The sun., 1918-10-19
Valenciennes Nearly Pock-
eted by British-TOurcOing
and ROubaix Occupied.
KING ALBERT INBRUGES
Withdrawal From LaOn
District Extends Retreat
to 120 Mile Front.
MAY STAND ON THE MEUSE
French and Americans Stead
lily Throwing Germans Into
the Ardennes.
KING ALBERT INBRUGES
MAY STAND ON THE MEUSE

LONDON, Oct. 1S.-The great re-
treat Of the Germans took on an ac-
celerated pace to-day and spread far
to the south. 1t extends now from
Zeebrugge, which is close to the Hol-
land frontier, to the LaOn district,
front of about 100 miles. At sew
eral points, notably in the centre of
the line. the Germans are resisting
strongly, but over most of the front
they are giving way slowly under the
protection of strong rear guards.
Roubaix and Tourcoing, about seven
miles northeast Of Lille, were added
to the towns taken by the Allies, and
Thielt, twenty-five miles southeast of
Ostend and eighteen miles southwest
Of Ghent was entered by the French,
who pressed on more than a mile to
the east of it. Bruges, which was
entered to-day by the King and
Queen of the Belgians, is reported to
be in flames, which are said to be
spreading. Zeebrugge also Is said to
tion of Ostend. Tourcoing Roubaix,
Lille and Douai.
Lille Celebrates Its Deliverancs.
In Lille thousands of men. women
and children are in the streets cele-
brating the dellverance of the city
after more than four years of bond.
age. Although food at times was
scarce. the people do not appear to
have suffered from real famine at
any time. Outwardly the appearance
of the city Is normal, the shops are
open and seem to be we'll stocked.
The general advance in the sector
between the sea and the Lys is twelve
miles on a front of more than thirty
miles.
The drive begun by Field Marshal
Haig yesterday in the region Of lie
Cateau was successful in every way,
although stiff resistance was encoun-
tered Some 1000 prisoners were
taken. Already Valencennes, a point
OF the greatest Importance to the Ger
mans on the great trunk railroad run,
ming to Metz by which the German
armies in France and Belgium have
received most of their supplies and
upon which they depend largely to
make a safe retreat. has been placed
III dangerous pocket and interesting
developments there seem TO be immi-
nent.
Still further south, in the angle Of
the Serre and the Oise rivers, in the
Laon district, the Germans began to-
day new retreat on a large scale, the
French pressing them closely as they
retired Apparently they are headed
for Hirson, another important point
on that supply railroad. Berlin says
that between lie Cateau and the Disc
the British. French and Americans at
tempted to break through but their
attacks broke down. In this drive
the French advanced more than three
miles, capturing "A dozen villages and
meny prisoners. of whom 800 have
been counted so far
May Retire TO the Meuse.
1t is believed that the Germans are {
planning to retire to a line from Ant
werp to the Meuse at Namur, then
up the river to the vicinity OF Mezieres
and Sedan and eastward to Metz, al
though it is probable that temporary
stands will be made before that line is
reached, possibly in the neighborhood
OF Ghent. Reports have been received
that large numbers OF men are work.
tng frantically to prepare the Meuse
line, but 1t still is far from ready. In
the north the road to Brussels is open
and apparently il will not be long be-
fore King Albert and the Queen OF the
Belgians enter their capital in tri-
rmph. The opening OF Ostend as a
port OF entry seems to assure this.
Unlimited numbers OF men and great
quantities of supplies can be landed
now close to the battle FROM.
General Won Arnim's army no longer
IN strong enough to sustain opc ra tlons on
the extended front from the French TO
the Dutch frontier. II Is therefore -ea.
sonable TO expect that its march across
Belgium will he rapid and that King
Albert will reenter his capital earlier
than was hoped,
One Line rartIy Blocked.
The object of the Anglo American
drive In the direction of IIrson and
Vervins is to take the armies Of the
Crown Prince. Under shelter of tho
Hunding line. on the flank and abndeml