Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BRITISH STOP. FOE ATTEMPT TO WIN CHANNEL IN THE IS CHECKED % _ OVERMANS GAIN 10 MILES m * ' ^ppAcKpf>ndii)A; to Hair's “llock to the Wall” Statement Biltlsh Maintain Their (Ground and Intense Pres- oJure of Huns FulIM to Secure Ad- 1 •* vames—Fif£it for * I important ^ Railheads Continue. * “HF 5 HUST HELP HAIG OP TO THE y The battle of Arraentieres. which began five days ago, has become the battle of Bailleuil. For possession of that vital railhead, one of the gates to Dunkirk and Calais, terrific fight ing has been in progress all day and was still in full swing as darkness fell. “The British line is holding every where,” was the latest word official and unofficial, from the f Flanders front Sunday evening. But every dis-. patch admits the situation is still ex tremely precarious.. Bailleuil is admittedly menaced by a (lerman turning movement, for the Teutons have reached the town of Meteren. two and a half miles slight ly to the southwest and are at the same time launching vigorous attack on an almost straight line between Railleux and Neuve Fglise. the pivot of the Messine Kidge defense The battle on the Meteren-Neuv Kgllse line began'when the Bermans swung the momentum of their on slaught to the southwest of llatlleux with the object of turning that town They were repulsed in heir initial assaults, but have sln^e brought up new forces and are manifestly de termtned to push their drive to the sutmost. knowing that with Railleux ^ . x ► , . h ' r .1 - inr« and Ypre« w« Kfforl* to Rain mi Mt. MihiH. Preceded by an Intense bombard ment of high explosives and poison gas shells, picked troops from four German companies, hurled them* selves against the American positions on the right bank of the Meuse north of St. Mihiel early this morning, Uut were comoletely , repulsed after terrific hand to uand fighting. The Americans captured some prisoners. The German losses already counted are 34 dead and ten wound ed, who were in the. American trenches, and 30 dead in No Man’s L.and. Several of the wounded ene my were taken back by their com rades to the German position. A concentrated artijlery fire on the American positions in the St. Mihiel sector began'Saturday morn- ng. It was resumed with increased vigor just before midnight and con tinued intermittently until nearly daybreak. The Germans then laid down a barrage and leaped over^/he parapets and reached the American front line trenches closely behind the barrage. At this moment the American in fantry burst from their shelters, at tacking the enemy wfith grenade* and bayonet. The struggle continued back and forth for some time but over most of the front involved the American troops were completely victorious. At another point a large enemy force surrounded 2o Americans in front of their trenches. The Ameri cans suddenly attacked and killed several of the Germane and return ed to their trenches uninjured, bringing in prisoners. BRITISH CANT WITHSTAND TERRIFIC ATTACKS FOREVER ED HUGE KNOCKOUT BLOW FOCH TO STRIKE SOON Military Ilxpertw, While I rging i’on- fidencc See Danger I n less French and Americans Aid Their Ally In Fight for Channel Port*—-German Navy Preparing to Interfere With i Allied Cominmunicatioiis. Army r officers who reached Wash ington from the western battle front declare that there is no cause for undue anxiety because of the furious attacks now being launched by the Germans against the aHig line. , Haig will be reinforced, if he ha« not already been reinforced, in such numbers, they say, that there is no doubt of his ability to hold the whole Messines sector and block the Ger man advance to the sea. They de clare that the German attack was expects! on tin* Haig front. Its ol>- jeetive was the sea—not tin* defeat of the lirltisli army. Haig defeated their object by holding on at the north and permit ting his right or southern wing to swing back. The Germans expected NO NEED OF PESSIMISM Id become un Meteren-Neuv# Fgl tbu trurlal romabt « onh