The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-07-26
JAWS OF TRAP
CLOSING FIRMLY
ON HUN ARMIES
Enemy Loses 40 Square Miles During
Past 81 HOurs-MOuth of Great
Pocket Now Only 81 Miles
Center Is Untenable.

London, July 25 British and
French troops have advanced to
Gueux and MeryPremecy in the bat
tie sector just west of Rheims, ac-
cording to information received here
this afternoon from the battle front.
The advance of the British and
French forces along the battle front
between Rheims and the Dheim to
Gueuex and Mery-Premecy, repre-
sents a gain of about q mile and a
half along front of three miles. The
town of GueuX lies to the south of
the river Vesle and is about five miles
directly west of the cathedral city,
Mery-Premecy is a short distance
north of the Fismes-P Pargny railroad
and is about 1O1a miles southeast of
Rheims. which is in the center of a
line running between Soissons and
Rheims.
The new line of advance is about
two miles toward Fismes. This gain,
when seen on the map, is evidently
important, for it greatly narrows the
salient created by the Germans in
their drive of last May.
1t no longer is proper to speak OF
the pocket as running from scissors
to Rheims, for the newest advantage
of the Entente Allies has pulled the
eastern edge of the pocket eight miles
to the westward making Mery-Pre-
mecy the marker for the eastern rim.
The mouth of the pocket is now
only 81 miles wide and the whole dis
trict between the two sides is under
range of Entente Allied guns.
The French are continuing their at
the River Marne. They advanced last
night for a distance of mile, cap
turing the southern part of the Fere
forest and they now occupy farm on
the main road from -EnTarde-
nois is within 5000 yards of the
French lines.
The French last night also pushed
well forward along the south bank of
the river Ourcq, but this morning they
found that they were in an isolated
position and they were compelled to
fall back.
East of Rheims a Polish contingent
attached to the French made sue
cessful enterprise and captured 2lS
prisoners.
On the west side of the pocket, the
Franco-American troops have straight
ened out their line at the expense of
the Germans during the past "a hours,
this involving a loss to the enemy of
about 40 square miles of territory be-
tween Armentieres and Vincelles,
The line in the lower western part
of the pocket now runs straight south
east from Armentieres and along this
line the Germans have been compell-
ed to give up all the little angles and
corners which they had been holding
onto as observation posts or strong
points.
The German military nerve center
at Fere-En-T -Tardenois, which, as the
junction of several great roads, was
the most important store house and
distributing point of the Germans. is
now under the cross fire from the
French and American artillery and
must be well nigh untenable.
In fact, no place in the whole pock-
ct is a very comfortable position with
the Allied long range artillery sweep
ing back and forth, with ballons and
airplanes directing the fire,
Possible evidence of a further with
drawal by the Germans is seen on the
western flank of the pocket in the
fact that the German artillery fire
has grown much lighter all through
this sector and the guns appear to be
firing from a greater distance be-
hind the lines, as If being pulled back
to places of safety.