Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-11
ARMENT|ERES FALLS
10 GERMAN ARMS,
LOSS NOT VITAL
Huns Are Nov Centering Attock
on Messines Ridge Keypoint
Of British Line.
NO LET UP IN BATTLE
Hsig's Forces Engage Foe in Hand
to-Hand Fighting, and Gust
Him in Counter Attacks.
Associated Press summary ep n

7
Arnentiores has boen ovacua'od ~
tho British, while tho Germans, drvrg
in from the southwest n tho toTr arr
struggling to push forward 70 fhe a-ea
southwest Of Mesnne9 rdgo, The kr-p0i-
of the British bne Ia Flanders
Messlnes ridge tself has beer tac ~
iective of desperate German attacbs ard
they are reported 20 have pushed on -
tho rdge several times dfu1ng force bsnf
to-hand fighting Each time, howe~rr
the British effectively counter attacked
and today we're 7'jll holding the rd1s
coryTER ATTACKS oUsT Hrvs
West of Arrnenfieres tbe anc7nv 7trr7.-
Cling n his deep salient has psishe5 'rH
fighting ~ the limit, and ~ one me
succeeded IN driving three milss 5evono
the rlver Lys 20 n Creche ~ vigorous
counter attacks the British auafe5 tns
Gernans from IA Creche and 1thor
neighbonng terrain
Nvtschaete, south of Ncssines -
gas the object 0f heavy German artac'5l
And possession ri it changed hands several
times but this morning found tirid Mar
shal Haigs forcra holding the town
There was similar hard tghf tor
Iestrsrn af he western fip III The iIerTna0
SALIENT IN the RIVER Lave The Germans
worked heir vay into this piaHr Yesterday
but were unable to move IN further and
ultimately were driven ont u It and 0ar-
across the Lave
sRWEvrTERs 80 srRATEGTc AJ r.rrr
The -var1iation of Aunentieras lad
been forecast and discounted a. he Dlarr
"a without strateg7cal value What Iaf'
IF the towns fun 81 Zas hanging thera
from he roplous Eas shell Domhar1ments
North 81 Arnentieres the Pr tlsh pos,-
ton hinges IN Pioegsteert and Ploegsteert
7vood which the line Diserred this morning.
There was no let-up 10 the er ergagemenE
TODAY, the battle continuing on the entire
y mile front from la Bassee north y toe
Ipres-C omlnes canal. inst below pres
LARGE AMERICAN FoRCE JOINS HAIG
On the northern battlefront American
soldiers. he vanguard 81 3 large force
have Joined he British armes. The
first force was only battalion IN strength,
out other American cOntIngsnts are nov
ing forward rapidly. Gen. Pershing
men were crested enthusiastically by the
British
Emperor William and the German
military leaders in the present offensive.
it IS reported IL dispatches rom the
battlefront, plan the w1ping out 0f the
BRUSH army. II Is Ceueved the lrer-
mans now are seriously attempting rv
swinging rher attacks 70 the north. M
anninllate British resistance. II cone
sequence further British front anu Uucn
desperate fighting Il expected.
FtGHTING LEss SEVERE IL PICAEDT
Infantry lighting on the Picaruy battle
front has quieted down nomenrariy.
The French md German artillery ire
has been y1oient north q AlontdIdler
and along the Clse canal, northwest 81
Solssons. There have been artillery sy-
changes on the British front. wnicn ha.
not vet been linked with me nothem
battlefield There has been Do infantry
activity en- the Loss-Leus-b iny sector
the connecting link, although ne Ger
man artillery fire IS increasing.
U-BoArs WATCH FoR TRANSPORTS
Another drop in the sinking OF tilel
merchant men BY German submarines
j. reported i0r -rus week. Il j. believed
m Washington the falling OF 10 boa
effectiveness y due 20 the taCg tnaJ he
Germans are turning their attention from
merchantmen 10 transports Departures
oi American troops tor Europe, II IS said.
now arc three times greater than some
tune ago, and j. Is probable the Germans
may Sc preparing for huge subma-
rlne offensive against the troop snlps.