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The Exeter Advocate, 1915-9-30, Page 7GREAT WESTERN DRIVE BY A•LLI Twenty Thousand ....German 'prisoners. and natty, Onus are Captured in Two Day's Fighting From the Sea to Verdun British, French and Belgian Forces Assume the Offensive -Gen. French's Army Takes Five Miles of Teuton Positions and Captures 2,600 Men ---Gen.. J'offre's Army Takes Fifteen Miles of Hun Entrenchments and Captures Over 17,000 Unwounded Troops -- On Every Section of Front Enemy Lines Have Been Deeply Pierced -Crown Prince's Army in Grave Peril -Ferocious Fighting Still Continues, With this Allies Gaining Ground. A despatch from London'says: The general offensive movement s4 loug waited for on the western front was inaugurated by a series of allied vic- tories on Saturday morning, the 25th inst., which were maintained and ex- tended the following day. The net result of the first two days' operations was over 20,000 unwounded Germsn taken prisoner, of whom the British took 2,600. French troops penetrated the Ger- man lines in Champagne along a front of 10' miles and for a depth at some places of 21 miles. North of Arras the town and ceme- teery of Bombes were taken by storm, and the last trench still held by the Germans to the east of the Labyrinth was captured. British forces captured German trenches along a front of five miles south of La. Bassee Canal and east of Vermelles. In some instances the British troops penetrated the German positions for a distance of 4,000 yards (two and a quarter miles), capturing the quarries north-east of Iiailuch, the village of Loos and the mining works around it, and Hill No. 70. In Flan- ders the British carried the German trenches over a front of 000 yards near Hooge. The Champagne Battle. The details of the operations can be sketched out briefly by a glance at the statements issued by the War Office. After an artillery preparation, the magnitude of which has never been equalled, not even in the Austro -Ger- man campaign. in Galicia, the German trenches in Champagne from a point north of Swain as far east as the Argonne forest were reduced to a mass of earth and tangled wire.Huge masses of French troops leaped for- ward to the assault. The German first line trenches had been obliterated, and the advancing French dashed through. as far as the third line trenches. Large numbers of the Germans who endeavored to hold. their positions were cut off and captured. This tic - :emits for the unusually large num- bers of prisoners taken, a number es- timated by the War Office as more than 16,000. The object of the fighting in the Champagne region is the railway line running from Neufchatel through Gomme and north of the Argonne district to the town of Varennes. The French areI now only about two miles from this railway, and once it is cap- tured a general retreat in this region. will be absolutely necessary, This railway line runs along the rear of the entire German position north of Rheims to the Argonne forest. Its capture would also necessitate a re- treat on the part of the Crown Prince's men in the Argonne. Battle North of the Arras. e The fighting north of Arras is a i..sumption of the French offensive which took place in that district last spring. Gen. Joffre at that time at- tempted to cut off - or capture the im- portant railway junction of Lens, but this result was not attained. The Germans then were driven back over a considerable front, but as now free- ly admitted, the lack of munitions re- sulted yin the abandonment of this offensive movement before its conclu- sion. The French were able, however, to capture -the strongly fortified posi- tion near Neuville known as the Labyrinth, and the outskirts of the village of Souchez, which, on account of its peculiar position, was extreme- ly, important strategically. The British Victories. In' conjunction with these successful attacks, the British, under Sir John French, took the offensive east of Vermelles and Grenay, south of the La Bassee canal, and succeeded in driving back the Germans on a front of more than five miles. penetrating the enemy's lines at some places a distance of more than two and , a quarter miles. ' The village of Loos was captured; while the British, reach- ed the quarries in the western out- skirts of the village of Halluch, which lies a short distance to the north. The i THE VICTORY IN BRIEF Unwounded Germans ta- ken by British and French, 20,000, Five miles of enemy posi- tions taken by Gen. French, and line penetrated 4,000 yards.... nearly