about alt ml tbr G< ASSYRIAN LEADER DEAD Head of Church and tivtl Authority killed by the Turku Confirmtaion of an Associated PreM dispatch from Tabrtx. Persia, announcing that Mar Sblmun. bead of the Aaayrlan Christian Church had been slain while leading his people In battle against Mohamme dans near the Tureo-Persic.n fron tier. was received by the American lan Cndoubtedly, It was aatd. the Oer- 1 man drive In Picardy and In Flan-* _ dtri wem for the purpose of cap- SIMONDS SAYS HUNS ATTEMPT* luring the channel ports through which British troops and supplies flaw to the front. They were launch ed In firm conviction that success would attend them. Should the channel porta be brought under gun fire, the German i command, it was argued, probablly would seek to block oft British rein forcements with warships even at the risk of losing many vessels. Once the army was in firm pos session of a section of the channel coast as a' naval base, officers be lieved. warships, an dparticularly submarines, would be rushed to that point for operations against British channel traiff/le and possibly even against the Kpglish coast. While expressing no discourage ment, some Washington authorities have openly stated the view that h crisis was at hand on the w«'*t«*rn front. There was no news from Gen eral Pershing, they stated, beyond that contained in the press dis patches, -hut the information of the War Council did not lessen the grav ity of the latest development on the battle front. Military experts say General Foch must take the offensive at some Military Writer Huys In His Opinion World la Witnessing I wist Battl* of the W’ar But It May Ga>t for Months—-Tremenduos Effort of Hun Will Fail Says Frank H. Slm- - onds In the News and Courier. Blocked, at the south outiide of Amiens and before the vital railroads, which connect the British with their southern sea bases, the Gorman has turned north and is again stifiikng ,for Calais on the front, forever mem- orabk\ as the scene, of the great battles of La BaSGe and YpVes in Oc tober and November, 1$»14. The. new operation must he viewed from two angles. It is first a phase of the main German purpose, which point on the western front within : j s to destroy Britain’s military pow- the coming is hours if the situa-1 a9 a prelude to obtaining a Ger- tion in extreme Northern France i s jman peace. It s second a local oper- to liji* saved. They declare That thej atlon with certain clearly defined latest order of Field Marshal Haig. | local objectives of which Calais is the commanding the hard-pressed Brit-jnirtst remote ami Bethune and Ypres ish forces that are blocking thei t he nearest at hand. Huns' way to the flannel, means I Xo deal with the larger "aspect that hfs situation is most serious | fj rs ^ fh e new operation in the north mistakahlc evidence of tbnMS of the t’ermaa The officers alluded to prsdictlbd h**n* to includs ths \i Ul , h. k in rlo- SOU til IL* blOU Im- that the n**\t dsvsIopnMM <>: the bat- my t<» hi** aid bj Gfnsrnl Psr* bsen parried before Amiens. French that he would ylsld in the north rather than risk severance from the I It means that he has pressed all SU ppii f . 8 un French and American forces. • , ef his reserves, # and these are believ-1 foniplet for< rommlttM for Armonlgg and rollof In a cable neaaagc Mar ftblmua, both rtvll and ro- Tgtoaa loader nf tb* \*»%rtan Cbrta- Irat political bead of hr killed In tbla war Conaorratrd from birtb to the •a»ffIro of Ood» be noter ale meat In l^eni and bla weOwle. like Ibe Nat 1 - la nailooatliy to tie will be an important counter menace against the Calals-Paris rail road. where the German line stands nearest to It before Amiens and at Montdldier. This attack. It Is believ ed. will be delivered as soon as It la certain that Haig’s reinforce ments have taken thrfr *>l»ce *i line. Many American troops will form a part of (hear reinforcements. It is shing. into service Kvery cun and [ an ,i British reserves have arrived ever> man of th*» British forces in a n ,. w Allied aystom of defense has (ions has come again The German's efforts to expand his gains by b.eak r* • • ■ iderwewi a rigid *«• Var sh 1 ss< ngai IWH k a a. dfta tbo e and a* worn iwa l# H he deli it lev tv Ibe Hv wwrbf a bat* t % k Id* ll iwa-1 ii»b I and r+m be v bee «h •i • W m pat tag for bis break tbrwwpl man lam, DwgWRRl Ibe MHitkaeei wreaewtiag a was ewa* a»e4 by wa* lame bees and members of mtw* ta eataktiabed at ftm patrlarekal t am Ibe Qwidbaata |D(wr ksr.