Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE WARLAST WEEK UTTLE PROGRESS MADE IN AT TACK UPON VERDUN EXPLAINS SUDDEN SHIFTS foothold on th« slop*, which extend* from the \Vo*rr* to the plateeu, on wlilrh l.i the fort of Vanx.Jteelf. The outskirts of the rlliege were reached on Saturday and the entire Tillage fell Into German hands on Sunday. All attempts of the Germans, how ever. to continue past the village up the slope to the southerly edge of the ravine wero, at least for the time being, checked, and the German at tack forced to swing around to the west toward the forest ert Calllette. Here the Gem ans were again suc cessful, and In a short time seized the edge of the forest and pene- Touton* | si UK Some Strategy Em-' trated It to some dfcpth. T , There was thus produced In the I j.y''V ,i"'' ployed in (.rcat Uuwton Drive, I Vench line a deep salient the two th” reS Hulll^ ' ^ wr . rw.. ww a Wittes of which were on both sicleu of York Tiin©« ^| |C( |n#| j n of Van*; but not on TVj to tYush Sides of Salient and ‘l!* of the ravine. I ho upox was-In tlio forest of Call lette. The position was a dangerous one for the Germans, unless they could succeed In -fighting their way l''<w«o CTju-satina. Sunday of the week Just closed __ _ saw another nhlft In the. German nt-| up thrHBlope of tl^e south edge of the - tack about Verdun, which is still the ravine, centre of activity and therefor* of | I Worn they were able to accoin- public interest.- Last week closed plish tills or, indeed, to begin an with tho German rapturp of Malan- operation looking to this end, the court on- the west side of tlio Meuse 1 French, who saw the plateas of Vaux Tho Germans to_ok this town liy endangered by the German success, smashing in the head of the salient j counter attacked—one of the very at that point. | few counter attacks they have de- On Saturday night, however, the llvcred since tlio Yoiduji fighting attack was transferred to the other begaa. bank, tbe principal object of ntten-' This counter attack was delivered tion being the lean of Vaux. before fi rs t against the troops who had taking up this ettack in detail, I wish taken the southerly j i-.rt of tho fores* to call attention to these shifts of Caillette: The French succeeded phi eh, for the last few woeka, havo in clearing this part of these woods, been very freijuent. ' | and Iben extended their attack to During the first two weeks of the the western end of the village at the battle, when tilings wore going very hesd of the raviae. Hare, also, they much Hi* way of the Germans, the attack remained concentrated on the U.U-TV.V sector embraced between Sa- mogneux and Ornes. When the Ger mans had pushed the French bark from their advanced posts and ap proached the main lino of tho-French had a measure of success, and re captured .the western part of the village, establishing therfiselves al most in th# position they held before the German attack of Saturday! night. On Wednesday ths French .con-j akla to hold. < Late on Wsdneaday night, 1 how- •v«r, tho Osmans closed In on tho olnost completely surrounded town, and boforo morptng Hauoourt waa In their handa. Tho French, at tho s*mo time, drove ajong th* Avocourt- Fsnes road and advanced the point of tbe JKvocourt salient, occupying a eonafdorable part of th# woods, until they- almost reached the road from Malancourt to Esnes. This move places th# towfl of Ha icourt again In danger, as “it Is again almost sur rounded, this tlm# by the French. There is a striking similarity be tween the strategy of the Gormans position, the French held absolutely United their proeress In the ramette, otll ,, r Th# la(est 0prtnan effort t)a8 >■ spite Of Clio terrific attacks that wood- and flnrtly drove the 0<*r- | )rl . n directed near Hill 265. between vn-rc