Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-04
ALLIED FORCES
AWAIT OFFENSIVE
MOVE OF ENEMY
Feeling Prevails That Soon
Fierce Battles Will
Be Raging.
FROM SOMME TO OISE
BIG GUNS OPEN IN DUELS
Fighting of the Past Week Has
Lacked Sanguinary
Character.
INFANTRY KEEPS TO TRENCHES
increasing Activity on the Italian
Front Believed to Forcshadow
Terrible Onslaught There.
FROM SOMME TO OISE
BIG GUNS OPEN IN DUELS
KEEPS TO TRENCHES
increasing Activity on the Italian
Front Believed to Forcshadow
Terrible Onslaught There.
LEY Assnciatnd nr.-1


Although tho fighting activity along
the entire front of the now Somme
offensive remains Slight there still,
prevails the feeling that soon again
battles on large scale will begin. and
with the allied troops after the respite
of several days strongly arrayed lin
battle formatio and eager TO test their
strength against that of tho foe.
From the Sommc to the Disc River.
along that portion Of tho battle line
which bulgcs out toward Amiens. Aillv
and Rrcteuil. tho big guns of tho on
posing sides have opened in ducls of
great proportions. and II apparently is
not unreasonable to assume that either
side at any moment may take tho Of
fcnsivc with their infantry in rcsump-
tion OF battle which ranks among
the greatest the world has ever known.
Since the beginning of tho present
week there has been no marked change
in the alignment OF the opposing sides
from ArraS southward 10 Chauny Tho
lighting has lacked the sanguinary-
character OF the previous days. owing
in part. no doubt. TO the extremely had
Gather conditions. Neither tho Ger
mans nor the allies have been idle.
however. for daily there has been GO
ing on a reinforcement Of strategic
positions. both in man and gun powcr
for the coming engagements upon
which il is conceded so much s>.>pcnds
for tho victors.
tRTILI.ERT DUELS REVIVED
ALONG BE:LGIkN LINE
In the vicinity OF Lens. artillery
ducls of intensity have hccn revived
on some sectors and in EelgIum at
various points reciprocal shellng con-
tinucs. In both these regions. how
ever, the Infantry has kept to the
trenches. except for patrols and recon
noitcrinG purposes. An American sec
tor has been heavily attacked with gas
In the Italian theatcr there still is
no indication OF when tho expected big
battle between the Italians and the
Teutonic aillts will burst. but daily
there is increasing activity all along
the front.
AionS the various fronts the airmen
OF both sides are keeping up their in
tensivc activity, bombing positions he
hind the lines, searching out troop and
transport movements and engaging in
aerial combats. The French War Office
reports more than thirteen tons of pro-
jectilcs having been dropped OH Ger
man railroads and cantonmcnts at
Ham Chauny and Noyon. and also in
the region of Royc in the Arras front.
The Germans last week did not keen
up their. successful submarine cam
paiGn OF the previous week. having
sunk only sixteen British merchant
men. AS against twenty y-cieht during
the previous seven days. In their op-
erations against The Italians. thrc.
steamers OF more than 1900 tons. and
ten sailing ships were destroyed.
TWO STEAMERS SUNK ny
GERMAN SUBMARINES
The steamer Conargo was torpcdoed
in tho Irish Channel carly Sunday
morning. She was OF A.3l2 gross tons
and WAS owned by the Commonwealth
of Australia. The London dispatch also
tells OF the sinking of tho Crock
steamer Saiaminia by gunhre. sic
was OF Sii2 gross tons capacity. Fifty
members OF both crews are reported
missing.
4 report from Japan late Wednes-
day disclosed that the nation is pre-
pairing 10 turn over to the allied cause
10000 tons Of shipping. These YES
sells Will be used Immediately to trans
port troops and foods TO the war cen
ter.
The British forces have stormed and
captured strong German point south
OF Hebuterne. which has menaced the
defending positions.
The recapture OF Aycttc. south Of
Arras by the British. is the most i'm
portant news from the northern battle
front reported thus for The Ayctte
sector has been one of the most fcrce-
ly contested zones. The Germans have
sacrificed great numbers of troops in
an effort to secure a firm hold here.
FRENCH RErEL GERMAN
ATTACH cnr-,rIT M, x,o,,,.,x,