The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-27
FRENCH LINE
CONTINUED From Page Cne.1

that the Germans are fighting on the
south side of the salient to cover the
retreat Of their army and the salvag-
ing Of the vast supplies piled up along
! the Marine in preparation for the great
offensive which began July Is, there
appears to be disposition on the part
of some of the military experts to con-
I slider the possibility of a new German
attack somewhere on the battle line
between Scissors and Rheims.
! The stubborn manner in which the
enemy has been fighting and his fail
ure to attack on some other sector, 1t
Is commended, points to the fact that
! the Germans are committed to a re-
newed offensive along the Marine in
the hope Of still winning a victory
| there.
Artillery is Active.
Along the British front near Arras
and Lens and along the Somme sector,
the German artillery has been active
British raiding parties have been &C
tive at various points along their line
A lull, probably only for few hours,
! has interviewed in the desperate battle
in the Marine salient. The allied offn-
siv, although unchecked by the Ger
mans has slowed down Enemy coun-
ter attacks have ceased for the mo-
ment.
| Meanwhile, the allied artillery is
pouring a heavy fire on the German
! bases, depots and lines of communi-
cation within the pocket between
Rheims and scissors. The entire re-
glon is within the range of the big
guns, and as on the previous days,
they continue to hammer the enemy
INCREASINGLY. Allied airmen have in
creased the intensity Of their bomb
! ing operations. AS result, the Ger
mans within the pocket, probably are
no better off than during the period of
bitter fighting around the ever-narrow-
! ing edges.
Cleared from Forests.
From the Ourcq to the Marine, the
Germans have been cleared almost
entirely from the Fere and Ris forests
and the Tournelle wood and now stand
with their backs against the virtually
clear plateau between Fere-en-Tarde-
nois and Nille-en-Tardenois. The al
lied lines are within few miles of
these places and Fere, originally the
most important southern base, is OF
no use to the enemy, allied guns dom
mating the town and the diverging
roads. This situation was improved
further for the allies by the capture
of Villemontoire and Oulchy LIE Cha
teau, which the Germans have made
no attempt to retake.
Almost all the progress Friday was
made in the wooded areas north of
the Marine and between the Marine
and the Ourcq. Using as small num-
hnrs of l.
pended upon artillery and machine
guns to malt the French and Ameri-
cans, but they pushed on and chased
the Germans to the northern edges
Local showers foil over much of the
battle area Friday. t1AI
Continues to Withdraw.
It is believed the German crown
prince continues to withdraw his men
and supplies from the salient. Fur
Their fires have been seen and explos-
ions heard within the enemy lines.
To withdraw would be an admission
by the crown prince that he had met
with a serious set back There would
probably be drop in the German NOR +
ale and the German command may pre-
fer to hold on rather than to admit
defeat. From a military standpoint, |
the Germans would improve their
position if thy retired to the Vesle.
All the ground gained along the
Marine in the onslaught of July Is, has
been lost to the Germans except a
stretch of eight mills
East of Rheims, in Champagne, Cen |
eral Gouraud has been busy and has
re-occupied his former first line east
of the Suippes. The advance meas |
ures more than 500 yards on a front
of over ten miles land includes the re-
capture of the Main De Massiges. In |
the operation, the French took LOO |
prisoners. Paris also reported last |
night, the capture of 700 Germans on |
the western flank of the salient, max !
ing a total of 1900. The latest esti- |
mate of German prisoners taken since |
July IS, is 10000.
Await Hun Thrusts.
On the other sectors in France, the !
allies await the German thrusts |
There is strong belief in some quar-
tiers that the enemy will strive to
ease the situation north OF the Marine, |
by strong attack elsewhere, but
nothing has materialized. The Ger
mans have failed to repeat their futile |
attack against the British in Flanders
and their attempted raids on that bat
tlefield as we'll as north of Albert have
been repulsed.
British airmen in the past week
have accounted for 81 enemy machines
while losing 81. Long distance raid
ing was the greatest during the war
Twenty-Five incursions into Germany
were made and 154 tons of bombs
dropped. Seebrugge and Ostend also
were bombed.
Further complications have arisen
in the Siberian situation. A provision
al government at Omsk, in central
Siberia claims supreme authority and
has declared the independence of ST.
IBERIA Another report received in
London says that the Siberian govern
ment at Vladivostok, presumably that
headed by General Horvath has re-