hurled against D<>uaam>>nt and ‘ *“ * 1 —*- VaoT. ans. sim'ilta.i'-iusly with tbe irh attack, began a severe bom- Intent aloqg the entire front i west of-ihe village of Douau- t to.the vllhsro of Vaux. Tl Is caused a spreading of the at- tsek to other quarters. The first shitt anii then made eastward. For roaaous tbat wero explained last week, an attack on Verdun from the east offers peculiar diffit uhlea, par ticularly wt thla time of the year. This the Germans found, and in a " * “V* ' been ilirerteu near Hill 265, between mans out to he northern edge A* U)at po , nt ,„. fh , nconrU , f , ur . * 'I' fgnIbis move tho Cer | lt w ||| ^rH.iually hrtng cl.swA- F FRENCHBNS '*• ■* * ’ Karl II. Von Wicgand, New York World Staff NIan, Dexcrlbcp Rattle- ground ‘’Before World’s Greatest Fortress—Germans Grind Forward IJke Irresistible Glacier. In tiles' wonderful panorama of one of the greatest, if not the great est battle of the world’s war, one sees little or nothing of the contend ing forces in the conflict. It cre ates a feeling akin to awe. •Just as the movement of glaciers cannot be seen, but heard, so here, around Verdun, one bniy heara the roar and thunder and crash as the Germans are battering away at the linmoxable French heroic defense in some places, while at other'points they are grinding and smashing their way irresistibly, yard by yard, for ward. ' Rjl Probably not far from onei million men arc battling on both sides around Verdun. Never in the history of the world have such enormous masses of artillery' been engaged in battle at one .point. On the forty mile, semi-circle-lik# firing line around Verdui), from tho Meuse above St. Mibiel to Avocourt, the Germans probably have several thou- saml, perhaps twenty-live hundred guns. In action or reserve. Were each gun fired but once an hour, there would be a shot every second. (A* probably half the guns together the side, of the angle and I " f pinch the tnuips occupying It u.Ul 1 aVrrar ° * Hpht ,,rr rhf '" ,9 C ‘‘ r,a ' n they will havo to evacuate. ployed In the great Russian drive late last summer. After the Rus sian* had been driven out of Galicia, and had fallen back npon their for tified positions, th* Germans were confronted with a problem similar to that they neffr face. Tho method they employed waa first to concentrate all available artillery on either side of a position they desired to tuko and dt^ve for ward until it was practically sur rounded on three sides. Then they proceeded to drive in the side* and so threaten the troops within the angle which they had cniuted with cither annihilation or capture. The result was evacuation. Of this method of attack-^ Vllna Is perhaps the best example. This was the sit uation that resulted In the rapture of Malnncoui t anil later of Hauoourt. At this, writing, the same plan is apparently being followed in an at tempt to .take Flethincourt. ' Th# French lines from Bethincourt run south along the highway between that place and Chattancourt. turn ing eastward Just north of Le Mort Homme. Itethincourt is. therefor*, a sharp salient, the line breaking away from the town toward tho southwest on MILLION# FIGHT 100,800 POUNDS OF IRON HIT VERDUN EVERY HOUR I on* side and the southeast on the SUB MEMORANDA HELD OFF; E S. WAITS EXPLANATION State Department Will Not Issue Statement ('hanging Its Han Dealing With Craft. Accumulation by the state depart ment of circumstantial evidence in dicating that the Sussex and other unarmed merchant ships have been attacked—by German submarines probably will make necessary ^ change in the ; dministration's plan for dealing withi the broad questions of submarine warfare and the arming of merchant ships for defensive pur poses. Until a number of unarmed ships recently were overtaken with disas ter in the war zone the