Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-12

I been stabilized. The Germans
hive rnassed heavy artillery on this
s1fSnt and are heavily counter-attack-
y jnk.
4, Lilons, which the Germans took in
y counter-attack, has been recap
t&red by the British. The Allies
I have taken 10000 prisoners and 700
guns in their offensive.
The towns of Albert and Chaulnes
seemed today to be held by the enc
nv, and Roye has rot fallen.
Close in on Roye
The French are continuing their
advance between the Avre and the
4 Oise and have captured the town Of
l'Echelle-St. Aurin, three miles di-
rectly west of Roye, and are closing
n on Roye, the dispatches state.
The advance, however, appears to
( have slowed up.
Apparently the attack on the
southern part of the front was beirs
continued by the French this morn
ing. Main interest centered in the
sector around the Lassigny MaSsif.
It is difficult to say whethe: the
French are on the crest, but they
must be close to it. The whole posi-
ton on the southern line depends
upon possession of it.
French troops nave advanced nearer
to the important point of Roye from
the southwest by the capture of the
vivllages of Armancourt and Tilloioy,
according to the official statement from
Field Marshal Haig today. South of
the Somme British troops have cap.
tured 200 prisoners. British positions
east of Merricourt, south of the river,
have been linked with the British lines
east of Etinehem, north of the river.
Smash Attack
The British positions south of Lihons
we're attacked last evening by the Ger
mans. The attack was repulsed.
Today's British statement reads:
"Yesterday evening the enemy again
attacked our position south Of Lihons
He was repulsed.
"As a result OF a successful operation
carried out by us Immediately south
Of the Somme. We captured 200 pris
oners and linked up our positions east
of Mericourt with the line east o
Etinehem, on the north bank of the
river.
"on the right Of the Fourth Britis!
army our Allies made progress yester'
day afternoon in the direction of Roye
capturing the villages of Armancour
and Tilloloy Tilloloy is three and one
half miles southwest of Royel.
"On the northern portion of the
British front we effected local i'm
provements in our line east of Robecc
and between Vieux-Berquin and Mer
ris."
Present Battle Line
As nearly as can be learned the bat
tleline from north to south runs toda.
near Mericourt, Proyart. Rainecour
and Lihons, which apparently is tina'
ly secure in British hands after bite
fighting; thence west of Chaulnes
through or near Chilly. which ha
4 changed hands twice, thence through
Fouquescourt, Parvillers, Damery
Andechy. L'Echellee, Armancour,
Damcourt, Pipincourt, Roye-Sur-Mat7
Mareuil, Samson and Antoval. striking
the old line near Ribecourt.
The battle appears to be approach
ing the end of the first phase, wit
the lines steadily hardening on tn
front, speaking generally, that tn
Germans held when they retired I
the Hindenburg line.
The assistance that has been rem
dered by the Americans in this fgh
ing has been comparatively small bu
nevertheless important, for they hav
captured and held positions strongl
defended by the enemy at one of tn
most difficult points in the line at
time when the German resistance her
was threatening to hold up the lef
flank of the advance.