The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-20
HUNS CHECKED AGAIN. !
BRITISH STILL FIGHTING WITH
THEIR BACKS TO WALL.
Germans Gain Some Ground I'm Seven
Days OF Intense Fighting But Seem
to Have Failed In Attempts to Break
Through To Important Railway
functions.

Seven days after the Germans
launched their gigantic assault against
the British lines between Lens and
Ypres. the momentum of their attack
has been broken and the waves of the
Teutonic forces are recoiling before
the dock of the British defense. While
the Germans have made gains of
ground and have driven a wedge into
the allied lines to a considerable depth
they seem to have failed In their at
tempt to break through or take i'm
portant railroad functions.
During the last day there have been
bitter engagements at four places. all
on the northern side of the salient to
the south Of Ypres. Seven assaults
against the British trenches at Mer-
Vile, near the apex of the triangular
dent in the British line have been
hurled back by the British. Neuve
Eglise, on the extreme southwestern
spur of Messines Ridge, has been TAX
en- by the Germans after q struggle
which will go into history as one of
the greatest Of the past week.
The British. however, have not re-
tired far and it Is probable that they
will at once organize q counterattack
to force the Germans out of the town
which If held. might be a kicking
on" point for an attack which might
outfiank and make untenable Messines
Ridge. the key to the British positions
about Ypres. Bailleul and Wulver-
Chem. between Neuve Eglise and Mer-
vile. also have been the scenes of
hard fighting but except for Neuve
Eglise the northern side Of the salient
has stood firm. On the southern side
of the salient. according to Berlin,
fierce struggles have been fought.
1t has been the German plan Of
campaign since March 21. when the
great offensive started. to strike hard
at some particular sector and II that
blow was parried, to turn power fully
against some new point. This proce-
dure probably will be followed in the
next few days by a new assault some
where south of Arras. An attack
north of Ypres is hardly possible for
the low lands Of Belgium are as yet
too waterlogged to permit active oper-
ations. An attack on Arras would
entail the hurting of troops against
vimy Ridge, the labyrinth and other
Iformidable military works protecting
that city. :
1t may be from the savage fight
ing reported at Hangard- en- -Santerre,
south OF Albert and on the center Of
the line facing Amiens. \ may mark
the beginning of new attempts to
sweep westward toward Amiens. So
far the fighting has brought the Ger
mans only losses in men and ground
Further south, near Montdidier there
has been intense artillery firing bat the
Germans have not attempted infantry
operations In this important sector.
German troops have entered Hell
singfors, the Finnish capital, Ameri-
can forces near Toul are standing
firm before heavy attacks by the Ger
mans and have held their lines intact
In spite of all the weight of men and
metal the enemy has loosed against
them. The Germans have lost heavi-
ly.
Nothing out Of the ordinary has
been reported from the Italian, Mace
donian. Palestine or Mesopotamian
theaters Of the war.