Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-07-25

Special Leased Wlre)
Thierry little more than a week ago
was accompanied by the fire of big
naval guns, shells from which fell ten
ana fifteen miles behind the lines.
Bitter Fighting Range.
The bitterness of the battle around
Chateau Thierry and along that por-
/ tion of the north bank of the Marne
where the enemy still retains a foot
ing probably is largely due to HIS de-
termination to stave off Franco
| American attacks from the south at
least until the big weapons have been
dragged back to safety. The Ameri-
can advance reported today through
Chatelet forest and to the northeast
Of Epieds is beginning to menace SER
iously enemy positions further east +,
ward on the Marne which are cover. /.
ing his withdrawal within the salient. /,
1t has been estimated that the Ger
mans now have as many as half a
million men in the limited salient they +.
stin hold. About forty divisions are 4
understood to have been Identified
there. The irregularly shaped pocket Z
is about thirty miles broad at Its
base, between scissors and Rheims.
while its greatest depth is. around
twenty miles. @
Should the final rail connection
| northward come under direct gun fire.
| n e fegardad a. possible a yeritahlA
rout would result as the massed forces
of the enemy could not all be gotten
away.
Reserves Drawn In.
Appraised at Its lowest probable
| value, officers say, the counter stroke
| already has drawn in the enemys
| most vital necessity, his reserves. His
| whole plan of campaign has been
! overtures in less than week and
| it is regarded as more than probable
| that the initiative seized by General
Each will remain in his hands perma-
nently to be ampllfed into blows at
other points. M
General March's statement fol-
lows:
"On saturday / called your attention
to the Importance of the railroad sys-
tenn i'm the salient which was under
discussion as influencing the position
of the Germans south of the Marne,
and while | was talking the Germans
were actually withdrawing from that
salient across the Marne. o. r official
accounts indicate that he retreated
from this position protected by smoke
| clouds, and continued his passage at
night across the stream as soon as the
line of railroad which furnished. him
with supplies, food, etc, was apparent-
~ destined to fall into our hands.
Pushed Back on Ten-Mile Front.
Along the salient here. between the
Marne and Rheims, on the east flank
OF the salient. the enemy has been
/ pushed back over a ten-mile front for
an average distance of one and one-
half to two miles. This has been done
| by British, French and Italian troops,
through a very wooded country, and
over high ground. reaching up some.
| thing like perhaps 500 feet above the
| streams.
Along the Marne itself the Amer
| leans and French have crossed tha
river at a number of points and now
| hold villages to the north of the
Marne.
The response OF the Germans to the
| counter often nsive of Foch was TO
| throw in at Soissons and south of VI,
large number of reserve diyisiona
which he had not used in his advance
across the Marne. Our belief Is that
he threw in there fifteen divisions but
| theadvance Of the allies at that point
has been practically steady for the
| last two days as far as our official in.
| formation goes
Allies Dominate Railway.
Looking at the large scale map,
| the railroad running from Scissor to
Chateau Thierry is now either in our
| hands or under our fire. The only
way in which the enemy can get out
now, or get supplies over railroad is
! shown by the remaining line running
from Nanteuil on the Ourcq to
Bazoches on the river vesle. He may
| have constructed in addition to that
IN and along the valleys, small tem-
| porary field railroads, military roads,
| which would be of advantage In hans
| ding supplies, but his main line of re.
| treat must be long that main railroad.
That is the only way t.a can get out
large material. 10 win be observed
| that it was necessary for him, IL he
aid not intend to be caught absolutely
in pocket, to keep troops from ad>
| vancing and cutting off this road
which would put him entirely at the
mercy of the allied forces.
1T is very interesting to note ID
connection with this entire movement
the similarity between the Austriaa
advance across the Piave. The enemy