two and one- half miles. Fifteen miles of trenches captured by Gen: Joffre, and line penetrated two and one-half miles. British now within twelve miles of Lille. French imperil army of the German Crown Prince, Belgians rade successful attack along the Yser Ca, nal, latter position changed hands several times, being finally retaken by the British, The German reserves were drawn into the fighting by the fierce- ness of the British attack, thus ma- terially aiding the French in their at- tack farther south in the Arenas re- gion. This push gives the British posses- sion of the road from Lens to La Bas - see, which was used by the Germans for moving troops and supplies north and south, and threatens to outflank the German troops, which hold the town of Lens. Hill No. 70, one of the positions taken on the road, is less than a mile directly north of Lens, while Hulluch, which also fell into the hands of the British, is at the end of the road near La Bassee. It is only twelve miles from I•Ialluch to Lille, the capital of Northern France. The Flanders Operations. Another and not less important of- fensive by the British was launched in Flanders. This was a general attack on the German positions along the Ypres-Menin Road. South of the road the British carried the German trenches over a front of six hundred yards. North of the road the British captured the Belle Waarde ridge, an important position, but were com- pelled to give it up in the face of an unusually strong counter-attack. So far the British have taken 2,600 pri- soners and nine guns. At the same time British warships and French and Belgian batteries have heavily bombarded the German posi- tions on the coast between Zeebrugge and Nieuport. The German losses are described as terrible. The roar of cannon can be heard ceaselessly at places well inside the Zeeland frontier, and an endless procession of German wounded is pouring into towns and villages behind the enemy's lines in Belgium. Great Events Everywhere. The Amsterdam Telegraaf's Roulers correspondent sends to his paper a despatch describing the latest activi- ties on ` the western; front. The de- spatch says: "War again in all its horror. There is heavy fighting in Flanders. The gunfire is tremendous. Wagons with all kinds of supplies thunder along the roads. "There is a fearful bringing back of wounded. The trams br"ing, them to Roulers in crowds, and automobiles rush them to villages close behind the lines. Cortemark has all its available buildings filled, and more are con- stantly arriving in wagons, lying on straw, which has been hastily impro- vised into beds. The soldiers speak of the scenes at the front with shud- ders." British Official Reports. ' An official report by Field Marshal General Sir John French on the splendid victory of his soldiers over the Germans in Northern France and Belgium, made public Sunday after - Hoy the Subpar ines Get Victims A despatch to the ` London Daily Telegraph from ,,Copenhagen says the Danish steamer Frode, which was sunk ,in the North Sea September 5, was sent to the bottom by a German submarine after a German sailor who boarded the steamer at Buenos Ayres by means of alleged false papers' of Norwegian citizenship had been taken off by the sc;lraiarine, This testimony, the correspondent says, was adduced by the Danish mar- ine court at an enquiry into the sink- ing of the Frode. When the steamer was halted by the submarine, accord- ing to the testimony, the sailor imme- diately declared himself a German and was transferred to the submarine. Later the Frode was torpedoed and two men were' killed by the explosion. GENERAL FRENCH. noon by the Official Press Bureau, says: "Saturday morning we attacked the enemy south of La Bassee Canal, to the east of Grenay and Vermelles We captured his trenches on a front of over five miles, penetrating his lines in some places for a distance of four thousand yards. "We captured the western outskirts of Eunuch, the village of Loos and the mining works around it, and Hill 70. "other attacks were made to the north of La Bassee Canal which drew a strong reserve of the enemy toward the point of the line, 'where hard fight- ing occurred throughout the day with varying success. At nightfall our troops north of the canal occupied their positions of the morning. "We made another attack near Hooge on either side of the Menin Road. "An attack north of the road suc- ceeded in occupying Bellewaarde farm and ridge, but this subsequently was retaken by the enemy. "In the attacks to the south of