Evening star., 1918-04-10

wand ts annlying everywhere the prin :
ciple of using the smallest NUMBER o
troops possible for successfully
ing the enemy attacks ana keepins -
hand reserves amply suHlc!ene - .hot
a new offensive. no matter q ~
. mavnitude or in what direction. Ine
Germans have in line actually tnrlce as
MANY divisions as the Frencn. ne Ia, Ias
ter have reduced the enemy VINO. w.
tnr the past four days. has thrown INTO
.he hattie twenty-five divisions TO ops
eratfons of detail which nave ialtea
sixnally when the cost IS consiaes. .,. ru
The French positions have peen man
tanned virtually intact ana ..a,
than one point they have oeen
False German Claim.
=, German communique It is falsely
claimed that Mount Renaud mas passeu
into the possession of the kaisers sol
diers. heralding it as an important VIC
tory. Mount Renaud was the nrse point
where the German advance was arrest
ed after the loss of Noyon. and excep-
tionally desperate fighting occurIeo
there, 1t passed from one side 70 tne
other several times. finally resting IN
the hands of the French, VINO nave heio
it since March 81.
During the great general German on
slaught on March 80, the capture OF
Mount Renaud was attempted by the IS,
Battalion of the ssth Metz Regimen.
Three companies of the battalion were
cut down by the French artillery oeiore
they had fairly advanced for the attack.
The remaining company was aole, at q
cost in losses estimated by prisoners al
more than SO per cent, to advance aiohs
the northern slopes to the edge OF the
plateau A single company OF French-
men engaged in an operation which
enabled them to drive away the enemy
elements. Leaving the Renaud chateau
the F'renchmen captured the first earth
work on the northwestern slope, from
which the Germans were accustomed to
send forward nightly patrols. Tnen, oy
progressive penetration into the Wooo
on the northeastern slope, they turned
the enemy's flank and he was 1orceo 70
fall back into the valley.
This little incident of line fighting
was a real marvel Of maneuyering skill
on the part of the French.
Strategic Position Overrated.
In reality Mount Renaud has not the
great strategic Importance claimed for
it by the Germans. The latter occupy,
at the north and northwest. the height
of Forquericourt, with an altitude OF
40 meters (45s feet). and Reserve wood
with an altitude of $50 meters (525
feet). The French occupy west of Chiry
the Ourscampsh hills, NOR than 140
meters high. Mount Renaud, which Is
only 100 meters 1928 feet) in altitude,
lies between and is dominated by these
ranges and utilizable for observing a
zone scarcely three kilometers 1.8
miles) in width. The French overlook
Noyon and the country beyond from be-
hind Mount Renaud.
On the left bank of the Disc the
French. in arresting an enemy advance
April 2, occupied along the Disc line
which formed with the old and un-
changed line north OF Bouillet q link
having the apex north of Amigny ex-
posed to German fire coming from three
directions. Long ago the positions upon
which to fall back had been prepared
along the line OF the Ailette. which
forms q natural link between the new
lines and the old positions northwest
of Pfnion. The sector was occupied only
by light detachments, which being at
tackled last Saturday afternoon by i'm
portant German forces. fell back ac-
cording to orders only. fnfiicting severe
losses upon the enemy.