-^ai KardlaCwu Altacbed bv Ibe ha ib Jaw# ItlS. Mar ttbimwa bla lyk.bww Aaaynaa kigkiaad defended tbe warrow valley wf ir mamata a bwme wbirk might leemod a dwitaovlawd Mi ka4a i ken I heir snpptlea raa wwf Mar mwa, wlib a bawdfal wf warrlwra ed pease perils tw rwaeb ibe HR we* I Hum at balmaa 9*eeeta bwt tb# wtaw row Id ptee aw aaaAeCawew w Mar hhtmea rer araiag to bit pie waa forred Iw load them t# ib weal era e9*vsia where they Herod woof ibe ptalwa wf dalmw* t’rwmlab There I# per cowl wf m died frwm rwld and knager France is now b«*inc utilised to hold hack the German press. General Haig’s ringing words. -Every position must be held to the; 1UK ln th# , \ rrail f ron t has filled last man: ther#* must he ne re!ire-. ^* 0 n^, oa fp ( ^ with the prospect of a ment.” have stirred Washington to Verdun the Germans have Its depths. There is no one who fTanders.'although he may pres- doubts that this will he done Hut t . n (|y return \o the earlier battle- It also Is e«iually certain that thetfipi^ believed It l» pointed out that al-1 Pfesaure must be |e»%.-ned and the I m>|| p ur pose of the Ger- most fda.uod men have joined the J catted Htate* Is relying on General t roa n „ ptrtklng In Picardy where regular army since the war began. Poeh. the Kranrh generalissimo f °. Lloyd George has told us he used that tbay have been trained in untta do tbla j ntnety-aeven divisions •fthe largest aeas<>n«*d w|tb veferan campaigners Mow be will net Is not rt»n«ldered f (trir ever need In a single operation and that they ought to be the best of consenueoce l« must be at <*kre. |jn t h<* war I was to bmg out a bed trained elementa In the American * ""IlMary experts say And they are* force* . Iwnteblng the ewscre buttle Hus fpf The st»utberu Germany army, ar tHSe TTraf TMTfdtfflil of fb# French cord ng to thr view of the German '•d%anre which will carrv the battle rami-agn brought, was to menace directlv Iw the Geramn hordes the railway line* mi that »♦ would be I lllndenbnrc ha* *hrosn tag divl impMsaibte for the Trench to •ead , »*"0 # 'o 10 'k# frnf. nreording to help to Haig la the nofk Owe of -G^o^'** Haig a advice* to hi* army t be last rein rued officers said | ratr^j# and Amertrau exports fa Wa art beginning to got n of Gorman stratagy. Tbo initial caption was to win n victory •login blow which woald tba British and Frnnrh and trng thw British in a tuirrow coroar of NortlH ern Franca. Tha second roncaption seems to ba to rain blow aftor blow upon tha British now north, now south. In tbt hope that one or tbaao blows will bring n local success that may be stretched to a general vic tory. r W J The present indication is that for sevml months we may expect - the fiefeest sort of fighting. In which the German believes that before the American reserves can arrive and before the British ar mies ca nbe reinforced by the men now to be raised by the new oon- n nipt ion law Haig*s army can be crushed. - The Germans seems to be avoiding any further 1 general conflict with the French and to have ma^e up his mind both that he can dispose of the British army, and that when he does his settlement with France will be easy and satisfactory. {7 Actually we are Noring a historic death grapple tH*tween two great |H*ople. Gathering up all hU remain ing strength in men am! guns and material, the German is raining blow u|m>ii blow upon bis English foe in the lm|M* that British W'lllandBrit- ish morale will collapse. He is uot seeking local geographical objectives, as he did in all of his past great of fensives. He