PROGRESS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2326, 7 December 1914, Page 5

PROGRESS ON THE WESTERN FRONT

MORE TRENCHES TAKEN BOMBARDMENT OF REIMS RESUMED (Reo. Deciembe r 6, 6.5 p.m.)'. ,i Paris, December 5. ' Offioial.—'We have appreciably progressed north of Lys. Our infantry at daybreak carried at a single rush wo lines of trenches and gained five hundred .We captured a house at Poesele, on the right bank of the canal, between Dixm-ude and Ypres. The house had been stubbornly disputed for a month. The enemy's heavy artillery ma de a violent attack and vainly attempted to recapture it. ■ ' s: •There is intermittent cannonading at Arras, and in Champagne. The bombardment of Reims has been resumed with marked intensity. Our heavy artillery destroyed several of the enemy's earthworks. Tho struggle in the Argonne continues to be severe. We have taken Itfrsral trenchos and repulsed'all counter-attacks. . (Rec. December 6, 10.30 a.m.)' Paris, December 5. Official, —We took'99l prisoners in the northern region on Wednesday, In 1 'Alsace w© progressed towards Altkirch to-day. Paris, December 4. 'K. communique states: "There has been an intermittent cannonade between the Ypres and the RouleTS railway, and the, road' from Becelaire to Passchendaele, where the German infantry -unsuccessfully attempted to gain ground." The Becelairo-Passchendaele road runs north-eastward, from fivo to six miles south of the Ypre's-Roulers Tailway line, and roughly parallel to it. SIGNS OF POSSIBLE GERMAN RETREAT. (Rec. December 6, 3.45 p.m.) ' ' " Paris, December 5. Correspondents at Nancy emphasise the point that there are signs of a possible German retreat from Lorraine. The Germans- arft constructing a huge entrenched camp between Blamont and Saarburg, thus proving the fear of a possible early invasion. The bombardment of Arnaville continues ,-and threatens the line of supplies from. Mots tq St. MiWel aad JYoeuvre,

PROGRESS AROUND VERDUN. , (Rec. December 6, 3.45 p.m.) , London, December 5. Ihe Daily Chronicle's" correspondent, who has visited the .Verdun area, disposes of the German claims that the fortress iB besieged. Some forts were taken by the GermanSj but th'ey were not within twenty miles. The communications are intact, and _ the Germans are still in touch at the Mouse and. St. 'Mihiel, and their communications with Metz are precarious. The French are steadily progressing north of Verdun, and they are excellently equipped for a winter campaign. He declares that for the present all danger on the Eastern frontier is past. ' ' ANOTHER ARMY. FOR FRANCE. London! December 4. It is asserted that now the safety of Paris is assured, General Gallieni (Military Governor of Paris) will shortly command a new; army.—("Times' 1 and Sydiie.v "Sun" Services.) - ' KING GEORGE AT THE FRONT. (Reo. December 6, 8.46 p.m.) London, December 6. The King, assisted by the Prince df Wales, decorated many officers and men at the front with distinguishes conduct medals, also with the French medal for valour. Later he visited King Albert of Belgium, and inspected the French and Belgian units. BOTH SIDES SAPPING AGAINST EAOH OTHER. (Rec. December 6, 9.60 p.m.) 1 - London, December 6. An eye-witness, in his narrative, states the Germans have lately pressed heavily on our Indian lines, extending saps for assaults at short distances, but none of these have been carried out by great forces, the Germans using civilians to dig the trenches. Both sides are sapping against each other, preceding their assaults with grenades, which, with short-range bombs, are pecoming a prominent feature of close a ttack. The King continues to review the troops in the French towns. The befogged streets are thronged .with cheering people. yiOTORY A MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY. ' (Reo, December 6, ,11.40 p.m.) Paris, December 6. General Joffre, in conversation, with, an officer, Baid the : coming victory was a. mathematical certainty. His first task had been to forge a weapon. Reliable Generals had taken the place of those found wanting, and the French military machine was now in suoh a state that the German attack would dash itself against it in vain. He was not anxioua that the Germans should decrease their forces in the West, as the present position • would .enable the Russians to advance, at a greater rate. .GERMANS RETIRE ALONG ,THE (YSER. (Rec. December 6, 11.40 p.m.) Amsterdam, December 6. The Germans have retired two kilometres along the Yser, owing to the insanitary conditions and the marshy ground, which is also unsuitable for artillery- . . ' . • The Germans force the'inhabitants of Ostend to stay in their houses after nightfall while trainloads of dead are brought in and buried in the dunes. • " The Germans are experiencing great difficulty at Zeebrugge due to the silting up of* the harbour,_ the Belgians having destroyed the dredges which formerly worked day and night. ATTEMPT TO CROSS YSER FAILS. (Rec. December 6, 11.40 p.m.) London, December 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" Dunkirk correspondent reports that the Allied sentries at Pervyse at midnight were suddenly alarmed by figures creeping up in the darkness, and discovered that five hundred Germans were trying to cross the Yser. Many were up to their necks'in water. Three hundred wero drowned and two hundred taken prisoners. . > ' .