Mexico Missouri message., 1918-05-16
Naval Forces of Allies Make
Dashing Raid to Bottle Up
Hun U-Boat Bases.
GREAT BATTLE IS RENEWED
Germans Gain Little by Heavy Attacks
Holland Being Pushed to Wars
Brlnk-John D. Ryan Made
Director Of Aircraft Pro-
ductlon.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARp.

Last week brought forth one of the
most spectacular and dashing opera
lions of the wharf.-the raid of British
and French naval forces on the Ger
man U-boat bases at Zeebrugge and
Ostend. Five obsolete cruisers and
two old submarines were sacrificed.
The former, laden with concrete, were
to be sunk In the channel mouths, and
the latter full Of explosives, were driv-
en- against the moles. These vessels,
escorted by destroyers and all making
a dense smoke screen, approached the
Belgian coast in the night but were
discovered and deluged with shells
from the shore batteries and from Ger
man destroyers. The chief fight took
place at Zeebrugge. There the cruiser
Vindictlve ran inside the harbor under
heavy fire, and landed her crew on the
mole after great gap had been blown
In 1t by submarine. The men cleared
the mole, destroyed all its guns and
sank a destroyer and were able to get
away again, though their losses were
severe. Meanwhile three of the block
ships were sunk at the entrance of the
canal or in the harbor, and one Of the
old submarines was believed to have
destroyed the lock gates, letting the
water run out of the Bruges canal
At Ostend the operation was simpler
and at least one of the block ships has
been observed from airplanes block
ing the greater part Of the channel.
At this time 1t is not known just
how successful the operation was in
bottling up the U-boat bases, but prob
ably it was no more so than was Hob
sons attempt to bottle up the Spanish
fleet In Santiago harbor. However, 1t
was gallant enterprise, fearlessly
carried out, and American navy men
hope it will be followed up by addi-
tional naval exploits.
IA
There was comparative quiet along
the battle front in France and Flanders
during the first half of the week, and
both the allies and the Germans took
advantage Of the opportunity to
strengthen their positions. In the
minor operations the former had rather
were pushed back in various sectors
by both the British and the French.
) Meanwhile the Germans were bringing
4 ups their heavier artillery, difiehlt
thing because Of the nature of the ter
rain and were evidently making prep
aratIons for resumption Of the attack.
This came on Wednesday, when,
! l.A he kno
envy attacked with very considerable
forces the allied positions south of the
Somme, and along the Avre, In the
regions Of Hangard, Hailles and Sene-
cat wood. For the time being these
assaults were successfully repulsed ex-
cept at Hangard, which village again
fell into the hands OF the Germans.
The reports from Paris said that
American troops were fighting with
the French on this line and that their
resistance to the attacks Of the Huns
was desperate. About eleven miles
directly east Of Amiens, the German
objective In this region, the British
withdrew from the village OF Villers-
Bretonneux. but elsewhere they stood
arm.
At the same time the Huns launched
attacks against the British in Flanders
and there was fierce lighting on the
line between Ballleul and Merville and
near Bethune.
Next day by smashing counter-at
tack the British retook yillers, taking
some TOO German prisoners and ind
ing the enemy dead heaped up aboui
Ghe village. The Huns also attacked
lkFongly on the sonth slopes Of Noun