Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-14
|RA|NY WEATHER
| STOPS FIGHTING
| ON WEST Front
Possibly Responsible for De-
lay in Resumption of
German Offensive.
GERMANY HOLDING BELGIUM
AS PAWN, SAYS CHANCELL OR
Washington Expects to Receive
More Definite Peace Feel
ers From Berlin.
ALBANIAN DRIVE CONTINUES
Nearly 1000 Enemy Airplanes De-
stroyed by British In
Ono Year. ..j
GERMANY HOLDING BELGIUM
AS PAWN, SAYS CHANCELL OR
DRIVE CONTINUES

undated War Lead by Associated Press.ys
Rainy weather in Northern France
has caused the thorough soaking OF
tho ground. particularly in tho low
lying portions Of the battle front, and
not inconceivably has had something
to do with the delay of the Germans
in renewing their offensive.
1t is a month now since the last Of.
fensive died down. swamped by the
tide OF French success on the banks
OF the Matz, north OF Compiesne and
there is as yet no sign Of the enemy'at'
being ready to strike again.
Meanwhile the allies have been push.
Ing back the German lines little by
little at various important points,
hardly day going by without French
or British attack. These in the ag-
gregate have gained valuable defensive
ground and resulted as well in tho
taking Of thousands of German pris-
oners.
Meanwhile the German diploma lists
are again airing their war aim pro-
grams and engaging in peace discus
sions among themselves. The German
Chancellor has touched upon the vital
question OF Belgium in the relation Of
the status of that nation to peace, and
has declared that German does not
intend to retain that country "in any
form whatever" She is holding It as3
pawn in the negotiations, he asserted,s
and the German government finds it
expedient to explain this utterance in
an official statement in which it is
declared that the holder Of a pawn,
does not intend to keep it, if the neEo-S
tiations bring a satisfactory result
Washington advices reflect tho view
there that further and more definits
mi hoE ta1 ~
Germany, which is felt in high quar-,
ters to have her eyes turned to the
cast with the gaining Of control In
Russia outweighinE in her estimation
all that she might have been inclined
to make an effort to retain upon the
western front.
The Albanian campaign, although en-
tirely subsidiary to the operations on
the western front, has continued to
be the most active theater of war so
far as extensive gains OF ground arc
involved. The advance. made mainly
by the Italians, with the French on
the right flank. has already reached
a maximum depth OF twenty-five miles
on front OF some eighty miles,
Strengthening the allied line as It runs
from the Adriatic and links up with
the Macedonian front
In one year on the British western
front the royal air force has account
cd for 3,2S3 enemy airplanes. In the
same period, the naval airmen shot.
down 623. total Of 1855, z.
An official statement. dealing with
these operations says:
The royal air force, during tho
year beginning July !, 1917. on the
British western front destroyed 215o
hostile machines and drove down outs
of control 1,0S3. In the same period
the air force units. working in con-
Junction with the navy, shot down saa
hostile machines
During this period. 1904 OF our.
machines were missing. Ninety-two OF
these were working with the navy.
On the Italian front, from April
to June, 1913, the British destroyed 1e5
hostile machines and drove down six
out of control. Thirteen OF ours were.
missing.
"On the Saioniki front. between jan
nary and June twenty-one hostile ma
chimes were destroyed and thirteen 81
were driven down out of control. -Four
Of ours were missing, ga
In all the theaters of the war, the
British air superiority and strength,
progressed raridly and continuously.
From this 1t is safe to assume that
when the new factor Of Americas out-
put both aircraft and personnel, en-
ters the situation In the fighting zones
the aerial ascendancy of the entente
allies should give them virtually very