The sun., 1918-10-22
BRITISH ACROSS
HUNDING LINE0N
TEN MILE FRONT
Are Within Two Miles of
Valenciennes and Fast
Encircling the City.
v
GHENT NEARLY FLANKED
Enemy Resistance Is Much
Stronger Except Where He
Flees From Flanders.
GHENT NEARLY FLANKED

LONDON, Oct. 21.--Bad weather. a
shortened enemy line, high ground IA
vorable to the defenders and a greatly
.glffened opposition failed to-day to
ALT the advance of the Allies in
aorthern France and Belgium. From
hH Dutch border southwark to the
Disc the Belgians. British and French
continued to push eastward.
The so-called Hunding Line. before
which the great allied advance was
expected to halt, at least temporarily.
has been crossed on a ten mile front
in the region where it parallels the
Scheldt canal and river.
In the north the city OF Gnent is the
immediate objective Of the British and
Belgians. This city is being vigor-
ously defended. but the Allies are
avoiding frontal attack, in conform
ity with their general plan to drive
the enemy out by thanking movements.
with the result that wedges are heinE
driven into the German lines to the
north and south, particularly on the
Northern side Of the city.
Rapid Retreat In North.
Having redeemed the Belgian coast
the British and Beigisns are now driv-
Ing eastward along the boundary hne
between Belgium and Holland. Aviators
reported to-day that a general retirement
was taking place along the border. Re
ports reached the Belgians that German
guards had left the vicinity Of the village
OF Sas-van-Ghent, on the Dutch border
fifteen miles due north OF Client and
seven miles east of the point on the. bor-
der last mentioned in dispatches from
the front as having been occupied by
Belgian troops.
In the neighborhood OF Journal the
Germans have grouped considerable num-
bers of heavy guns. and British artillery
is being brought up to silence them. The
Allies, since tho Germans adopted the
policy of sending civilians westward In
stead of driving them toward Germany
now have a double task.-drving out the
eaomy and caring for the tens OF thou"
sands of liberated French and Belgian
Inhabitants.
Two Miles From vnIencienncs.
The British are meeting increased op-
position around valenciennes, but despite
his they have pushed their lines TO
within two miles Of that city The rail-
road line between Hirson and Nalen-
c!enres. which has been OF great service
to the Germans Ia now under the British
guns and no attempt has been made by
Tie enemy to operate trains on the road
for several days. North of Valenciennes
the British have captured and passed
beyond Ameryal In the fighting in this
region the British captured 5000 pris-
onors, Field Marshal Haig reports
The French War Office reports that no
Infantry enga gemants OF note transplred
90 tho French front during the day and
night, but that there was artillery ac-
tiy,'v. 1t Is known. however that Gen.
DshsEey is marching toward Hirson with
the attention Of attacking the Hunding
L,no in the rear
j. Is the general impression that the
r~ElsrsDcc Of the enemy everywhere Is
s'ffening. Apparently the rapidity OF the
British drive in Flanders and northern
France has caused the enemy to realize
that the allied forces arc approaching
~" rstherlsnd at a rate that, IL not
checked, might before long find their
long range guns pitching shells across
''e Rhine. Therefore the enemy Is
pulling himself together with view to
delaying 10 the utmost the allied ad-
vance ~
\ despatch from Sluis, Holland. dated
sunday yays heavy cannoading was
h"2!d in the direction of Becloo, whore
tn wire barrier. rendered harmless BY
~ 'iermaus Saturday night, has been
further destroyed by the Belgians
American troops with heavy artillery
haf' bcen observed IN this nelghbor-
hood. Thouout Ia said TO have been
ay'ly damaged.