The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-22
BRITISH Line
STRENGTHENED
DURING LULL
IN CONFLICT
Germans Apparently Are
Preparing for Some I'm
portant Movement in Mes
nil Region North Of Albert.
FRENCH ARE POURING IN
CBy Associated Press.)


(By Associated PresA)
WASHINGTON, April q Ger
many's enormous saertftces on the
western front have been barren Of re-
suits, says the war Departments
weekly review Of the military sftua-
ton today, but should the present
drive At Channel ports fail, American
strateoists look for the enemy 70 ~url-
dertake 4 further and even more pow
erfuI thrust"
The German attack In the northern
salient, the statement a4oerts, cannot
be Viewed ~ the 'final nor even the
most determined onslaught Of the en-
emy."
By Assoctated Prsss)
While awaiting the ne1t German
blow, now momentarf1y expected,
Field Marshal Haig is taking adyan-
tage Of the comparative mu to
strengthen his line in various spots
Both north and south Of the Somme
and on the Lys battle front, the Brit
ish defensive positions were fmprov-
ed in local operations last night Sim
ilarly the Germans made an attempt
to push forward their lines In the
Mesnil region north of Albert In
which sector they apparently are
preparing for some more important
movement.
The British offered a sharp de-
fense. however, and foiled the enemy
efforts.
Heavy artillery fire is In progress
ON SO many parts of the front that
little indication is afforded by this as
to the points selected by the Ger
mans for their renewed thrustA Ma
turally they may be expected to
make further efforts to extricate
themselves from the pocket into
which they have forced themselves
on the Lys southwest 1 YpresL Thus
last night the enemy was reported
sheliing the British positions IN Niep-
pc wood, whence lies the route to
Hazebrouck. the railway center from
which 1t is well night vital Tor the
British to hold him.
No New Development
There has been no new develop
ment in the region north Of Ypres.
where the Belgians stopped q turn
ing movement last week, preventing
the British from being nanked out Of
! the Ypres positions. The nature Of
the ground and the disposition Of the
opposing forces however, make It
seem probable that a repetition Of
the attempt is to be looked for.
The situation in the Somme region
is being for the movement even more
closely watched than that along the
nco-Belgian border to the north.
Field Marshal Haig reports heavy
shelling Of the British lines on both
sides of the Somme and the Ancre
and correspondents are sending word
Of German preparation Of a move
ment OF some nature between Arras
and Amiens, within which the region
under bombardment is located
The enemy Is known to haze
brought up some Of the heaviest guns
to the Somme battle front where
Amiens is his objective but the en-
tente artillery is matching these and
hampering the Germans severely in
their preparations for attack. Last
night the French repulsed a German
raid along the Avre in this region
Reinforeements Coming Up.
On the Pfcardy and Flanders battle
| fields the Germans have not resumed
their attacks and apparently are wait
! ing for the high command to decide
where to strike next, while fresh
troops and nef supplies are being
b ought forward.
Meanwhile French reinforcements
are pouring in behind the British lines.
French troops are now with Field
| Marshal Haig's men on both the
northe n and southern legs of the
salient south Of Ypres. Near Robecq
on the southern leg. the British have
driven the Germans from some ad-
! vanced posts. In this area, where
strong German attacks were repulsed
sanguinarily last week, the enemy ar
| tillery is most active. Artillery duels
| continue violent laong most of the
Picardy battle front, where the Ger
mans are using guns of the biggest
calibers
Today the German offensive begins
| its second month without having sep
arated the British and French and
with the British army still intact.
Where the next blow will fall is un-
certain, but the allies are prepared
to meet it as they have met the others.
1t is probable the Germans are not
willing to end the Flanders attack
without making another effort to drive
in the northern leg and get behind
Ypres. Enemy activity south Of Arras
also has been noticed.