ALLIES MAKE PROGRESS IN FLANDERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2362, 19 January 1915, Page 5

ALLIES MAKE PROGRESS IN FLANDERS

.: ADVANCE OF 200 YARDS [ IEE GREAT BATTLE AT SOISSONS By Telejr&pli—Press Associatton-OopyiiEMi ' . '.'.•■'" Paris, January 17. A communique states: "We progressed two hundred yards in the Lombaert«yde district. The advance-m tbe Beau sejoiir district, despite a storm, was continued. We progressed westward of Orbey." The High Commissioner reports, under date, London, January 17, 8.5 -p.m.: "Paris reports that the Allies hard continued to make progress in tbe region of Nieuport and Lorabaertzyde, covering a distance of two hundred yards. Tbe Allied artillery obliged the Germans to evacuate trenches on the Great Dune. At Blangy, near Arras, there was a lively engagement, the Germans taking a foundry and the_ Allies immediately retaking it by an erergetio counter-attack. They are still in possession. At Perthes and Beausejour our progress is continued, despite a violent gale. In the Vosges, progress lias been made west of,Orbey." • A GLIMPSE OF OSTEND IN WAR TIME POWERFUL DEFENCES ESTABLISHED SOUTH-WEST. Amsterdam, January 17. 'A Dutch correspondent at Ostend states that only 6000 out of the original '45,000 inhabitants remain in the town. Horseflesh is the only meat, and there' is little bread. The Germans plundered the stores of beer and wine. Twelve thousand German convicts havo arrived, carrying dead from the Yser line and floating corpsos from the canals, and burying them at Ostend. Sixty-four heavy guns havo been placed on the dunes. Thirteen thousand Germans are guarding the boulevards at Mariakerko (on the coast two miles south-west of Ostend), where powerful fortiiioations have been made. The Germans, threatening them with starvation, forced the population to dig the trenches. - \ •"THE VIRTUE OF WAR IS TENACITY." London, January 10. M. Paul Deßcbenal of the Chamber of Deputies), speaking-in the French Chamber,' said: "The virtue of the war is tenacity. The Dual Allianco has put forth its full effort, but the Triple Entente has not; but the decisive moments have not yet arrived."—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. GERMAN ESTIMATE OF FRENCH LOSSES. (Rec. January 18, 8.40 p.m.)' , , Amsterdam, January 18. A communique from Berlin states that during the four weeks since General Joffre published his General Order to attack, the French have lost 26,000 dead, 17,860 prisoners, and 107,000 wounded, exclusive' of sick, without any substantial advantage being gained. The Germans havo lost one-quarter ns many during the same period. - BATTLE OF SOISSONS DESCRIBED BY THE GERMANS RUTHLESS BOMBARDMENT OF SOISSONS. ' (Rec. January 18, 5 .p.m.) ■„ , , ± , ~, „ . , London, January 18. . Refugees state that the Germans, in their bombardment of Soissons, did dot spare the ambulances and hospitals. Seventy-five big shells struck the Cathedral.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. TERRIFIC STRUGGLE ON WOODED HEIGHTS. (Rec. January 18, 10.40 p.m.) „. „ . „ ■ Amsterdam, January 18. The German account of tlio Battle of Soissons states that General von Lochow was commander. Prior to the battle, the opposing trenches were near each other, on the top of a wooded height overlooking Crouy, and also in entrenched quarries forming the western spurs of the Vregny plateau. Tho French artillery was well posted on the edge of tho plateau. Officers sitting in tree's behind armoured plates, directed the French tire. The worst oxecutio'if was on Christmas Day, when some Gorman machine guns were buried by the bombardment of tho trenches. On January 7 tho French charged and occupied the trenches, and heavy fighting, man signinst man, continued day and night until January 11 'the Turcos fighting bravely with rille, bayonet, and knife. . ' The Germans, on January 12, instead of attacking the wooded heights stormed the observation posts, tho French firo immediately slackened, and the trenches were captured. The French then occupied fresh positions half-way down, and apparently expected further attacks from the Gorman right, for they brought strong reinforcements by rail nml^motor-cars. Tho Germans, on January 13, however, attacked Vrogny, and completely surprised the,enemy. The attack commenced at uoon. The first lino of trenches \va? taken in three minutes, the next in ten minutes and lator tho wbolo plateau" was captured, late in the afternoon.

The position of tho Fronoh advancing against tho Gorman right ivim noir desperate, and they surrendered on January 14. Finally llio Fi'euoli wiiro driven back a distanco of from two to four liilomoti'os (II 1-fi lo (1 li-ri niili'u) upon a-front of tiftcon kilometres (2-1 m ilea). The Kaiser on the battlefield decorated General von Locliow ; «'i|,li Mm Order of Merit. Soissons enjoys an unenviable reputation for tho number of siegfs which it. has undergono, tho last historio occasion being during tho Franoo-l'i'iutHiun war of 1870, whon tho Gormnns onterod tho city after a four du.VH 1 bonibniilniont. The cathodral of Notro Dame at Soissons is a lino oxnmplo <if inisnl Itomiiuesquo and Gotbio of tho twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Tho west fnciitlo, with threo doors and a beautiful Gotliio rose-window, is flunked mi tho hoiilli side by a tower 215 foot high (fourteenth century). Tho admirably-proportioned interior contains some tapestry of the fifteenth century, an "Adoration of l.!io Shepherds," attributed to Rubens, somo excellent old stained glass, and a fmv tombs of historical intorest. Thoro ar.6 also, in tho city, quite a number of ancient buildings of great historic interest. NEW SECRETARY OF THE GERMAN TREASURY. (Rec. January 19, 0.5 a.m.) Amstordnm, January JB. Professor Helferich, director of the Deutsche Bank, succoeds Horr Kuohn as Secretary of the Treasury.