United States had planned to issue, Jor the benefit of the belligerents, a' complete defi nition of its position regarding the arming of merchant ships for de fensive purposes and tho conduct of submarine warfare. The proposed declaration probably would have involved some changes in the'regulations under which Ameri can port authorities undertake to ex^ amine the character 1 of the armament on merchantmen entering American waters to determine whether it is de fensive. However, these'conclusions were reached on the basis of the under standing which had been reached with the German government that there should be no attack on un armed merchant ships, particularly liners. Consequently tbe proposed statement probably will be withneld until the facts concerning tho recent attacks afe cleared up. SIS AtTlVf AGAIN - * WASHINGTON SEES SION 0F ; . THEIR VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN M NO REPLY FROM GERMANY* No response to Ambassador Gerard’s VILLA FORCES SIRPR1SED SAYS FRIENDLY MEXICAN This was followed by an attack of I infantry mad« both In sitcrfs'iliai nates and In what the Frsnrh offi-t short lime II io attad ( n ir#!ti shifleU < iol 1 report* t<-rr n *‘rm.-ill attacking to the west h auk of t rit^f • | f itiid M V tthst ndlnx H># »•»- n.i# oftifti BK ! V d c# t o v#ral # *riiy of th# |> nlnary artillery fir#. ra#*c*. »nc <• f which VJ m«*utw>i>#«l « l>o (• •'r tn a nM did not fo t># ablrt in previous reviews. In Iho Unit t O fl’ » a food hold In any paft of the place t! -man* < pm 11 mol ho Ml* | **rrnc h tr#iu1 along this llna and ■or can they afford -rrimitfi a* % < onu»#tl l#d to retreat to the Uotisrr Boll that eij( irl#*«f tin mo i « of rt ■at f four, oorthwaat of and la the F Jit de ftti %uort»tui t lllago of Dot uaun ont. arilon Therefore, • > on*- qnsrl* r they must to anothor Again, there la the t *aaln**« In the G-rm man-l oter th* stabbe Preach r. 4 i«un-e TU <-n cl perfc t ion or un. { high com- i*—* of th# A* m* -b-uM l« the mi#d of an* owe w<o* itwM Ike Ccwwians. wt*e# Ike batik* of \ enlwn Waa (•Unwed, rah ulalrd that lb* Mormon* niaaa of kenvy an tiler* Chat had t-r-ew asoenihlrd to pre-pa re* U-a way for Ike lafaalry »*a« prwrtt- nail) li mataOhle an.! trow Id literally klaat the way llirowuh In • r«>m|»nra- fl*rl) ation time Wa». no I ne haowi AH during Wednesday nlglif thw l^rewrh were rrrrptwg rloa#r knd < Iomt t*> Ike llwe they had orrii- l>ted l-efi.rw Ike German attark of h«iunlay and by Tkunalay m-*ra- lag ha«l recovered prarllrally tbe elude of flie fore-af of fallletfe. Ml that the Gerwiaaa were nwrw nirala ttiMiwa Into ilia wmal* of llanlaif- WWMH. Tills vill liriac the Gcrmaaa a •h«>tt «t*-p nearer their ohjertive. TTie step. ImwesTT, will lie only local hi Ra effect and will do but little lo hasten the fall of tbe French forfrcan. Tlda may ha •aid with truth when measuring I tie »u> reaa the Germans kav* tia<l UiU week. In this connection th# topography] of Vaux and It# surroandlnc# will prove a good Illustration. Wer# th* 1 G«rma#s to have tak*n th# edg«# of] th# ravine In whlrh Vaux Is situated! ured a foothold on tb#j i# Meus# they would •n position to I itk fufther UP Hill 321*1 old fort of Vnux I# #1 lo be more than twenty-five pounds. It follows that even In desultory firing one liyndrc-d and sixty tliou- sand |Miunds, or Tour fl> five carload* of iron, ate mining on the Frenrli |Mk*illow* rx«-r> hour. This I* titeuwi- Or M* V. liai this til but n wan i*r« wcver. c i*e alts* u H ably nifitider rd that • W«*« |( day* at th* t c|ent >ut*id# W< mid Iw Thjt the pi an went a wry *i tb« vlertent <- If time I* f* writ ralrnlatr d to dlstt * rt* fli# of rrltid of th n German f *ra end tu Imtuce It tn •c %, irt h tho Hoe tor other • nd w.