GERMANS RETREATING IN DISORDER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2233, 20 August 1914, Page 5

GERMANS RETREATING IN DISORDER

—r— — ' ■ ' ■ ' ' '. STEADY FRENCH ADVANCE IN ALSACE ' LONG BfeLT OP TERRITORY NOW OCCUPIED (Rec. Augustl9, 6.15 p.m.) -. ' London, August 18, evening. '.'• The British Press Bureau states the methodical.advance- of the French troops is now beconving more definite _ -• ,'.\ ' " ( _ ; ' ■" , The German forces are retiring in disorder in Upper Alsatia, some Cowards ' ; the north, others towards tho east.. > ' ' ■ _ » The French continue to advance in the direction of Strassburg, the principal 'fortress, of Alsace-Lorraine. '.•'>'•'• ' (Rcc. August 19, 9'p.m.) ' Paris, August 19. The French hold a belt of territerv in advanco of their frontier varying , in width from four to fifteen milos. Tho northern extremity of the belt is at Marsal. 20 miles,cast of Nancy, and tho southern extremity at Danriemarie,' '.. half-way between Belfort and Mulbauson. ..,.,' ■■•!.■■ All strategic points on this line, which is about a hundred miles in length, lare: strongly hold, includinc. all passes in tho VoSgos mountains. . General Jflffro, the French Commander-in-Chief, re]>orts that the French . artillery has throughout demoralised tho enemy during the last few days. . „ ' ' ENEMY ABANDON WOUNDED AND WAR MATERIAL ...■''. - (Rec. August 19, 8.50 p.m.) Paris, August IS. It is officially announced that the French advance in Upper Alsace'was continued throughout Monday, The enemy retreated in disorder, and abandoned its wounded.>ind war material. .'..:':■: The greater part of the Vosges Valleys arid on the Alsatian slopes havo been ocaupied by the who aro carrying the fortified positions' from which the Germans have retreated precipitately, with Fronch cavalry in pur- ' suit. ■' ■ : . . . XT .': Other .troops have crossed the Sollle, the frontier river opposite Nancyj and the Germaus are evacuating tho fords. The .French cavalry has reached Cbateau-Salins, eighteen miles north-east of Nancy. . . .... , . The Germans.hare suffered considerable losses in' all actions dnnne the last few dsys. ThoFrench artillery \fas overwhelming, snd h»d * demorßliMng afiect, juid was mpoaslble for mw importaat'eue6W6«ii

(ltec, Augiist ID, 5.5 p.m.) ■ t-. ! , London, August 18. Ine Germans burned the town'of Barsttfailef-, in Alsace-Lorraine, and dynamited the factories, bccause the,.inhabitants fired upoli.'a patrol, killing eight chasseurs.—"Timis" and Sydney' "Sim" services. TUBCOS SHARPSHOOTERS. CAUSE HAVOC. t ■ Paris, August 17.'". : . "OUnded, soldiers from Mulhauson state that the German troops, not recogT n S the uniforms of tho Algerian sharpshooters, allowed them to approach They discovered theit mistake -too late, and the Turcos threw themselves upon tlio Germans arid wrought terrible havoc in tho trendies with , their bayonets. . ■. : . .Those escaping massacro fled, and caused fearful disorder in the rank's behind. . ' . Strassburg, which the French■ are gradually approaching, ia the capital of ' the Imperial Province of Alsace-Lorraine, and a/fortress of tile first rank, It is situated'in .a fertile plain at the junction of ■ tlio 111 and the Ureasch, two naloswefit or the Rhine, 370 miles'SAV. from Berlin, 30 miles east of the French frontier, It has a population of about 170,000. Since 1871 it has been tlio seat of government for.the German territory of Alsace-Lorraine, and it is also tlio see of a Roman Catholic Archlifsliop and the headquarters or the Fifteeiit'i _ Corps of the German Army. It is surrounded hy outlying fortifications and" strategic works, ond contains/ at ordinary times, a garrison of. 115,000 men of all arms. Strassburg has always been a place of great strategical importance, and ns sueli lins been sSrongly Tlio portagonal citadel constructed hy, Vnuba:ii in 1682-84 was destroyed during tlio siego of 1870. Tlio modern German system of fortification consists of a girdle bf fourteen detached .forts, at a distance of .from three tt> five miles.from thfjgjeritre of tho town. In case of need tho garrison can lay &■ great part of the environs under water. ' , FRENCH OCCUPY ALL LOWER MOUNTAIN SLOPES. ' ■ (Rec. August 20, 0.50 a.m.) ■■ . Paris, August 19, morning. General Joffre, the -French Commander-in-Chief, reporting on the adyanco m Upper Alflace, states that the enemy was established'-in fortified positions south of Saarburg,' which'were; solidly held with heayy artillery. The Germans, however, retired precipitately oii Monday afternoon. Tljo Frencli cavalry is now pursuing them. TlioFrenoli have further : occupied the whole' 1 Pondy region west of Fenstrange. . „ ; : 'The operations do the greatest honour •to tlie troops whose ardour is incomparable, and to'the o'hief who leadr them," is a Parisian comment. . . General Joffrc points out that the German positions in the lower hills t haye been taken and probably there will now _be a pause in the operations owing to the presence of Germans-at Neu Breisach, which is protected by, a small fortress, and at Molsheim .with at least two modern steel-clad forts. ' Saarburg is a German garrison town of 9000 inhabitants,'forty-nine miles distant from Nancy by rail on the line to-Strassburg, which is forty-four miles further into Germany. Tlie distance from, file frontier to Saarburg is thirteen miles. New Breisaoh is a small town of 3500 inhabitants on the Rhine, lying some eleven miles cast ,of Coltnar,. tho capital of Upper Alsace. It was taken by the Germans in 1870 after a'siege of eight days. The fortifications were originally built by_Vauban in 1703. Molsheim is a railway junction (pop. 3200) on the Breusch'at the'foot of the.Vosges, and is twelve, miles, east, of Strassburg.. Tlie , Pondy mentioned Way- possibly be Foitday (in German Urbach), a town 31 miles from Molsheim on the railway-to St. MariMiux»Mines. .. A PROLONGED BOMBARDMENT. ' - (Rec. August 19, 11.40' p.m.) ' . . ' . Paris, August 19., . The shelling ef Pont-a-MoUsSon, half-way between.Nancy and Metz, ;continues, and over two hundred Bin., 7in., and Sin. shells havc~fallen." The' fire ' 18 directed by means of'a captiv^'balloon at the forts. One day's shelling killed a girl aged-ten. . ,