the road we gained six hundred yards of the enemy's trench and we consoli- dated the ground won. "The reports of captures up to the present include about 1,700 prisoners and eight guns, besides several ma- chine guns, the number of which is not yet known." Drew Enemy's Reserves. "There has been severe fighting to- day," reads the official communica- tion, issued on Sunday evening: "On the ground won by us yesterday, the enemy making determined counter- attacks east and north-east of Loos. "The result of this fighting is that, except just north of Loos, we held all the ground gained yesterday, includ- ing the whole of Loos itself. "This evening we retook the quar- ries north-west of Hulluch, which we re -won and lost yesterday. We have in this fighting drawn: the enemy's reserves, enabling the French on our right to make further progress. "The number of prisoners collected after yesterday's fighting.amounted to 2,600. Nine guns have been taken and a considerable number of machine guns. "Our aeroplanes to -day bombed.and derailed a train near Loffres, east of Douai, and another, which was full of troops, at Rohult, near Saint Amanda The Valenciennes station was also bombarded." ' • French Official Stories. The following statement was issued Saturday night by the French War Office: "On the Belgian coast our batteries have co-operated in • 'the bombard- ment 'by the British fleet of the Ger- man positions at Westende and Mid delkeke. The British troops have attacked with success enemy positions to the -west of,Loes and Hulluch. Our.l troops operating in conjunction with the British army delivered to the north of Arras an energetic attack which permitted them to. gain a .foot- hold at several points in the enemy's lines. "Between the Somme 'and the Aisne fighting by means of torpedoes and bombs has been going on en the sec- tor of Canny -sur -Matz. Our. artillery exploded -a munitions depot in a forti- fied house at Beuvraignes. "In Champagne after a new ' and very violent bombardment of the trenches, shelters, blockhouses and batteries of the enemy, our troops began an assault of the German lines between the Snipes and the Alsne;. The first adverse positions have been l • (nee -Pied on almost the entire front' The , Lead Markets attacked. Our progress, -continues. Artillery actions have occurred in the Woevre, in Lorraine, and in the Vos- ges in the environs of Chapelotte and of Sehratzmannele." RUSSIANS PUSH THE ENEMY BACK Important �5uccess Achieved by Ivan- off on the Border of Galicia. Breadstutfs. Toronto, Sept, _27, _Manitoba wheat -New crop, No, 1 Northern, $1.02; No. 2, $1, track lake ports, immediate shipment. American corn -No, 2 yellow, 84e, track lake ports. Canadian. corn -No. 2 yellow, Sic, track Toronto. Ontario oats -New crop, No, 2 white, 3$ to 39c No..3 white, 36 to 38e, according to freights outside, Ontario wheat --New No, 2 Winter, per car lot, 90 to 92c; wheat slightly tough, 80 to 85c; sprouted or smutty, '70 to 85c, according to sample. r Peas -No. 2, per car lot, nominal, A despatch from London says: The I according to freights outside,. Barley -Good malting barley, 52 to', counter -offensive movement launched 54c; feed barley, 43 to 450, according by the Russians under General Ivanoff to freights outside. against the Austro -Germans in Vol- Buckwheat -Car lots, nominal, ac- hynia and Galicia has assumed ianpor- cording to'freights outside. tont proportions. General Ivanoff Rye -No. 2, nominal, 75 to 78; ac has been so successful that the Ger- man Field Marshal, von Mackensen Manitoba flour .First patents, in who is fighting north of the Pxpet jute baote gs' $5.75; second patents, in bags, $0.25; strong bakers', in marshes eastward of Brest -Litovsk, jute bags, $5.05, Toronto, according to the German official re- Ontario flour -New Winter, 90 per port, has been compelled to withdraw, cent. patents, $3.80, seaboard or To- his Zine somewhat, as it was in dun- route freights in bags, prompt Ship - ger of being encircled; while the Ana- meet, trians have been driven back across Millfeed-.