The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-07-24
ALLIES AGAIN
CUT RAILROAD
French Smash Two Miles Ahead
on kmianS Front.
AMERICANS HOLO GAINS
Huns Brace Franticaliy in Last Effort
to Hold Saiient--Counter Attsefs
Broken Up.

to Hold Saiient-Counter Attsefs
Broken Up.
London, July ~. - Immediately
south of the river Ourcq Oh the Aisne-
Marine battle front the advancing
French forces are reported L" have
had very heavy fighting.
Nevertheless, they have succeeded
In reaching several places On the rail
road between ArmentiereS and Coin
cy. This part Of the railroad is more
is more than six miles to the east of
NeuillySt. Front
North Of the OurcQ the French have
captured Ouichy-le-C hateau. Further
north the Americans have taken Blu
fancy, below scissors the Americans
have also captured Jaulgonne. IN the
Marine. with 800 prisoners and are
continuing their advance. The French
have regained all the ground they lost
on Monday near Girls.
The general sitlI;r ron along the riv
er Marine was unchanged except that
the Germans apparently overwhelmed
some of the French troops across the
river south of VinceIleS. and north OF
Dormans.
The French attack near Montd.d:er
on the Amicns front. was a very well
executed and successful minor opera
ton and, according to dispatches from
the battlefront. was presumably de-
signed as a diversion. aiming ut keep
ing the enemy'S mind occGp'el and
preventing him from sending large
reinforcements to the southwark.
At the same time it also effected
important local Improvement in the
line ut sector where every advance
means better protection for Amiers
and Paris The French attacked on
q fOur-mile front after an hours BON
bardment of the German lines and
captured all three villages cf Sau-
villers. Auvillers and MaIley-Raine-
val within fifteen minutes.
The French then advanced t. the
western edge of the wood north of
Sauvillers- MongUal. which means Il
total advance Of two miles This
point is about 1000 yards east of Nal
ley-Raineval and gives the French
control of the heights dominating the
valley of the Avre. Twelve hundred
Germans were made prisoner.
About 1000 more prisoners have
been counted elsewhere by the allies
In the past twenty four hours. OF
this number about half have been
credited TO the Americans and Brit
ish, but as a matter of fact the al
lies just now are far too busy to de-
vote much time to the counting of
prisoners. Fighting of the fiercest
to-and-fro struggling all along the
Scissors Rheims loop is very close,
strenuous work and probably not so
many prisoners are being taken as
would be the case in a direct advance
or retreat action.
There has been little change in the
past twenty-four hours in the appear
ance of the Soissons-Rheims pocket
rs 1t appears on the map. What
changes have been made they are all
TO the advantage of the allies
The French and Americans have
gained further ground In the bottom
of the pocket The French also are
pressing hard on the long line south
of scissors and the map shows ad-
vances of 1000 yards or so at several
points
The expectations of those who
hn
pairing to give up Immediately the en-
tire Soissons-Chateau Thierry- Rheims
salient and retire to the Vesle river
or the Aisne have not yet been full
filled.
According to dispatches the Ger
man is fighting his hardest to hang
on to every foot of ground he has
and is constantly counter attacking
with surprising momentum, both on
the Marine and along the west side
Of the salient
1t is true, of course. that this is
Exactly what the Germans would b.
likely to do If he were actually in the
process of retreat, but the allies so
far have had no definite indication
that the German has made up his
mind that a general retirement will
be necessary.
The Germans are burning villages
and some small dumps, but presum-
ably a further prodding will be need
ed to push him back to the river
Vesle.
Meanwhile the entente allies, not
only the infantry but also the artil-
lery and bomb dropping aviators, are
working without rest at the business
Of making either a stand or a with
drawal difficult for the Germans
On the front between the Marine
and Rheims the British have captur-
ed the Petitcham wood. near Marfaux,
with 200 prisoners and fourteen ma
chine guns.
This advance is important, as 1t
necessitated the calling in of reserves
by the Germans.
The inactivity in the Champagne
sector Is semiofficially ascribed by
Paris to the enormous German losses,
the extent Of which can he calculat-
Cd. On the front with Gouraud's ar
NY alone. 10000 Germans are de-
AIRED to have been put out Of action
by the hundreds of guns which were
unmasked only when the assaulting
waves crossed the covering zone and
approached the real line Of resist