The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-05-04
Petain's Troops Win Stra-
tegic Hill at Confluence
of Luce and Avre.
LYS VALLEY SHELLED
Heavy BOmbardment May
Be Prelude to Renewal
of Battle There.
ALLIES MORE CONFIDENT
French Resume Granting Of
Furloughs, Indicating Foch's
View of Supremacy.
LYS VALLEY SHELLED
ALLIES MORE CONFIDENT

LONDON. May 3.-Taking the often
sive. the French late yesterday BY Q
brilliant attack took important posi-
lions between Hailles and Castel, at
the point Of the Somme salient where
the Germans had approached nearest
to Amiens, including Hill So and the
wood between it and the River Avre.
This hill. which is about $50 feet high,
overlooked a considerable section Of
the Allies line to the east and south
The ground gained by the French IL
said to be more valuable probably than
any other OF equal area in the entire
Somme district. On Hill 81 the Ger
mans were within three miles Of tho
important, Amiens-Pari railroad.
Additional interest is lent to thi,
fighting by the fact that the American
contingent which was sent to Picardy
Is believed to be holding the sector b.
tween Hangard and Hailles. and prob
ably 1t was in that district that thew
defeated tho Germans. who attacked
in considerable force and after an ex.
tensive and severe bombardment. II
was there that the Americans made
Their first appearance as separate
units in the great battle Of Picardy,
which has now been in progress forty
four days.
British A1Ro Make C.lv
To the northeast Of this point. at VII.
iers- -Bretonneux. the British gained the
advantage and improved their position
during the night. There were rather
heavy hombardinents to-day OF the Brit
lsh positions in the north, on the SOUTH
crn side of the LyS salient, which may
preSaEe another attempt by the Germapa
to broaden the wedge they have driven
into the Allies line in that region. Mill
TAR! experts point out however, that the
i.yS salient already is deeper than II
should be, and If it were made any
deeper without corresponding broad.
.ning of the base il would be an elemen.
Of Weakness for the Germans rather than
OF strength Apparently the GermAns
have something of the same idea, for
their artillery activity yesterday and to-
day was greatest near Givenchy, on tho
southern shoulder of the wedge. In front
Of the forest OF Nieppe on the north
western shoulder, and at Locre and
southwest OF Ypres on the northern
shoulder.
British War once View.
\ representative OF Gen. Radcliffe
Director OF Military Operations at tho
War Office. summed up to-day the mill
tary situation in Picardy and Flanders
as follows:
In the north whi.e the German.
failed In their main objective they
made their right flank secure by the
capture OF KENNEL But we must re-
gard the operation from the viewpoint
OF economy Of men and they used up
Ave divisions 100000 men) from the
general reserVe. besides seven or eight
divisions Nrom $4,000 10 &c 900 nren)
previously employed
The results of the last week on tho
whole were satisfactory, because the
enemy used up larger number OF fresh
divisions than the Allies without
strategic result. In all he used on tho
north front thirty-t,ve fresh divisions
t4?o.0 600 mem besides the nine divisions
10s.00o men) already there
"The effect OF the operations In the
north will he to reduce materially the
number OF fresh divisions the Germans
have available
Advantage with Allies.
AS 10 the future the Germans have
large numbers Of divisions recovering
which can be used shortly n Is difflcuit
to make an exact compa rison OF tho
staying powers OF the two armies, but
the facts shown are in our favor. It
the enemy continues his offensive In
the north he must impair his chances Of
success in the south.
The main aim is to separate tho
Anglo French armies in the south. and
~ the enemy continues the campaign
in the north without important results
he Is using mp his forces to no pur-
pose
Dispatches from British Headquarters
in France to-day state that tremen-
dous crescendo OF gunflre broke out this
morning, the chief increase seemingly
being in the lays Valley. According 10
the time tables taken with German pris-
oners. tho great offensive is far behind
its schedule and the Germans apparently
are finding their task much more dim.
cult than they expected,
Last night there was much bombing
activity on both sides. the Entente air
men infiicting heavy casualties.
Australians In Might Raid.
The Australians carried out success
fui minor operations at Villers-B -Breton-
neux during the night, while the Cana
dians noppcd up a strong post. taking
seven prisoners and nve machine guns
Further north the British rushed a
machine gun emplscement. clearing 4,
out and bringing in three survivors Of
the garrison.
Henri Bidou, the distinguished mii.-
tary critic OF the youeWoy dsp Debotus