The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-16

East of Rheims the situation also
appears reassuring. The French bat
tie positions are declared intact and
the Germans have not been able to
advance southwark further than the
outskirts of the woods that parallel on
the north the ancient main highway
running eastward from Rheims.
The Germans are now more than "a
hours behind schedule and there is
little to indicate that they have still
striking power greater or as great as
they possessed on Monday morning
when their attack began. The allies
therefore seem to have reason to be-
lieve that the supreme test Of their
defense has been met successfully.
The battle is not over as yet and
there may be a possibility,if not
probability, that the German high
command has not played its trump
| card in the mighty game that is go
ing on.
German artillery is reported active
in the Albert sector and in some other
region. along the British front, but
there have been no portentious de-
velopments there
100000 Huns Used.
Superb resistance by American,
French and Italian troops held the
Germans to minimum gains. Between
700,0 600 and 100000 men were thrown
into the BATTLE line by the German
command. Despite these huge num-
bers, and the use of every facility of
offense and destruction known to the
enemy. Berlin was able to report Off
cially Monday night only that ito the
southwest and east of Rheims, we
penetrated into parts of the French
positions.
Large forces were concentrated to
| be thrown across the Marine and
! bridges were laid between Fossoy and
Dormans. American troops fighting
with great dash, met this menace,
| checked it and hurled it against the
. river. Near Fossoy the enemy was
/ thrown back to the north bank by the
| impetuous Americans, who captured
| between LOCO and 1900 prisoners, in
Guiding an entire brigade staff The
bend in the river, where the Germans
/ crossed now is dominated by Ameri-
can cannon and machine guns.
! French and Italian divisions en-
| gagged the Germans between the
Marine and Rheims. On a front of %
miles, here the enemy advanced an
average of 212 miles, his greatest gain
of the day. Desperate fighting con-
! tinues along this line and the Germans
| have been unable to gain much ad-
ditional ground.
| French Stop Foe.
| East Of Rheims, the Germans have
been smashed completely. The French
ped the foe in his tracks. Attack af-
ter attack is being launched against
the French on this end of the battle
line but General Petains men are I'M
wavering in their defense
Colossal as was the artillery prepa-
ration along the great fighting front,
! it was met by an allied fire that was
fully as destructive The Germans
marched against machine gun fire that
decimated whole regiments French
aviators bombed the enemy unceas-
ingly and destroyed two bridges load
ed with German troops.
Allied capitals feel that the Ger
man effort has been baked in its in
ception. The allied troops are hold
ing their own. General Foch, who an
ticipated the place and date of the
offensive and made his plans accord
ingly, was reported we'll satisfied with
the results of the first days fighting
No important positions have been
gained and the Germans have suffered
great losses for the small advance
made. 1t is apparent the German COM
mand hoped to wipe out completely
the Rheims salient by July II, but
Epernay, the objective of the first
day, still is safe from enemy troops.
No Frontal Attack Made.
AS yet, no frontal attack has been
made on Rheims and that battle scar
red city, long the objective of German
commandments, still holds out The
enemy surrounded it on three sides
and hoped apparently to take it as A
result of great gains east and west
Of the city. The German effort prob
ably will reach it's full development
within a few hours and until then the
real objective is uncertain. A marked
enemy advance on the present attack
ing front would give him territory
and points from which to make fur
Their Attempts to reach Paris.
On the remainder Of the western
front, in Italy and in the Macedonian
theatre the fighting activity has not
been great. British troops have made
slight advance near Where Breton
neux, south of the Somme. Lively
local fighting has occurred on the Ital-
ian mountain front but with no change
in the situation. In Albania, French
detachments continue to press back
the Austrians in the Devoli valley,
capturing a number of prisoners.