Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-19
'ALL|ES MAINTAIN
LINES FROM SEA
TO SWITZERLAND
May Start Offensive of
Their Own at Various
Points OH Front.
SPIRITED ENCOUNTERS
ALONG MANY SECTORS
Artillery Bombardment Espe-
cially Severe in Vosges>
Mountain Region.
BELGIAN ARMY COMES BACK
Heavy German Guns Batter Ameri-
can Positions With Shells
Of Large Caliber.
SPIRITED ENCOUNTERS
ALONG MANY SECTORS
BELGIAN ARMY COMES BACK
Heavy German Guns Batter Ameri-
can Positions With Shells
Of Large Caliber.
fRy Associated Prc.a1

AS tho allied world has, day after
day. read the official reports from the
allied and Tcuton War Offices in the
rope that some inkling OF the real sit
uation would present itself. tho real
iz2'ion has como home that the Amer
leans. French. British. Belgians and
I Portuguese troops are maintaining
their control over tho front running
| from the North Sea to Switzerland.
Artillery fire. at some points growing
/ in intensity, Is reported. but the allies
have held their own. and their raiding
parties are everywhere busy in the
cnemy's trenches. The lorg-cxpected
and confidently awaited German drive
has not materialized. and the allies
threaten to start an offensive of their
own at various points against the Tcu-
tonic lcgions.
! There is hardly sector on tho
western battle line which Is not being
marked by spirited actions. but YER
Gun and the Nosgcs regions arc appar-
entity storm ccnters where big events
may develop. NJ Verdun the opposing
arti!leries have been laundering for
! several days and on Monday the chorus
OF tho guns was kept up. especially on
the right ba nix Of the Mcusc.
In the NosGes Mountains the artil-
it'S - Tepplbeu 10 DC very
heavy. although no infantry actions
have been mentioned in the War Office
statements issued at Paris and Berlin
BELGIAN ARMY TAKES
OVER IMPORTANT SECTOR
! One OF the most encouraging features
of the war news may be found in the
! tact that the BelGian army. reor ganized
and ready for battle. has taken over
! ba p1n "a NJ ~ ir, T1on
! This part of tho western front has here
tofore been held by the French. al
though British troops have made their
appearance there at various periods.
| That the BclEian army, which is said
! to be excellent in morale. has freed
the French and British forces for action
elsewhere on the front demonstrates
that the past winter has been one OF
constructive work the part OF the
Belgian and allied army staffs. Thc
latest official report said that attacks
/ by German shock troops have been
repulsed by the Beigians.
! Heavy guns are batterinE the Amer
lean sectors along the front. and shells
OF large caliber have fallen. Here.
however. the American guns have re-
piled With good effect and the excel
7 lent weather Of the past few days has
given American airmen an opportunity
I to take pictures OF the terrain back OF
the German trenches. Apparatus 'n-
stalled preparatory to another gas raid
! on the Americans has been destroyed
BY American artillery fire, while Amer
lean raidinG parties, following out their
traditional Indian lighting tactics, haze
Kept absolute control of the territory
between the hostile lines.
TEUToNs CONTINUE
INVASION OF RUSSIA
In spite of the fact that the k!t-
Russian Congress of Sovicts has rats
fled the treaty of peace forced by the
Germans at Brest Litovsk. the, ad-
vance OF the Teutons especially IN
Southern Russia, continues. In South
ern Ukraine the capture OF the i'm
portant city OF Nikolayev where vast
stores OF grain were reported to have
been piled up, has been officially an
nourccd by the Germans, who have also
followed up their aggressive tactics in
the Provinces of Tchorngov and Orel.
in the southern central regions OF
Russia.
Action by Japan in Siberia Is still
held in abeyance, and there is no indi-
cation of what may he done there. Re-
ports from Siberia continue to he
I
war arc said to he cooperating with
the Bolshcvik leaders and OIL March /
participated in battle with the forces
led by General Semenoh, the non-Bol-
shevik leader.
on the italian front there have been
raidns operations from the mountains
10 the sea. and attempts by the Aus
trians to cross tho River Piave have
been frustrated.
AIR FORCES OF CoNTENDING
ARMIES HAVE busy TIME
The air forces OF the contending
armies have heen very active during
the past few days. and, as might be ex-
rcctcd there have been quite heavy
I losses British naval air,nen alone
have disposed OF ten enemy machines
il tho period from Thursday TO sunday.
Italians brought down five enemy ma
chimes on Sunday. On Saturday the
French accounted for seven. while four
other German airplanes not previously
reported were destroyed late last week.
The Germans claim TO haze shot down
twenty-five allied machines on Sunday.
MANY KILLED BE