest Of Antwerp. to r point
! on the Belgian coast littl" east or
! Zcchrugge. The distance due west from
+ Client to this canal Is only five miles. D.,
a recent issue OF the "Frankturter
! Zeltung" contained A. statement. evil
/ IDENTIFY inspired. to the effect that 1t Is
! mot TO Gcrnany's interest to make n
| slow defensive retreat from Belgium
and that fighting there will not be un-
/ necessarily prolonged single day.
This announcement harmonZes with the
! policy outlined in Baron Won Iancken' s
! letter 70 Cardinal MERCER promising the
! release OF Belgian political prisoners
! and the return OF Belgian civilians de-
/ ported 10 Germany.
! nd ,Snr
est coincide In counsellng n German
rctircmcnt from Belgium. II Luden-
! dorfr had felt able to defend belgium
| Germany would never have asked for An
! armlstice Tho Germans are therefore
! trying to make n virtue OF plain mill
! tary necessity. Tho evacuation Of Bel
| gIan soil is not Il sacrifice made In tho
| interest ot a peace Of Justice" by "a
! proud people accustomed 10 victory
AZ Chancellor Prince Max has just been
{ telling the German public. 1t Is an un-
! avotdable tribute tn tho victorious
! strategy of Marshal Toch.
In order 10 reap the full fruits OF tho
! breaking Of thr Schcldt line. Foch bo-
! gnn nm offensive yesterday cast of
! SoIcames ana 10 Cntcau against tho
! rcnnnt tn tho Schcldt position. connect
| ing TalenrIcnncs with tho German
: armies to The south. Tho objective OF
/ this operation Is Lo Qunsncy. ton miles
! southenst OF Nalenctcnnes on tho mil
! road running To Avesnes and H!rson.
! l.e Qucsnoy lies or the northern aide OF
| the Forest of Marnnl. t'och aims at
cnvcloplng this obstacle on tho north
by pushing past 10 Quesney, and at en-
vclopng Il on the routh by driving down
, the Valley Of tho Sarnbre river to Aul-
noye. Aulnnyc Is the junction point OF