New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-03-29

mans have forced their way forwar
over a front approximately twent!
one miles in length, have penetrate
to a depth of four or five miles ives
OF Cambria and have reached Han
west OF ST. Quentin, IA distance O
about nine miles west of the BritisI
lines as they stood before the inceI
ton of the Teutonic offensive OF
Thursday.
With the British Army in France
March 25.-The British and French
who cooperate at the junction of tht
two armies were viewing the trend o
the German offensive with optimisti,
eyes Sunday morning. Hard fightins
was in progress but reports showed
little or no change in the situation in
favor of the enemy since Saturday
while on the other hand the defenders
had pushed the attacking forces back
after a bitter struggle and were hold
ing strongly along the whole new
front TO which they had withdrawn.
Fighting OF a most desperate ma
ture has been continuous since the
initial attack Thursday, but so far
the British have used few troops
other than those which were holding
the front lines.
These shock troops have been max
ing as gallant a defense as was ever
recorded in the annals of the British
army and as a result they have en-
abled the main body of the forces to
fall back deliberately and without
confusion and occupy positions which
had been prepared long before the
German offensive began.
The Germans, on the other hand,
operating under the eyes of the En-
peror and the crown prince, have
been hurting vast hordes into the fray
with utter disregard for lives and
have followed into the abandoned pO-
%sitions, getting farther and farther
away from their supplies and finding
their communications increasingly diff
ficult.
More than fifty German divisions
already have been identified by ac-
tual contact, and many of these mel
were simply given two days iron ra-
tions and sen owe the top into the
frightful maelstrom made by the al
lied artillery, machine guns and rifles.
slaughter of the enemy infantry
as it advanced in close formation
over the open has been appalling.
The British losses have been within
the bounds expected, due to the tao
tics of the commanders. The allies
have lost a considerable number of
in prisoners and a certain num-
Der Of guns. But very few pieces of
artillery have been taken by the Ger
mans since the first day. In fact, the
whole withdrawal has been executed
in a mastery manner, showing how
thoroughly the British had planned for
1t is permitted to say now that some
have known for a long time, namely,
that the British never intended to try
to hold the forward positions in this
if the Germans attacked them
in force.
There Is every reason to believe
hat harder fighting than has yet TAX
en- place will develop shortly. The
in the British view, cannot
low hesitate in carrying on their at
.ack, and it is a case Of break through
admit defeat.
In this circumstance it is interest
ng to note a statement made yester-
lay by a German officer, a prisoner,
Who declared that the German often
i've was an act of desperation brough,
IN by the fact that the fatherland
must have peace.
However, the British take such as
at their face value and are
proceeding accordingly.
The hardest fighting yesterday oc-
'urred east of Peronne and in the Bots
lie Genlis. The most important phase
# the battle occurred in the latter
leighborhood. During the morning
he Germans had pushed southwark
oward Ham and has succeeded in get
ing a foothold at some points in the
efenses to which the British had fall
n back.
The British organized a counter at
ack and hurled themselves against
he Germans with such ~ferocity that
he enemy was forced to give way and
he situation was restored. This was
of the very few counter attacks
S yet attempted by the British.
Saturday night was fairly quiet
long the battle front, but Sunday
the British again surged for
ard against the Germans to the
outheast of Ham. while the enemy
Dntinued their assaults.
The Germans have captured Peronne
nd Ham and defeated British and
merican regiments brought up from .
lie southwest for a counter attack on A.,
hauny, according to the Berlin war
statement. The statement adds g,
lat more than 10000 prisoners have1 4,
cen captured and 600 guns have been ,
ken by the Germans.
kaieer Watehjno Csrn.n nr;v.