New-York tribune., 1918-03-19
New Rifle Device Found
and Will Be
Copied
Patrol Parties
Active at Night
Germans She'll One Point
Trying to Separate
American Positions
fBy The Associated presa1

10y Inc Associated PreS81
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, March 17.-An American pa
troll last night entered the enemy
trenches at one end of the sector
and penetrated them for some distance
without difficulty. Much valuable in
formation was gathered. AS they were
about ready to return they established
contact with the enemy, who opened
fire with machine gun. The Ameri-
cans jumped to a safe position and
hurled grenades at the enemy gunncrs,
silcncing the gun.
Returning to the American side of
NO Mans Land, the raiders brought
back with them German rifle breech
protected by metallic cover and a
snap clip cover, both of which operate
quickly and efficiently. Officers de-
clared it was the best thing of the kind
they had ever seen for protecting rifles.
The mechanism was turned over to the
intelligence department with a recon-
mendation that the attachment be fur
nished the American troops.
Artillery Is Active
Another patrol on the other end of
the sector reported that the enemy
first line was held strongly. While the
raiders were inspecting the German po-
sitions the enemy fired upon them sew
eral times with rifles and machine guns,
which are unusual at that point.
American artillery bombarded ef-
fcctively billets, troops and new enemy
works at Lahayville, St. Baussant, the
village Of Montsec, Richecourt, in the
Quart de Reserve, along the Pannes-
Monsard road and considerable body
Of troops northwest Of Buxieres. They
also battered to pieces another battery
cf gas projectors, which had been set
up in i. double fine of trenches.
The enemy has shelled various parts
OF American positions rather heavily,
many gas shells being mixed with high
explosives. Some American soldiers
who happened to be near or who walked
through the shelled areas aftcrward
said there were indications that the
enemy was trying to isolate one of our
positions will shell fire. The visibility
was exceptionally good to-day and the
weather was like summer. A great
number Of wagon trains and small
groups of Germans were seen walking
behind the enemy lines.
Sky Filled With PLANES
Several times during the day the air
was crowded with airpianes, and on one
occasion several enemy machines were
overhead at the same time. Airplanes
from the rear Of the American lines,
carrying Observers, manoeuvred to- get
into contact with tho enemy machines,
but they were unsuccessful. American
anti-aircraft guns drove off number
OF enemy machines and kept the others
high in the air
American observers succeeded in ac-
complishing much work which the re-
cent ground haze had prevented. They
obtained badly wanted photographs and
observed certain things back of the
German lines.
American troops in the Luneville sec
ror have been subjected to fairly heavy
homba rdments during the last twenty
four hours, hut have been giving the
enemy as much as received. Patrols
at two points established contact with
the enemy last night and early this
After brief firing the Ger
mans retired.
American soldiers still are holding
the Mecklenburg trench, taken two days
ago and which it is now permitted to
name. The anti-aircraft guns east OF
Luneville We're extremely busy day
in driving off enemy airplanes.