-aker p<» which to con r#*tilrat# Final tactic* that t h<* Ortnai nt hav eomt «li <1 to I id opt bv ri i ar.ofi c r lorrrafi rd h-n tfnie ne<-<*s.ir V to gain thrlr al ml iffl- i*t It tha • of a rn<| and was n of dan- live, com t V iCI •hell I# nisei have pul a great dro ter iy. tl r lie* >f the ll < obji^ n on th tv thn as** tho two I and thua I h^tffhta of l I tmva be^ti In I rarry tlm aft I on which Um I uated. As It Is. however, thalr effort re- j | aulted only In holding a aertlon of tha wood* of llardanmont. They did.| aa already aald, taka all of Vaux, | hut lost It ardn In lha countar at*] lark. This dUtlwcilon between (lie village of Vans and thw fort of thei same name mw«f lie tuirne In mind la ! reaillng the official reports Thar* Is i a va*t difference between tha two,] and after the town I* tvken the hard est fighting la yet to bo done. 1 lie rapture of llawroort. however. 1 pemiise* more substantial reawlta. It many t ,aed tn nmming n tni nt o >h In aimo when tl i the Inlet *’ of the poi ■1 add f thp f aruuery their defi •t a* large na, and th than six th >tn three-lni tfs«-d .» e. la In- called * tendons by the mated hat of Ion Is mnon. [ft n ex| er rt ’Is of mrr« ftcb nan red h vloal vi aslng Oo..*ey Xexvs of Attark l>y Coiarad * Trtxijm Who Klllisl TTiIrty or Forty of the RaudltM. Rurprl-ed during n sle*ta one of the YfH|’a forces driven from Guerrero was defeated Satur day by a squadron of the Tenth riv alry under Pol. W. C. Browd. ae- rordlng to inlwrmatl tTcn.'Pertdtlng^nd 1c Funstou Tuesday. In this, thf s • nracxn.ent the Amerlrin tl have had, with two hundred tho bandit*' losses were eatipiati from thirty to lofty killed. No lion of American lo**e was madi News of the reported engage fought at the village pf A t*»! n obtained ier.hu! H G Inquiries About Sussex—Secretory and President 'Considering the Case as it Is—President Will Take S’ Congress Into Confidence. Reports of American naval at taches saying metal fragments found on the channel steamer Sussex bdte distinctive markings showing them to be parts of a German torpedo, and dispatches telling of scores of sub marine attacks op' neutral and other unarmed merchant ships within the last two xveeks were studied at con ferences Thursday botxvr'm President Wilson. Col. E. M. House and mem bers-of the cabinet. The attaches’ reports are regarded as very conclusive proof that the Sussex, while carrying twenty-five Amcrtran citizens was attacked In violation of solemn assurances given tho Fnitcd States by Germany. With this fact apparently established, it is generally conceded that the Pnited States is ronfronted by a situation more grave than any which ha* arisen since the outbreak of the war. II was said authoritatively a -atn. however. that ro doen’te step will be taken by the American government until Germany has renpetl to the In formal fnqtilrleg submitted by Am bassador Cera'-d In the casej of the Sussex*- EFfltshman. Manchester KYi?mr>r and Eagle I’dfnt It wy* declared ti nt word from Berlin was bottnr aw->|te>1 not so numb be-sus* Inlormit'on ns to what ha* kapiiene.l Is wanted, but to give Ganunny an onpoefnndy to pre*»nt Ver version and to •iy what will he dono a* on* It. In vlexy « I the evJjlrmp c-dWtriL R ts mnfi.tr ttllj TIPTB'd'tr til fttefif quarters Iliac (•emiany will ml nit (lie attack •■•i the Sii*m*s »n«l pnef- firisl dtsnstrhes from IVrlm dl«a»e«| that *prti an adml- «t..eM.-.tiv xit'l t*e aerotnp.- •U*av«»x« >1 rtnl i-ffer • f r••t•• re In- r un- 1 hv tho Fnllrd ‘•tale- w > !-! deg-nd utvor t* e !-.r r -•-.t • ■ ' ' r«- thundrrnu* arli llery. lUirhtnoba. was br ouabf by fr>n«|!y til# of Verdun. 