The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-12
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press1
General Petain is giving the Ger
mans, on the westerly side Of the
Marne salient, little rest in their posi-
tions east of the forest Of Villers-Cot-
terets. Last night his troops again
drove in on this front and made sub
stantial progress.
The most tangible result reached
from this latest fighting is the capture
of the village of Longpont, to the out
skirts Of which the French had pushed
in their advance on Wednesday night
A farm In this neighborhood also was
taken.
The French lines were likewise
driven ahead in the Chavigny farm dis
tricts north Of Longpont. Forward
push was also given the line in the
area south of Longpont, east OF
Faverolles.
The extension Of the front under at
tack in their Faverolles region Is note
worthy showing that the process Of
Strengthening out the lines between
the Aisne and the Marne Is being car
ried still further south and is threaten
ing the local salient held by the Ger
mans between the Longpont district
and the American sector northwest
Fortify Allied Line.
The series Of operations carried out
by General Petain on this front during
the present week has been generally
regarded as Of merely local import
ance designed to straighten the line
and fortify 1t against the expected re-
newal of the German offensive. The
possibility Is not overlooked however,
that these may be prelude to more
| important attacks.
The time has not been considered
opportune for General Foch, the allied
commander in chief, to abandon his
defensive roles and turn to the aggres-
sive on large scale but It Is not i'm
possible that the feeling out opera
tions which are in progress on both
the French and British front have
other than purely defensive purpose
! Last nights actions on the British
| front were all In the nature Of scout.
| ing operations. The majority OF them
were on the Flanders front and result
ed in the bringing in Of number OF
| prisoners.
On the assumption that the Ger
mans. If they decide to open up their
| attack on a new front when they re-
sumed their offensive will strike some
"hClC pCt"cCn RucIluS duO LOTIdlu6,
| some interest may be attached to the
report in the French official statement
today that the enemy artillery Is dis
| playing rather marked activity on the
| front northwest Of Verdun, within this
| area.
British Raid Lines.
Germany still hesitates to challenge
the Allies to heavy fighting by re-
sumption of offensive movements.
Initiative In local engagements and
raiding operations is in the hands Of
the allied troops and they continue to
harass the enemy at many points be-
tween Ypres and Rheims
British troops on several sectors
have raided the lines on the Flanders
and Picardy battle fields, the Austral-
| ians in one place bringing back 70
| prisoners. Between the Aisne and the
| Marine, French patrols have penetrat-
| ed the enemy positions near Buscaires
| south of Corey, the scene of the latest
French gain which the Germans have
made no attempt to dispute. On the
| Marne front American troops have
routed a German patrol which at
! tempted raid. On this front as well
as on most Of the British front from
Ypres to the Somme, the weather has
been rainy and stormy.
Aerial operations also have suffered
| from the unfavorable atmospheric con-
ditions and artillery activity has de-
| creased. Berlin claims that five afr
| planes out Of an American squadron
| of six which attempted to raid Cfb-
| lenz fell into German hands, the crews
being made prisoners. There Is no
confirmation Of this report from any
other source British airmen have
/ dropped bombs on Offenburg, a manu-
| featuring town southwest of Karlsruhe
/ in Germany. American aviators on
| the Toul sector have accounted for
| two enemy machines.
| Austrian forces in eastern Albania
continue to retire before the pressure
of the advancing Franco-Italian de-
| tachments. In the Tamorica valley
the enemy is fleeing northward before
! the French who have reached the
valley from the east and occupied
several villages. Italian troops on the
west have occupied the commanding
peak of Glumaka. capturing $50 pris-
{ oners This height commands the dis
trict between Berat and the Tamorica.
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