The sun., 1918-09-22
US. TROOPS NOW
ON FOREIGN SOIL
TOTAL 1,750,OO0
Gen. March Declares Situa-
tion Steadily Improves on
Fighting Front.
CLOSING ON ST. QUENTIN
High Praise From Scottish
General for Aid Given by
First Yankee Division.
CLOSING ON ST. QUENTIN
Special Despatch to THE srx.

| WARRINGTON, Sept. 21.-More than q
million and three quarters Of Ameri-
can troops have now been embarked
for overseas service. according to the
announcement made to-day by Gen
peyton c. March. Chief OF STAFF. The
situation on the battle front was re-
| fcrred to by Gen. March as continu-
ously good. The Americans are now
only twelve miles from Metz.
"On the western 'front.'" said Gen.
March, "our new line In Lorraine, so
rapidly produced by cutting of the
enemy in the St. Mihiel salient. was
quickly stabilized. The enemy has
been hurriedly strengthening his line
OF defence. the so-cal.ed Kriemheld
line. which lies only a mile or two In
front of our new line on a front of
about twenty miles. from near Maize
ray to the Moselle River at Wanderers.
We are now ten miles away from Con-
f'nns and twelve miles away from
Metz.
"Connans is the centre of this gen.
eral section and. as you can sec on the
from which railways feed the Lorraine
front. During the last few days th-re
has been no attack in force by either
our army Or the enemy's Reports indi-
cate simply patrols. aeroplane Observa-
ton and artillery hre.
Closing In on ~. Quentin.
"In Picardy the British Third and
Fourth armies with the French First
army renewed their advance Wednes-
day on the Cambrai-St. Quentin front
toward the old Hindenburg line. In
spite of the concentration of the enemy
forces defending this sector and In srite
Of very strong counter attacks by the
enemy at several points. especially west
and southwest Of Cambria. the British
Hindenburg line at several points. and
the enemy is reported to have lost very
heavily. 1t is now officially confirmed
that 10000 prisoners have been cup
tured. st. Quentin is now hardly three
miles from the British on the north
west and the French on the southwest.
"On the plateau northeast OF So!ssons
the French have continued TO force lack
the enemy's best troops until they are
now within half mile from the juno
ton OF the Maubeuge road and the
Chem!n des Danes ann within ten miles
of Laon. which Is being shelled. Other
operations along the entire front have
been minor in character.
Advance on Balkan Front.
THE reports in the press about the
successful operations of the Serbian ]
army on the Balkan front are correct
The Serbian army attacked the Bull
garians on a front OF twenty-five miles
on sector that has been quiet for
long time and has driven them back
about twenty miles through this noun
famous region. According to official re-
ports the British have reopened actlvi.
ties in Palestine. 1t is also reported,
however. that the British have with
drawn from Baku on the Caspian. The
city is again in the hands of the Turks
I'm connection with the American
operations at St. Mihiel we have a very
interesting cablegram giving some de-
tails OF the fine work OF the French who
cooperated with the Americans in that
successful advance. 1t appears that the
French regiment that had the honor of
being the first TO enter st. Mhlel was
led by the son of the Prime Minister.
Clemenceau. regiment of zouaves,
colonial infantry and Foreign Legion.
composed almost entirely of men be-
longing to the laboring class. This Or
ganization was the first organization of
either army to enter st. Mihiei. The
work OF tho French In connection with
that fighting was OF the high character
that we find them always showing all
along the front.
Here Is a copy OF a commendatory
order from MaJor-Gen. II. L. Reed, COM
the Fifteenth Scottish Division,
referring to the First American Division.
which l will read to you. indicating the |
which our units have with the |
British as well as with the French. I
have read some similar orders which
emanated from French HEADQUARTERS.
These show clearly the high class Of |
work our men are doing.
Thanks for American valor.
"Major-Cen. Reed says:
~ would like on behalf of all ranks |
Of the Fifteenth tScottish) Division 10 |
express to you personally. to your stan |
and to all our comrades In your splendid |
division our most sincere thanks for ALI |
that has been done to help US in a diff |
cult situation.
During many instances of taking
over which we have experienced in the |
war We have never received such as |
sistance. and that rendered on the most |
o,~ssassd on 'yesvsA Peg.