1 M« xnant lo a pi* nt bear Uobto. ago, when I wab rhed, where a drtachnu rnt of tb# T«»nth -ar Donaamont. the rara’rr coi tutuani) of MaJ rt nono-rtrally bp- Ktatm ha*tfJ week i the flcbtlng r rtlll l>rarrd to be grtally superior to tbe Frtnrh. In tlvat time the Frenrh appe.ir to have Mint . Yrrslun with artillery ami t.v-rlay are art-** f almost sle-t for shot. The (•erman offln-rs are saying the I'mw li have grratlv Inrrrasnl their arllllrrv. and Gen Persb ng vent 1 ■n. Punston he bad r fir la I report from C 1 <>nlx local weakn« l«t •!»# •»# the N„.*. ,, H |, . • i f. 1 % ifi** fail tfmt • the MeierWen w*vr ll #9f •rfirM #t •! n •• 1 (Mlwallv -ee the rttclal fr.t fmmt« ] tnkrn from the sn 0M#r%« an*) Hi# firt f that no tmettei m Hi I **#»*■ fteti* swi-m tn hating * if a tJi# %% jk <• • f i% i torrcih* hrf>-re ih«- * tt**f*\ %% ,1% »tt« k that it heavy e Is esj« imtn eahle 1st! on th i la >nrt th# line and lunlraiincs aid transport »er- parM.-ularly In relation to the supply. the earlier r btlng the Oor-* u-ed their Inf-ntry freely. The artillery prepa-ittlun. while revere, war of relatively short dursit.on Then the infantry w>s sent forward! In macs This proved an Inexpedient; method bec.iuse of the unlooked-for. ablllly of the French to withstand the shattering effects of tho hoaVy] artillery lira The result was that the GornVnns licgnti to s|inn' their Infantry and to ^depend more on tfn-ir artillery, mov ing Hie Infantry u.» only at the last moment 1 Ttyfee-uses up more tell, and has therefore strained the trans portation servic’i to its limit. Tliis obvious result of an attack deli vets si according to this i Ian is that the artillery preparation uses np, at any particular point, Hie available .supply til shell, and the fighting must therefore shift to another point xxhile the nimuuni- tJoji at tlio first point is In-ing re plenished. These facts, taken to gether, will do much to explain the iWqucnt changes of tho point of attack from one side of the river te+hc-etlipr. hu But to return to the attack which, begun on Saturday night on the town of Vnux. Tlio French report ed the taking of this town on iUuulay-, tho Germans on Monday, Tho vil lage of Vaux is a small town with ono main st-eet, on either* side of which houses and small store", were built. This street, and consequently the Tillage Hself, lies in a bottom or small ravine which runs between the plateau of DonauwjMit Oft the north and HT1T No 302 on the south. *t is Just south of this hid that the Fort of Vaux is siturted. 7 A semi-cireular belt of woods surrounds the village on all, sides but the o?st. On the north these woods are celled the woods of Hardaumont and on the. w,est the woods of Ca llette. The Germans began.. ~as usual. With severe |t> the raplere «»f M German* h*4 t -tit the French le»« k l*» a rather •harp point, t ad Mirmuaded almost completely both I tie ton n <>f llaumurt and the Fill of llancourt. a vmall plateau a fen bundled yard* »i>uthwe*t of Malancourt. the gun* on which had • iu*e,| the German* a groat deal of emh;itraa'iiient. On Sunday several of French trenrhe* .o-url: ,. Alai mi n jr!- Vvocoiirt road n-re taken by the German*, thus urtber endangering the French hold >n the entire salient. On Monday, onllnuing the attack along the U'lhincnurtMnlaEb-our*. road In an ffort lo sina-<h in th» salient nt ll* pex. a movement thflt had given hem the town of Malancourt a few I lays before, the Germans advanced I utoss the road, cleared tho north ••auk of the Forge*, brook of the French mid occupied a belt of a hun- Ir rd x aril* lieltxeeu thin road ami the '•rook. The French report that they had n-aeunted lid* belt before tho Ger- -uans opened fire on It. This is en- frely possible. The county is open »nd if a retreat^ were forced the .