The sun., 1918-08-11

Of command, Those two great victor
les have resulted In the capture OF be.
tween $4,000 and 10000 prisoners and
between 800 and 900 guns. The victory
was due to the brilliant quality OF our
troops assisted by the French and | am
now glad to say also by American
troops"
Thus far in the new offensive the
Allies have counted $4,000 prisoners. the
British reporting more than $4,000 and
the French 5000. II Is asserted that,
however. this is not the full bag. The
British night report asserts that the
number OF prisoners has increased be.
You'd the $4,000 mark given in the morn
ing report. The task OF counting the
prisoners and of onging them has not
been completed, the cages at the front
being full with the big influx Of the last
few days. The latest figures put the
number of guns captured at coo.
The opinion was freely expressed by
London military critics to-day that the
Germans could not hope to make any
sort of stand until they reached the
canal that runs from Nesle to Noyon.
This would mean a retreat OF twenty
miles and would put the Germans on
practically the lines from which they
started when they launched their offsh-
sive In March, the offensive that was 60
ing to capture Paris and end the war"
III tHt CcutFt VI thc fctiuy
field the Germans are In full retreat. and
II IA here that the retreat II rapidly
taking on the aspect of d rout, due to
the ceaseless activity OF allied tanks,
armored cars and airplanes. The latter
particularly are doing valiant work.
Tho airmen In fact, are accomplishing
better results than at any previous pc
riod of the war.
On the roads that are being used by
tho fleeing Germans they are csasely
dropping bombs, pling Up traffic and
making 1t all but impossible Tor the
Germans to proceed. The Hers report
that the German back aeras are a well
ter OF confusion and that the progress
rearward is painfully slow. Everywhere
the Germans are blowing UP and burn
ing ammunition dumps and great piles
of supplies. Prisoners brought in are
invariably in q famished condition, In.
dicatins a lack of.both FOOD and time
TO eat Il. -. Sc ---.----''-.-' ,---
As the allied advance proceeds It be-
comes more and more apparent that
Crown Prince Ruppreoht stripped his
forces to an extent much more than
was estimated when he sent aid to the
fioundering German Grown Prince in the
Scissors Rheims salient. The Allies have
found surprisingly largo number OF
extremely old and very young men OPP
posed to them, Indicating that the Ba2
varian heir sent his best men to the
aid Of his imperial cousin. Va.
90 far there have been no indications
of q now OF reserves to the threatened
German lines, and the conviction 10 be-
ginning to take form In the minds of
allied commanders that the GERMAN
Generals have no reserves to send. The
fact that they are being pounded ON
three fronts at the same time Is still
another obstacle against a transfer OF
strength from one front to Another They
fully realize that the least letup at
any one of the imperilled positions viii
mean the "break through" for which
both sldee have been striving practically
since the outbreak Of the war
Rapid Retreat Indicated.
The Associated Press correspondent
with the British Army In France In de-
scrlbing the withdrawal OF the Germans.
Gays:
North OF the soirime and also south
OF IL the Germans are showing every
sign of a rapid retreat. Most Of the
shells that came over from their bat
teries to-day were of small callbre and
fired at extremely long range, showing
that the enemy probably was removing
his heavier pieces for a further retire
ment The allied forces. who every
where to-day advanced their lines,
moved their artillery along with them.
There was further cheer in the re-
port that reached here late to-day re-
vealing that the French had started an
other movement that resulted IN the
taking Of Montdidier. In that region,
po, the Germans made preparationA Tor.
she withdrawal that military observers
confidently had expected.
The enemy continues to destroy his
stores OF munitions In various Localities
along the battle 'front.' as Is the practice
of a beaten army.
Further successes east Of Montdider
would iron out the whole sector north
10 Lihons and result in the freeing of
great territory from the Germans and
wrestling from them much OF the gains
that resulted from the enemys spring
offensive. In addition a forward move
rlent would take from the invaders the
bountIful crops that they have been cul-
now are ready TO harvest.
MANY more prisoners have been
taken during the operations OF the last
twenty -four hours. among them TROOPS
from Mt least four new divisions that
were hurled In north OF the somme
Apparently. the enemy has rushed In
new troops from wherever they could
be obtained, for among the prisoners
ese some from reserve battalions o.
divisions located far to the north. The
would indicate that considerable con-
fusion prevails among Crown Prince
Rupprechts forces as a result OF the
unexpected allied assaults a nd their con-