Is not aiming at con quering and devastating more French territory, he is striving to break the will of Britain by sustain ed and repeated blows. Recognizing the German purpose, it is essential to perceive also that, since the British have accepted the defensive, they are bound to suffer he»*n created.' snd the^wsr of post- j of ground, of positions, of guns and of prisoners during all of the present phases of the campaign It Is necessary to guard against un- usrraotaed pessimism provoked by the loss of ground, of poslUons fa mous In pest fighting If the Germaa fall* to I the British army he le lose IhU «smpalgw, lakes Amlews or folia, readies Hrthuar or «hrH-heal«*o area of V battle mam la fur Use **k Mow.** sad the tnuM be to the himself «wrt with bla an or a Waterloo s der»ive victory ■ win thr w st sue ruse lllndrnkurg set \*ut to • ru«h Haig’s armv -Wot to take Amiens. Arms or any other g«**»grnphial feature He Is *eeknn I to do to the British whst he did I Knsea. Sr.rr1te-«*dn b The •toppege of this soutkweul • I SSlIDInr With rrn opetetiug army was n derlsty# j he hs* not tom the sltustloo believe 1 than id more that tbr Muisantshs Hsvtng fsited tn IT<ardy after s i treat nltlal success hevtna felled e defeat for that peri of the German k* called Pd slihoesh u is n®* ■ A riots immedltelely end after edly • amp* «s Tbe rood Id l*arte fte dd,k»dwe here lest how smilsbte *hee ^ middf seer see the German le now loaner sertddsly threatened. TWjd^w to »h# preeent battle Mu# That mriking pi a week point id the Hrlt* Freer b add Amor leads beta bead | thev oiil be brongkt ep eelo** Foch! |inpe. sgnnroly Id insert s dodge I nets prwmntlv is rerinld as there tdip^i Mrsnltme to IhSs heart or discouraged In the fee# of lor Russians to the flerbUds endi u *• ***1 theVhlser s game If he preeentlp falls to rnssh the Itrttish hi only couree will be to point to rnsg*# rod ^territory, cop- tursd positloes end^him himself in vincible le tbe pressor* of hie thil ure to g# a derlstoo If drive e a Me to send large retd force meats to Haig tk Amies* usgh the territory k of tha British army defeadiag Hsj sa« Red b< Hi CORRECTS FRESCH STORY ••WOV I rerwta Add* s aieai wf D'trarh I mprrwr the «noth la tie areal Haigs hera i It h * r * |rd a I s v steOi >ter by | ft f | h pa hit she ** Now Haig is ao* aaly siadglgg firm, hat so meusrlag the Germans sgsiust him that they will he able to w itbdrau nose <*1 these fc»r* a* to , , .belp slop the roudler Mots which i Ir i*» dtnoe* I tiaaeral Foch may hr expected to * deliter to the south * From the haowledre w# had be f<>re we believe that tbe Frew* h , • ounter ettech Is o«tw but • matter' of hours Tbr tdijerllve *•# tbr t iretwsm drive la this .Amventlrvw* rrabtw ft* wow sources la ta Improvb a dot > i s i eaten l tseoed hy the Austro Hungari O Me teren V Rtf* t • tl 11 ft i Ik* f (Jer- lief gin m s n an rk ini V taill is try- T a ’ nr to * ■pi ™ r ^ PfNI n ml le* vo ft! mfl the nor »f Hi / v 0 r * * a* k i Is m* The follow I |g o ffl * u t it m ary rail ne 1 vxf the battle of A i 4 Bile rs * a* la* «»r»- nc sued by Gen J . D. M« *La« •h Ian . mill- The tar y attache, at the Hrltis h embassy. inu % 0* "No striking developroents tn the battle of Armentieres are Indicated hy today's news It may. therefore, be of Interest to attempt a summary of the first days of the battle. "Ah thing* Mantl the German* have Hcoretl hut not n» heavily om they would have liked to have done. They have won no decisive victory and each hour that their advance is delayed makes it less likely that they will. They are in a position not very different from that which they occupied at the end of the first, and. what may be called mobile stage of the preceding battle for Amiens. "By their diiive at Amiens the Germans hoped to separate the Brit ish from the French army. Their attack between the Ypr^s-Comines canal and La Basseg is as clearly meant to divide the British army, roll it up and penetrate to the roast of the British channel. In the battle for