Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-25
Teutons Occupy Town of
Chauny, on Road to Com
piegne, Paris Gateway.
USE OVER 100000 MEN
IN EFFORT TO CRUSH HAlG
Lay Claim to Capture of Ham
and Peronne, Together With
10000 Prisoners.
PARIS SMELLING is EXPLAINED
Berlin Says That American ana
French Rc-Enforcemcnts Have
Been Defeated.
tBy Associated Pre,s. !

BY Associated Prc,si
On the battle line in France the
sanguinary struggle still is going on.
with the British troops on most of the
sectors apparently holding their own.
but with tho Germans at salient points
still pressing forward.
The town OF Chauny, southwest OF
ST. Quentin. situated on the road to
CompeSnc. the gateway 10 Paris has
been occupied by the Germans. and ac-
cord!ng TO the Berlin official com1iuu;-
cations. everywhere between the Sonimc
ard the Oise Rivers the Germans are
pressing their advantage.
Throughout Sunday along the en-
tire iifty-milc battle front the lighting
never ceased for q moment, and where
Field Marshal lIaiss men were un-
able 10 withstand the terrific on
slaushts delivered by greatly superior
forces ground was given, but always
in orderly fashion
IT now has been definitely aacer-
tained thai. considerably more than
l.oo0,d00 Germans have been brought
to the western front in an endcavor to
crush the British army holding tho line
from the region OF .Arras TO tho south
OF ST Quentin but it daily becomes in
crcasngly evident that the c.ucmy in
his drive nc: with opposition not
counted upon. and has been unable 10
realize 10 tho full his objects.
GERMANS SAY THEY
HAVE CAPTURED 600 GUNS
In addition To Chauny. the Germans
are claiming the capture OF both Pc
roma and Ham. and TO have increased
the number of prisoners taken TO more
than 3o,o0o. in addition to GOO guns and
large stores OF war materials.
1t is claimed also by the Germans
that American ana French regiments
which We're brought up 10 rc-enforco
tic british have bccn defeated, but no
further Information than this mere
statement has been vouchsafcd.
BERLIN SAYS HRTrISH
ARE DEVASTATING COUNTRY
In their retirement, according TO Hcr-
lin. the British arc burning towns ard
villages behind them. This statement,
however, seemingly. is capable OF being:
received with rcscrrc. as the Germans
themselves. in their famous strategic
retirement left little standing in the
territory they evacuated, even dcnud-
ing the country OF trees.
one OF the mysteries of tho offensive
which now has been solved is that tho
shcliinS of Iaris is being done by Il
lcnc-rangc German gun.
This statement is contained in tho
Berlin official communication, and q.
Paris dispatch says that one OF the
guns has been located near Laon. about
sorcnty-s miles from the center OF
Paris Throughout Sunday morning
n nh ,tNf. 10 81 :,
dropped in Paris at intervals OF from
twelve to twenty minutes.
Already the spirit Of boastgu,ncss
which peryadca the German army in
times OF success Is being strongly man
Tested. Field Marshal von Iiindc,,-
burg has complimcnted the German
En- pcror on the initial success" and
tho latest Gcrmaa official communities
ton is loud In its plaudits OF the Ger
man troops, declaring that tho attack
ing spirit of the infantry could not
lave been exceeded.
nRITISH WITHDRAWAL.
PLANNED IN ADVANCE
The withdrawal of the British forces
along the battle 'front.' in France was
long ago planned in the event OF tho
Germans, attacking in great force.
'''9 comes IRON the
British front through the Associated
Press correspondcnt, who describes the
operation OF the British army as a mas
ieTly withdrawal. made possible by
gallant shock troops in tho front linec.
"ho checked the advance OF the Ger
mans, while artillery. machine gun
and rfc fire worked appalling slaush-
ter among the masses of German in
!antry as they were sent forward thus
enabling the main body OF the British
TO fal! back deliberately and without
confusion.
This army, IL is declared has been
conserved. and up to the present very
few countcrattacks have been made
against the Germans. Where the Brit
ssh have stormed tho Germans newly.
acquired positions they have driven
them back. But each mile OF advance
makes the bringing up o. suppIies to
he German artillery and infan,rv1uore
and moro difficult. and unquastionabIy
he British strategy. as demonstrated
since the beginning OF the great at
,acS Is TO let tho enemy. 30 far as