Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-15
HUNS USEPOWERFUL
NAVAL GUN ON 65
MILE BATTLE LINE
Throws Huge Missiles Many Miles
Inside Allies Lines; Blow Most
Ambitious Since One of
March 81.
RHEIMS AGAIN OBJECTIVE
General Liggett Has go, 900
Americans in Line on At
tackled Sector.
FIGHTING is TERRIFIC
PARIa. MovDAY. Jury -

fARIR, MONDAY JULY -
DfficIal reports relative 10 the grand
offensive lggun this morning against the
allied positions show IT ~ he most
ambitious stroke since March u when
the Germans launched their assault against
the British lines from The vicrnity of Arras
"a La Zero The line IN the March u
offensive was reported 70 be about -
miles IN length The one over which
the Germans arc attacking today is ap-
proxlmately O. miles from Chatnau-T Thler-
~. on he west 10 Masslgea, IN the Cham
pHgne on the east
RocHF REPEATED Old TACTICS
The Germans followed their most re-
cent tactics of beginning an offensive
There was brief artillery preparation of
greatest violence and then came the adj
vance of assault troops
There seems. however to have been
q new feature in this attack Great
naval guns had been brought up behind
the enemy lines and towns and cltIes far
behind he actual batHc area were taken
under b0mbardtneut Tho violence ~ this
cannonade j. evidenced bv the fact that
the city of Meaux - miles vest of Cha
teau-I IhterrY vas under fire of great
proJectiles during he night
Tho apparent purpose Of The Germans
attacking along the line from Chateau
.fhierrv cast along the Marnc over the
rolling hills to Rheims and thence east
ward 70 MaSsigcs, was similar to that
IN the great attack along the Aisne late
N May
HoPED 70 FIND WEAK sP0r.
They evidently hoped to find the Allies
less well prepared IN this sector than else
where IN spite of the repulse of the
Germans before Rheims early in June.
II may be that the allied line eastward
from Chateau Thieny had been more
thinlv held than that from Chateau
Thierry north 70 the Aisne and thence
through the Picardy sector TO Ypree
German assaulting troops thus might
expect to encounter less violent resistance
in the sectors east Of Chateau Thierrv
and the Germans possibly hoped for
gains which even would compel an allied
retirement from the Nerdun and st
Mihiel sectors
SEEK TO CUT SUPPLY LINE
The north bank Of the NIarne Is held
bv the Germans for distance Of %
miles cast from Chateau Therry 4
successful attack in the Rheims area
might force the allies back on the Marne
still further east and give the Germans
command of the communication system
by which the French and American troops
at Nerdun and - Mihiel are supplied
with food and munitions
In this district Is the citv Of Chalons.
which Is reputed TO be an important sup
ply center 1t Is approximately : mles
back of the line where mighty armies are
locked in a death struggle today
Americans are engaged IN the battle
at Chateau Thierry and eastw ard along
the Marine for some distance Their posi-
tions extend northwest Of Chateau Thierry
10 the village of Torcv. on the Zlignon
river. and eastward along the Marne 10
Jaulgonne. where they have been engaged
IN local fighting recently.
10000 AMERIC 4Ns ENGAGED.
General Liggett has about 220 900
men. the First Army Corps, in this sector.
80 far as Is known no American troops
are IN the neighborhood Of Rheims. which
seems To be the center OF the tremendous
storm loosed by the enemy al dawn today
There have been Italian forces on the line
to the southwest OF Rheims, under
attack IN the present attack.