Amiens their attack was stopped upon the northern portion of the line between Arras and Albert. In the present battle their northern flank while ben ding back the Brit- ish line has similarly failed in its object. "To understand what this means it is necessary to nse a map. It will then be seen that the country be tween ‘Wytachiaete and La - Bassee back to Hazebrouck is in the nature of a shallow basin surrounded by hieh ground. Into this basin the Grrmans have penetrated to a max imum depth of about ten miles ami on a front nf about fifteen miles be tween IMoegsteert wood ami lot Has- mm\ but they have failed to force the British from the hills stretching west from Wyt.scahaete and at the south « nd of their attack have been lt« Id on the line Eesluhert, Givenchy and HtiUach and have thus hoen kept from Bethune which was their Im mediate «4»|iectlve in that region. These two failures leave them, des- tp;*e gil their galas, la the center la an uaromfortsbl) narrow valient that ' * II h 1C he- ' Emperor bv the •ays that >r respond r w rota a lent inning f!i nut saying d h«t«v used . - e* my person- »vor 'wr The French for the return of Al*are-t<or* If these claims were Ju»t. They ►I. however." xplsnatlons. some saying that the letter Is a forgery snd others that it was garbled. DROP 1,200 BOMBS British \«*n»plan«*h Hani|M*r Enemy Troop Moveinents "On Saturday It was cloudy and misty," says an official statement on areiaj operations. "But our low fly ing machines dropped 1.200 bombs on enemy troops on roads leading to the front.” dominated by higher ground in the hands of tbe British. "The British are in fact in a stron ger position to meet further attacks which are bound to come. Their own and French reinforcements are they have the line of hills running from Wytchaete on tbe line of Kem- uiel, Echerpenberg, Mont Kokercele, Kruystrete. St. Sylvestre to ('asset. To achieve a success that wil pensate them for the losses inc by the great number jof divi (over 20)used in the initial attack, the Germans moreover will have not only to occupy those heights but to press on through the country behind which is undulating, broken and the defensive qualities of which the Brit ish commander-in-chief is not likely to have overlooked. That, however, is for the future. "The main thing about the situ ation as it stands is that hy failing to break through between Ypres- Comines and Wyeschaete and thus to push the British 'from the ridge running west toward Fassel the Ger mans find themselves in an awk wardly narrow salient. For that rea son if for no other, the battle la bound to continue mlth great feroc ity as Field Marshal Haig warned the RritDh army In his Rpeclai order of the d%v publiftbed in yesterday’s a* < t% ** g**ft* rail* rrmgwlsrd la hr thr pawl* j nf t’alel* ami I Hank Irk This after noon the German* are admitted to' be within mile* of Dunkirk and I within 40 miles of Calais More im portant still al Meryille they ar# hul a srant six miles from Hstehrotit'k. where the principal Dunkirk and f'g- lal» rai| lines loin and rund own through St. Pol, Amiens. Beauvais snd Paris. The Northern drive has thus brought the Germans closer to thru vital line of communication than did the drh> on Amiens. It Is this in the opinion of Wash ington experts that brought forth Gen. Haig’s inspiring order to ’s’land." The stand made by the Bri tish before Amiens gives confidence to observers here that they can re peat the trick in Flanders ♦ But with the Teuton foive> so close to the channel ports, highly valuable to the Germans in a psychological If in no other sense, it is confidently expected tiiat the (ierman high seas fleet may l»e lur ed to sea. The advantage of a big German naval demonstration In the rear of Haig’s hard-pressed men is not ii<*glc*c(csl. it is recognized that the comman der of the German guns in the straits of Dover might well shatter even the splendid morale of the hard- fighting Scots and Lancashires and west county troopjs that have been sticken to their posts so .gallantly tin Flanders.But naval officers in- the Hntfteb fifth army and Ike. the aid Verdun perm He! Freeefc German will k# bee tea. a TW mi* ftvriMM- or iw Oonwa! 