-os wouid„undoubtedly hp.ve been "reiit. It is odivioiisly poor strategy, ndess your opponent is sluggish and Mnild, to fight with a stream at your buck, it is just ns important to keep our line of .retreat clear as it is to' have Your lino of communications open. • . . It is true that T,oe" fought the bat tle of Antictnm with Antietain Greek at his hack and lost it without un due ptiiiislunent. Rut he knew the than against him—McClellan—and knew that even if he did lose, the chances xvere strongly againstrMc- Glellan pressing the advantage. If he won, then Ilia problem o’ pushing his virtory jorward and thereby obtaining’ the maximum re sults from his victory would be t uch morjs simple, and the pursuit of Mc Clellan’s army, if it'ioqld be forced to retreat, ctfuld be turned Into a disaster. It was a vioiaifon of strategic principles, but a violation In which the ehanr« had been'caref ully re A vo this rrt*# The tun blit Tb.l Vt th of tmr it rt and waa tijr the itter tn rtl »t a rv Mr it fo rr I I of i> I rt 1 tM*t! of M rt tl it of • ml thu* lance, j rU to nt tn thoroughly covering theso woods with artillery fire, delivered the in- f an try attack The objegt was to get soned out and weighed, and it work ed out exactly as,Lee had renson'-d ft. The Germans. • however, under the able leadership of the Verdun generals, would iwot-be s^ow to lake adxantage of the situation were they certain strategic Irnpci • Importance *!a not attar hi neon rt or any other is i endangered area. The net revolt of t e •erenth week of the battle of Verdun may. all thing* ronsidered. be **bl to tie nil n« far r* any military advantage to either side l« concerned.. Both side* hax-V *uffere!l heavily wfibout this loss bringing anything of Importai.c# to p'tlier. It fimst. however, from the nature of things, have a morhl effect on the German commanders on whom has. been thrust tho burden of bringing tho battle to a successful conclusion. The attack this week on tho line between Donaumont and Vaux was one of the.heaviest of the battle, l.ike many others, particularly the fight for the possession of Bcpper Hill and for T.e Mort Homme, it used up great quantities of ammuni tion and put out—of action a gieat number of men; but after the price was.paid there was~Jittlc or nothing to show for It. . . When fills Is held up to the Ger man higher command they will real ize - , if indeed they have not realized it long ago. .th«t the French xvill de mand a price for Verdun far in excess of its military value, if not a price which the Germans have not got to pay. Tills is all the more true when it is seen that, although the main line of French defen-e has been reached on on the cast back of the Meuse, on the xxest hank the French are almost In ll.o same poslth n. as” far as de fensive xvorks are considered, as they were on the east hank on February 21, the battle beg{in. Ail the fighting on the west bank is for advanced posts, Which are still far north of the main position E,acn day makes.il n ore apoarent that the Germans have led themselves into a trap, as stated several weeks ago In these reviews. . They r.o’linot apparently ho'd on and they da-e net let go. Verdun Is infinitely' more im'wirtnnt to t.iem rh fii rt h thrr d. be - 1 Up of the tly tn •nt nlr e progi I. a the Woevre pre-ent almost Instiperahl * the progress made in the rncln line movement on the xxest side, of the Meuse and nt Avocourt is no lens Important or vital. Accompanied by -a major; the neu tral' correspondents left Berlin for the front on Saturday night. With a royal chauffeur in Brinee zu Schaumburg-!.ippe at the wheel of our particular car. xve motored from Sedan. The Prince has the rank of colorrtl, hut, being past sixty,-Is at tached to the automobile rorps. He drove bis powerful high speed ear xvith greater coolness and steadiness than mahy a younger chauffeur with whom I have ridden in this var. At the Grown Prince's head ninr- fers a contain took us in charge. For some miles our way .went tu nig a hank of the Meuse. At