Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-04-26
Tide of Battle Is Surging Back
and Forth, With Final Decis-
ion Still in Balance, Accord
ing to Reports,
AMERICAN WOUNDED ARE
BEING BROUGHT TO REAR
Only Slight Advances Have
Been Made Along Two
Fronts; AnienS Is Center Of
Most Vicious Attack,
t.v MORNING ,ouss.l SPECIAL LEASED wasl

trv MORNING JouRstL SPECIAL LEASED wRel
The great double German drive, in
the Somme and Armentieres sectors,
which began Wednesday morning, has
developed into a terrific struggle, The
tide of battle has surged to and fro
during the last two days, with the
decision still in the balance.
The British, having been forced
back out or Viilers BretonneuX,
launched counter-attack and swept
the Germans back almost to the lines
which were laid before the present
fighting began.
The French have been driven back
out of Hangard- En- -santerre, but are
holding their positions close by, while
on the line southwest OF Ypres the
British have been compelled to with
draw slightly before furious attacks
along the Meteren- Bailleul- Wytscha-
etc line.
Many Wounded Americans.
Wounded Americans are arriving at
hospital behind the French line in
the Somme sector, showing that Cen
share of the burden of the great bat
tie.
Notwithstanding the frantic prep
arations made by the Germans for a
continuance of their drive toward
Amiens and the extreme violence of
the fighting, their gains thus far in
that region have been very small.
Along the line from Albert south
tf, tnI t., n
terre, the German assaults have been
hurled back by the allied forces,
which are strongly posted on the high
er ground to when they retired DUR
ing the last days of the German drive
in Picardy.
Many Divisions Used.
1t is unofficially reported that four
to six German divisions, or from 49,
600 to 10000 men have been hurled
at the British and French lines near
Ypres.
The retirement of the British in this
sector must have been small, for there
are no great gains reported by Berlin
so far. 1t was rumoredI Thursday that
Mont KENNEL, dominating height
north Of Wulverghem, had been taken
by the enemy but this has not been
confirmed.
That only slight gains have beer
made anywhere along the two fronts
which have been subjected to attack
is proof that the allies are prepared
to defend their positions. In the las
three weeks the Germans have hur
ried up heavy cannon to the Somms
battle ground and have marched
many fresh divisions to the point:
where they have been held for thu
moment of attack. Their failure t.
do more than gain almost insignifi
cant bits of ground is one of tn,
most encouraging features of tn,
fighting that is going on and whicl
may be looked upon as the thirt
phase of the German offensive.
Raiding Near MOntdidier.
Raiding operations are reported
along the French lines east of Mont
didier.
1t is officially announced at Th
Hague that the negotiations betweel
Germany and Holland are not prog
ressing satisfactorily The Dutch for
eign minister has declined to give tn
details of the situation between th
two countries, which is ADMITTEDLY
delicate.
Winston Spencer Churchill, British
minister of munitions. speaking in tn
house of commons said that notwith
standing the strain on production an
the losses in arms and materials dur
ing the great battles of the las
month, the losses had been mad
good almost twice over, and that S
we'll had plans heen made that tn
British can continue the fight at ii
great intensity until next winter.