1 * wiu V** / la fti, ,r.ao,i .it., fc i, i, 4ri«# ***V*U wsdge straight west between le llaa- •«•■# aed Vprwe ed m«p| ike Hrltiak 1 to evucontt nil tkeir gem of leal veer about Tprex. aed all the fe eing reel laud* of Nor I hern about Hetbene Beyond thla. treme bop# I* to reerb dtom- er. akl< k la Itself Ike h#y to ("alula Tk# froat ebrk Ike Grman la at* 'larking erka strong edfenalve pnai I turn* terh as etiol around Ypres sad around Arras at the pemt ehere j the main German blow fell, the < ground Is ow and marshy and Ike high ground* ws* In German hand* I when the attark began It we* the srene of Field M*r»hal 8!r John Ike £ ^ ldP£ of ^ ^^o no doubt lefi onvw be re tojy^rua and tile etker Rrttiak army 1 Freer b armies, if tke war feme tag n Wasklagl«>n that «ke German plan roT#flM Barns sector, TkM' w or nf posit loes Is la le rvu«k tke Mrttisk ermv el sit ^ tb# mm# gem# be ployed tkree I tftek steed I ly retire routs snd win tke way te tke r **et ^ ago wbee be olrwek at tke law peuttloe Us If pes*ikle 'poet ketweee tke Hrlt ink third end hlgbeet panel Me tell ef The la** • . .bt of •jfinn armies aed tke pel at between | from tbe seamy in eiber werde If wes dissipated ebee tbe ward rum# through iwi*s aed HeaUh soerres that lher# is lerreesleg ertlvtty le the Germ*a naval base* especially at Kiel aed about Heligoland Tier tihr oC h#r rrsorvo* for I okre Ikr hlgti It m«M hr utlllsrtf to Ikr extret That moment *r#m* t prnarbiug fe*t sad Iber# no aurpri*# felt nvrr rerelpt of the won at any m«*mrnt that th# fleet la out It msv b# u*ed In an effort to rotrr a landing of a fnrrr in Britain It msv hr u*rd In an attempted grn era! *ea raid Rut aberever It I* u*rd It will have to rope with Ih# British grand fleet, uhtrh now I* reinforced Se« re»»rv of the Navy Daniel* ha* let It he gnown, hv American flrh'lng jk l nmsnm e nwewm w >n ft.!*** many firat-llne raft. Inrludlng ‘Hist that that day will never come. The say that afty thundering Ger man naval guns do will be done far to the northeastward of the Straits of Dover and that it will be a fare well for the iron throats that at tempt to speak. Intimations from neutral sources that Germany has been preparing for a naval offensive, all contained in press reports reaching this country, already have com eto the war de partment in a more official w'ay. Mobilization of naval reserves at the fleet bases, and other activities have been transmitted for some week* * Naval official*, however, were* In ilould a* to U»e extent to whlcfi them; report* are to hr rreilited. they are not certain that the new* wo* not pet owl by thr <»#*rmaa* I etvm»eivrm . In sumr quarter* the le *«lvaart*r »«akis • Frenrb’a big battle at Neuve Cbep- ' pell# snd of tb# later hatchery of h,lllr.htp, ThU m-.n. Ih«l tb. Ion, ^ I>U In Wlk r..r n.,.1 mu.> .nd f.llnd rlnlli- nnl-M at »W ln-» m.m.nt t \ u t wwt nt thM fSrrm.n pl.nt nr. rhann-d '■ «#••• hands. Striking at a point In the front where the Portuguese division was stationed, the German's rapidly .. ... . . , .pressed the British and Portuguese the nationals represented in the tnen n )tr | c over j^e low land on the east * h ?v" 0 *_!r l V '* r,,l,h | bank of fbo l.y. rl»or. acrou Ih* rlr- VT®. 1 ! nf „ r *«:;* r »nd at Ih* aam* lime ocrupled National Guard k(#k i« r As the battle In France and Flan ders develops. Washington watches cb»*e|y for the first word of Amer ica's part In it. Kvery section of in the north. The fto ular army, certain and national army units are on the! ground, nd while the losses might be very great. It is believed the moral effect of these men engaged will have a wonderfully stiffening effect everywhere, but especially here at home. It Ih |M>intc<l nht that our real entry into the fighting finds a sit uation so far unprecedented since the war began existing. oNt since the battle of the