Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-04
.LYS REGION CENTER
Of HEAVY SHELL|NG
BY GUNS OF ENEMY
New Action May Indicate
Attempt to Force Brit
ish From Arras.
sSsSs!!
ALLIED PATROLS TAKE
HILL NORTH OF CASTEE5
Channel at Zcebrugge Still S
Blocked by Cruisers Sunk
in Raids.
GERMANS IN DONETz REGIoI
Authority Of General Foch EXTENDED
TO Include Forces ON Italian
Front.
GERMANS IN DoNETz REaIol
Authority OF General Foch Extends
10 Include Forces on Italian a
Front.
tBy Associated Press.

Having met with reverse in theifS
opera tlous on the northern side of itheN
Flanders salient, where the French and.
British have stood shoulder to shoulder
in defense OF Yprcs and the high ground
which forms a buiwark in front OF thsi
channel ports. the Germans have. as
indicated by the most recent reports,
turned TO the southern side of theS
angle in the allied lines in NorthernlI
France. Thursday night and Friday,
the German artillery had seemnElI
centered its fire on The line between
Givcnchy and the NIeppc forest, and 1t
may be that the enemy soon will LAUNCH;
an attack against this vital section SS.s---,,
the British line. st-S
Dispatches from the British head
quarters tell of tremendous cannon
ade in the I.ys region. which may be
taken TO mean the part of the Flanders
battle field at or near Merville. where
the Germans made their greatest adj
vance after the fall Of Arn1entieres.
Articles appearing in German news7t
papers would seem TO inuicute efforts
to prepufe the German people for an
announcement that there will be no inn
mediate attempt to take Tprcs.. Ex-s
inspired reviews OF the situation; say
that nothing would he gained by the
capture OF the ruined city. This may
mean that the Gcrmans will turn their
attention 10 some other part OF the
front for new effort. and the hons
bardmcnt OF the iiacs near Merville and
further cas-, may be the first step in
an attemp; other to bore straight
~ .,ll irI ,,,k
through toward the south and force
4 British retirement from the Arras-
Lens salient, SO far as known, no
infantry lighting has occurred in this
sector on the last day:
PATROLS ACTIVE Al UANGARD
AND VYI.LUS-DREsTONNEU
While waiting for the Germahs to
make the next move the allies have not
been idle. All along tho line their
patrols have oeen active. and at Han
gard and Nllcrs-Dret nmaux, before
Amlcns. hey have taken tactical po-t
si;ions from the Teutons one OF these
positions w2s hill No. 81, north OF
Castel. a height which afforded good
observation OF the allied communication
lines.
The British Admiralty has found that
the cnannei al LecbruSSe, IN which old =
cruisers recently were sunk during.sthe
naval raid on the German submarine
bases the EeSjan coast. Is still
blocked. and will probably remain SO
For considerable time, in spite ,otr
the efforts Of tho Tcutors TO dre6Se a
rev chapncl around the obstacles
formed hy the wrecks OF the warships,
German troops operating in Ukraine
have advanced into tie Donetz coal
region. In the eastern part of the
Government OF Kharkov. The pres
ence or Germans as far east as this
would seem 10 indicate ,hat Teutonioa
oominItion OF southern Russia and the
Black Sea IS almost complete.
the authority of General Foch. who
was recently des snated commander-f
ir chief OF the allied ARMIES in France.
has been extended TO include the forccsS
on the Italian front result Of the
meeting OF the interalli1d war council
AT Abbeville 81