one piiut, where we came into plain v'ew of tho French artillery observers and easy range of their guns, the •'.muf- feurs were told to speed for all fiat was in the motors. , At a oon/anieut •placS the cars xvere concealed and wo proceeded afoot to the’height givtiig up a view of Verdun as well as the battlefields on the west side of thp Meuse. . . Something like pause appears to have set in, preparatory, it was de- clared. to the resumption of greater operations. ’.When or where tho Ger mans xvill deluA- the next punch was not kn<>xv!u||nm to the officers xxith us. hut that another xvas coming was evident. ‘Columns of smoke were coming from- the eastern part of Verdun, as If that section of the city were burn ing. Heavy she.tls were falling on Fort de -Belleville, which is within two miles of the city on the north side. T'coun’ed seven In one minute; The chief centre of Interest for the Germans appears to lie at present on the west side of the Meuse, in the PICKS IP STEAMER Mi'* ♦ BrarJlUui Hhlp H’J|»|i«»ms| to he Trying * to Run Rlnrkade. A PrttRh patrol boat ha* picked up otf the Orkney ItlawK S othird. the Brazilian steamer S andadnba do Gama, bound from I’nra. Hraxit. for New York, with a cargo.of rubber. A* the steamer was several thousand mites out of her eour*e the British aro inclined to the belief that she was attempting to run the blockade. fr. Hr th' to the effrs reitiral xe-. lx-fixe le-tll toriwdocil j TO MAKE DECISION — — • (rovemment's l’o>.lihtn on Sufi Activ ity to lie Known Noon. The administration expects to be 11 a position within the next forty-eight hours lo determine what shall be the next step to be taken by tiie Fnitcd States in the B'tuation resulting from the numerous disasters which recent ly have overtaken merchant ships carrying American citizens. ni< no to Hu re- »r th l*r<*%* rrp--rt« haxrvb-en •t that mort- than twenty .ct* nn«| mote Hum Ixx. n- rerenl Xe»■.«•!* bixe heeq tlthin Hie l.i-t two xxeek*. • in without warning. in ~ti nster while car yens. Report* raving that Ihf had countered I quest for juore ; Sussex case we with much inter the new reque Am H Gem V XV ICC 1 V details re read by o ’St. , It was rn t had not b< d-thnt on re- J 1 question how long Malancourt. Bethincourt and the positions south, will be tenable for the French. Omo the German lines are 1 straightened out here a'ixd an ad- j vance made through the Forest of , Hesse fo tlu- Baiis railroad, the hour-may he nearer when the question nrisos-^whother \ tho French*xvill let themselves lie shut nip in Verdun, as Bazaine did in Met/, in INTO, which the Germans do not believe, or xvill withdraxv the hulk of their army there. At present that moment-docs not yet appdar Imminent,- • ; There is still a gap of more tha-i txyenty miles in the German circle 1 around Verdun, of which the next five are rt the same time the most ■ difficult and the moct vital. At Vaux, which is the key to the northeast section of the Verdun de fenses, the Germans, I was inform ed, are holding the outer line Of- than it xx„s tl e day the opening gun 'icmity of Avocoiu% where they are of the l.alGe e.*s *«, -• It is dally n ’ ov !"P southward in the direction hocf>mlng more imnortant. of the main Verdun-Paris railroad. , .■ • , which Is scarcely five miles from t A » failure to tek- ,, lflr a(lvanre p, iard . T >,e road has With eovsre eannanadin* in tire «Me to detent t>-o French along the{ Ihc fomess. -hill echo a2L u\.xr Um, h ^ nT , rtrr ^ for woods of Htrdaumoit.