Marne ha* the («erman Avar machine poswtised -the force it now is showing. Con sequently, the Entente must sacri fice men as prodigally as the ene my to maintain the positions lie- yond which n retreat would mean a most serious disaster. the high grounds In front of Be thune st Givenchy. Having thus driven a deep wedge into the British lines, they struck north of Armen- tieres and for the moment occupied the famous village of Messines and the equally well known "White Sheet Ridge," where Gen. Pluraer won his great victory last year. This high ground is not the only key to the Ypres territory to the north but also to the Armentleres country to the south. Had the Ger man maintained his hold there a general British retreat north and south might have resulted. But for seem to have regained the "White Sheet Ridge” and the village * of Messines. On the other hand the German progress south of.Armen- tieres had been ho rapid and so great There js positive information in j that this well-wrecked town had to possession of the Lnited States and j be abandoned and the British the Entente that the German plans ] straightened out their lines retiring a-ee—t-o—foyee—a—complete issue wit the present battle. The Kaiser, Hin- d^nhtirg and Von Ludendorff liave decreed that the "German |>eacc made hy the sword" Khali come- by August. Their plans—which. Inci dentally, have not taken into con sideration those of the supreme war council—call for the complete crush ing of the British army. COMMANDER IN CHIEF Gen, An night •Tl menti So far the German gains are the result of a considerable but by no means serious dent made in the Bri tish .frgnt between Ypres-and La Bassee. The subsequent Britiso retreat was to avoid the danger of a separa tion of the Ypres army and the La Bassee army. So far as one can Judge, the peril averted and the British are in line again on a new defensive system This attack in the north has not* produced a general Koch's Title N H«wd of Allied ‘•“^anization of the British front. ; as did the attack In the south three weeks ago It Is plain that the Oer mans used in their northern attack much smaller force* than In the earlier operation This was Inevitable, considering tl^elr losses before Amiens and be fore Arras, bat on tb# other band n ft* by no means likely tkan they have exkanoted tkeir reserves or Arvnftc* In France official note Dsued Sunday r Brit dt and Frcr h govern- kave agreed to confer tk# title of commander In rkief of tke allied arm*#* in France on General Fork tsklrlx, after all. nearer to a final ADMIT A LETTER Aneirian* Najr Krcmrti ed Writing* of C The existence of tke letter writ ten by Ktnperor Charles to bts broth er-in-law, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon which Intimated that France might have peace Is not contested by tho Vienna newspapers who had been prohibited from publishing anything concerning It until Saturday. At the same time, however, they declare that the letter aa given out by the French government la a false version and adds that the real text never will he published. The Neue Frele Press# states that the tele gram sent to Emperor William by Emperor Charles has surppressed "the most dangerous Intrigue ever concocted." RHEIMS IS FIRED French Troop* Fight Flame* I nder Heavy Bombardment French troops are fighting a fire in the city of Rheims set by German Bhellfv. The city has been under fre quent bombardment during the last few weeks, Berlin declaring tho shelling was in reprisal for the shell ing of German dugouts in Laon by the French artillery! The effort to control the flames is proceeding un der heavy shell fire. KARLSRUHE ALARMED y-r* i-n • . fc'iiy German)' to Srmre <VvKafioii of Air Attacks A Karlsruhe dispatch to thw Frankfurter Zeitung reports the pas sage by tbe chamber of the grand duchy nf Baden there of a resolution requesting the imperial German gov ern mnt to endeavor to seonm n genrral agreement for the >—snGon of hootlle air raids on plnrea outaAdw tke /one nf military opera!loan.