New-York tribune., 1918-03-22
Five-Hour Bombard-
ment Precedes Great
Assault on SO.
Mile Front
Austrian Guns
Help Hil1denburg
Allies Ready, Says
Bonar Law-Drive
Centres Around
Cambria

LONDON,A March 21.-Germany's
long advertised offensive on the West
front began to-day, apparently on
schedule time.
Al assault was made against the
British on more than fifty-m front,
running from the Sensce River to La
Fere-the greatest military effort ever
known. Andrew Bonar Law. spokcs-
man of the government, told the Com
mons to-day the attack was on a larger
scale than any made before on the
West front
The Kaiscr's military leaders re-
peatcdly have told the world this of
fcnsive would crush the Allies, decide
the war and bring a German peace
Up to the present, however, the Of
fensive has produced only minor local
Withdrawals of British front line
troops, such as are usually made by the
defenders or the first day of such an
operation.
Berlin Claims Gains
The Berlin official war statement
tonight said simply: "Between Cam
brai and La Fcrc we penetrated into
portions OF tho Englisl. posi&ions.,' No
claim of prisonerg or guns taken has
been made.
Field Marshal Haig's report from
British headquarters in France de-
scribes the German offensive as COM
prising an intense bombardment by
the artillery and a powerful infantry
attack on front Of over fifty miles.
Some of the British positions were
penetrated, but the German losses are
declared to have been exceptionally
heavy.
of the long front of the attack did the
Germans attain their objective.
Gas Shells Used
The British official report reads:
"At about o'clock this morning,
after an intense bombardment of both
high explosive and gas shells on our
forward positions and back areas, a
powerful infantry attack was launched
by the enemy on a front Of over fifty
miles, extending from the River Disc,
in the neighborhood of La Fcre, to
the Sensee River. about Croisilles.
"a hostile artillery demonstration
has taken place on the front north Of
La Bassee Canal and in the Ypres sec
tor.
"The attack, which for some time
past was known to be in course OF
preparation, has been pressed with
great vigor and determination through
out the day. In the course of the fight
ing the enemy broke through our out
post positions and succeeded in pene-
trating into our battle positions in
certain parts of the front.
''The attacksswere delivered in large
masses and have been extremely costly
losses have been exceptionally heavy
More Troops Moving Up
Severe fighting continues along the
whole front Large numbers of hostile
reinforcing troops have been observed
during the day moving forward behind
the enemy's lines.
Several enemy divisions which had
been especially trained for this great
attack have already been identified, in
Guiding units of the Guards
Captured maps depicting the
enemy's intentions show that on no
part of the long front of the attack
has he attained his objective"
After a violent fve-hour lombard
ment of the British front adjoining the
left of the French front. from near
Arras to the vicinity of La sFere, the
German infantry was sent forward,
continuing their mass attacks from
Just north of Lagnicourt to Gauche
Wood. In the southern part the enemy
advanced behind smoke barrage.
Feints in French Front
At the same time sharp assaults ap-
parently in the nature of feints were
French line. So far as known, none
OF the sectors where American troops
are stationed were involved.
Austro- Hungarian artillery took part
in the fighting, a Vienna official state.
ment announced to-day. There are ru.
mors that the Germans, for the first
time, are using tanks.
BY employing masses of troops, sup
ported by great weight of artillery,
the British front line at certain points
between the Scarpe and Vendeuil, SAYS
Reuters correspondent at British
headquarters, telegraphing this even.
ing.
"Our countcr-measures have not vet
developed" the correspondents added.
Therefore, it is difficult to define the
position. Apparently the enemy's pur-
pose has been to launch converging
attacks upon the two tanks of the Fles-
quieres salient. in the hope of cutting
it off,"
"Our outpost troops" Mr. Bonar
Law told the Commons. "have been