^ and. after Forges brook. It may well be. tlieve- world, and wl’l fln<Mt* rf- rfav*. hut continuea In operation, re- ^* ‘ “ fore, that the French are romvt in *' “ * ‘ their retxort that the !»elt wa« ex*cu Oted hrfure til* (.eriuan attack wo* Control of tbe two' edges nf th# dellven-d. ravine, both north and routh and] Thi, German surer** only shamen- Uua to get a footing on the heights] *d , h e nolnfvrhtc^ fsd Wn uisde In of the Meuso. t ’ _ . the FWfc'-K' HnOF abont ItMht rt and The infantry attack waa delivered Inrrv^ed th# dhager of thTTiHHltU*# tfmnltaneoBsly froth th# north **d Xotwithstending this s he# v xter- thn noath. th# latter beiag pa##ifcl# „„ .turh on W#dae*dav ### m • mnail oT a Oer iaa moveroeah thrown bark without rat# *>d ii# • March .hick gam th# a Freach IRms gav, #*.^. ol betn flection, loo, nmo ig the Teuto- allien, part'ru’nrly in nuledria and , Turkii*. Geriwanv lt»- —U ••* Gh- very he*t *he h.-«t. .The w<-rkt •« Mill wui»- derlng »xhe»*-er It I* e»o#*l». ■< Ita'tsn Fn #t I n< hanged The Italians and %n*tr'an« av tlnnlax fhetr *t»eat|e# •»to*t ;|* Anstrti Italian .(foatter, bat th#*# ##t Fr*ach gsHtt ■»*» beea a# lasportaat rssttlsa operation, r-nirs. m-cordlng lo the reports of fivers, having hern made where the road 'was damaged by shells. ' ' J The huIge~rVat runs from the edge the 'Avocourt Woods north to art and Uiene* to Itethia- ronrt is sarroended by the German* on three- side# Height X#. 3*4. • hick form# « pivotal and tbe sCroog- foc that •ertiow p! , Ma'vt cor grs ta in be at sabye* •r# of bsory ta a taertbr etwa#- h M * tronelies of the fort. The German and French lines are sh close neither side can use itc artillery for fear of striking its own men. The fighting there has resolved itself into sap ping. mining and bombardment, with mine throwers and hand grenades. I mux no indications nt the front or 'behind It xxhich would tend to confirm the foreign reports of the unusually terrible losses suffered by the German-.. I saw but one hos pital train, whlrh wn* composed en tirely -bf slight' • wounded, end a •mall, number of slightly wounded Who crooned the river aaor t.'nom ■ voye. Whit# declaring (Lot there had bees bloody episode* ta tbo bat- tl# V#rditB, I Mil ■mhi officers n Hb • bom | talked declared th# Ioomo retail*# lo th# lorco* cogagvd and |b# #«t#*t #f tb# operatloo* weto aayxhiag hot catxaard^aaniy b#a*r. cclved at-the state department. It xx.-i- reiterated that before ahy step leading to aTupturc of relations xxith Germany xxns taken the presi dent would go before congress 'with the fact*. London reports: British naval circles express tho belief that the re tirement of Admiral von Tiipltz from (lie German minislty of marine was In tho nature of a “sop” to American pciblic opinion, ns, in their view, tho German submarine policy hns be- come v “More, instead of loss, fright ful.” Tho official reports show that seven or eight neutral vessels Jmve Been torpedoed without any warning whatsoever since the no^v German submarine campaign began. Those repprts (rtate lhat the folloxving neur trail ships have been sunk without warning in the month" of March: Norwegian, tire Silius, the I.angolio nnd tl'C Ka-nnik: Dutch, the Tubanita and the Palembang; Swedish, the Hollandia, and Danish, the Skods- borg- Tiie following x-essels wero warned and the crews permitted to take to the boats: Spanish, tiie Vigo; Nor wegian, the Nome, the_4iell, the Lindfleid aiui tiie Dans Gudo. TIi” British niitliorities remark .*}* ui signithant fact that although some of these xVere sunk.- in tiie Atlantic tracks frequented Jiy American'ship*, not a single ship flying the American flag appears in the list.- BRITISH ADVANCE Capture Fclahle on M ay to Relief of (ten. Tow nshend. Felahte. another town in Meaopo- tami*. ha* been captured hy tho ‘fit it tab. which bring* Th# Telievtug forces * B#ercr to Kut-cl-Atuara. • her# Gen Towvabcnd and hi* com mand bate b -a beUwg*ered for moMb* Tb# captor# of P#t*bt# w#a pr#c*d#d by • more**'.## of amanita mk tb# *atf#acb*d pmdtma #i tb# T«rh* at Umm-#4-H###* tha Tarh# iboMsabtfli Arm