The sun., 1918-09-08
British and French Advance
3 to 4 Miles OH 80 Mile
SOmme Front.
FURTHER GAINS ON OISE
Great st. GObain Massif
Nearly Flanked and Amer
leans Press On in Rear.
ENEMY NEAR A POCKET
Pressure Of Pershing's Men
Likely to Shatter Hope of
Chemin des Danes Line.

LONDON, Sept. THE great opera
ton for the complete obliteration OF
the Hindenburg line has now reached
the point where the final grand blow
Is about to be delivered. The great
armies of the British. French and
Americans, which have been moving
like parts of huge machine, are
about to advance as one.
In the north the British have been
somewhat ahead of the joint pro-
gramme; for example. they could
have taken Cambrai several days ago
and everything was prepared, hut
they delayed the blow until the
French caught up in their sector in
the south, which now the French
have done. The crumbling Of the
whole German line in this sector may
be expected ut any moment.
Advance on II Mile Front.
Pending the order from Marshal
FOch to strike the British advanced
their whole lire three to four miles
to-day, from Hnvrincourt Wood,
southwest Of Cambrai, to Beauvois,
the junction with the French, about
seventeen miles TO the south. They
have taken also strategic point Of
some importance on the west bank OF
the Canal du Nord, over which there
has been much fighting, to facilitate
their operation against Cambria.
They have made small additional
gains southwest of Ypres.
The French also have been putin (
the polishing touches on their new
jumping off places and acquiring new
ones OF even more value. They ad-
vanced their whole line from north OF
Ham to Barises and Fresnes. west OF
Laon. about eighteen miles. to about
the same depth as the British. Fresnes
is the point where the French crossed
the Hindenburg line yesterday, there
by turning this great German defen-
sive work.
Closing on st. GObain Massif.
! The gain made by the French DO
| yond this point, south Of the Disc, IS
still more important. Here they are
pressing in to encircle the noted mas
sif of st. Gohain, the cluster of denseIN
wooded hills which Is regarded as the
strongest natural defensive position
| in that part Of France and impossible
! to capture by direct assault. Already
the movement has progressed so far
that the evacuation of the position by
the Germans may occur at any mo-
| nent although IL Is possible that be
cause OF its great value in n military
sense the Germans may make n most
determined effort to hold il for time
The purpose Of the American move
| ment on the Aisne front. apparently, Is
to prevent any such effort by the Ge,
mans, If they have that intention. ono
the American operation has been gov
erned and controlled by the develop
ment of the operation TO the west ana
north by the French and British
| ChemiD des Danes Menaced.
The pressure OF the American force
now posted along the Aisne half wa
from Soissons TO Rheims, and along the
Nesle west OF Rheims, Is steadily in
creas!ng. and because of this. in come, .
ton with the French operation west a
Laon. the German position on the
Chemin des Danes !s seriously menaced
Special attention is being paid by the
Americans to the Germans still remain
ing in the angle Of the Aisne and the
Vesle east OF Fismes and important
movements seem to be impending there
which may develop into a major opera
tion IN large force north OF Rheims
/ The Germans have been stripped OF
practically all their gains made In the
great drive Of last spring and all the
deep salients they drove into the Allies
lines have been fiattened out. The only
part OF their gains that they stnl hold
Is in the narrow stretch between l.o
Fero and Cambrs!, and that is very
shallow the next forward move of the
Allies is likely to eliminate il.
50. Quentin Canal Is Crossed.
In their advance to-day the French
according to the night official report.
crossed the 81. Quentin Canal at Tugny
Bridge and station both Of which they
captured. Below that point progress
was made at VauXalllon, in the opera
ton against the 81. Gobain Massif, and
Celue- was captured Thei,
general penetration is placed in the re.
port at four to Ave miles.
The French now hold the general line
from the western outskirts of VauN
Fluquieres. Happencourt the east oI
Tugny Bridge and of st. Simon. Avesne
the western edge of Jussy. the railway
from Ham to Tergnier, Anrigny Roy am
Barisis.
The allied advance in the region wei
Of 81. Quentin, according 10 the opinion
OF the military critic of the Petit JoH,
nal, will prevent the enemy from hating