-Car lots, delivered Mont- the Styr, and have been compelled to real freights --Bran, per ton, $24; surrender the fortress of Lutsk,in the shorts, per ton, $2G; middlings, per Volhynianton, $27; good feed flour, per bag, triangle of fortresses which $1.80, 1 they captured during the great drive, These successes, which extend to the Roumanian frontier, in the opin- ion of military observers, would serve to ease the situation on the Rouman- ian flank should Roumania join, Rus- sia, and in addition might well pre- vent the Austro -Germans from send- ing an army, which it is estimated must consist of at least a half million men, to make an attack on Serbia. In the centre the Russians are still falling back, while in the north Field Marshal von Hindenburg continues to make progress with his offensive against Dvinsk, although at a much slower rate than formerly, as the Rus- sians are stiffening their resistance. East of Vilna the Germans admit a temporary check, during which they lost guns to the Russians. Vilieka, the position seized by von i Hindenburg in his effort to encircle' the Russian army retreating from Vilna, again is in the hands of the • Russians, having been recaptured by a bayonet charge. The number of German guns captured, according to the Russian official report, includes four howitzers as well as nine ammu- nition wagons. The captured guns were manned by the Russians and put to flight 'a German armored car. 4,000 Taken at Lutsk. "The battle north of Lutsk was a great success for the Russians, who took 4,000 prisoners, and recaptured the town of Lutsk," says Renter's Petrograd correspondent. The correspondent of the Morning Post says in a despatch to his paper: "In quarters that kno*, and indeed, in rather wider circles, strong opti- mism during the past couple of days has been 'spreading rapidly. The offi- cial bulletins of the progress of the war are not sufficient to account for this feeling. The certain successful withdrawal from Vilna has straight- ened the Russian front, and in every w" ay strengthenedtheir powers." SAVED NANCY FROM SHELLING A French Aviator Single -Handed Puts Six Hostile Air Craft ' to Flight. A 'despatch from Paris says: With the exception of an attack by an enemy patrol in Champagne the fight- ing recently has been largely in the hands of the artillery. Cannonading has broken out in Belgium, according to the French official report given out in this city. Artillery fighting has taken place also near Arras, between the Somme and Oise, between the Aisne and the Argonne region, and in Lorraine. One French aeroplane carrying! Lieut. Daum, as observer, and Sergt. 1 Gamier, as pilot, attacked and defeat- ed a fleet of six German battle aero- planes, it was revealed in a general order. Both French aviators are men- tioned for conspicuous gallantry. The fight took place over Nancy. The French aviators attacked the German machines one by one, preventing them from bombarding the town. When the French machine landed it was riddled with bullets. General Joffre, the French Com- mander -in -Chief, and the allied cola- menders ommenders on this front -Field Marshal Sir John French and ' King Albert of Belgium -are developing a new plan of campaign that involves the almost continuous use of artillery on a vast scale along, the whole line. WELL REPRESENTED TO COUNTRY'S SERVICE A despatch from Guelph says: Mrs. Scott, of Howitt -Street, has a son and six brother's, 'fourteen cousins and seven nephews serving their King and country. THREE "BELGIANS TO DIE FOR SMUGGLING MAIL A despatch from Amsterdam says:. For smuggling letters into Holland, a German court-martial at Antwerp,has sentenced" three Belgian citizens to. death and thirty-three others to hard Country Produce. Butter -Fresh dairy, 25 to 27e; in- ferior, 22 to 23c; creamery prints, 29 to 80c; do., solids, 27 to 28%e. Egga-No, 1, 25 to 26c per dozen, in case lots; extra at 26 to 2.7e, Honey No. 1 light (wholesale), 10. Lo 111.3`; do., retail, 121 to 15c.i Combs (wholesale), per dozen, No. 1, medium, $6.25 to $6.75; do., common $2,40; No, 2, $1.50 to $2. $5 to $5.25; butchers' bull, choice, Poultry -Spring; chickens, 20c; fowl, $6.25 to $6.75• do,, good bulls, $5.75 16 to 17c; ducklings, 17 to 18e; tur- to $6; do., rough bulls, $4.75 to $5.25; keys, 2., to 24c. butchers' cows, choice, $6.45 to $6,50; Cheese ---Large, 15 to 1534 c; twins, do., good, $5.25 to $6; do., medium, 15s/ to 15, c, $5 to $5,75; do., common, $4,50 to Potatoes -The market is quiet, with $6; feeders, good, $6.00 to $7.25; car lots quoted at GOc per bag on stockers, 100 to 900 lbs., $6.25 to $7; track. canners and cutters $3,75 to $5; milkers, choice, each, $65 to $100; do., Provisions, common „and medium, each, $35 to Bacon, long clear, 14 to 14%c per $50; Springers, $550 to $05; light ewes, lb. in case lots. Hams -Mediums, $5$to $6; sheep, heavy, $4.25 to $4.75; 18% to 19c; do., heavy, 141e to iiic; o., bucks, $3.50 to $4.50; yearling rolls, 15 to 1.6c; breakfast bacon, 20 lambs, cwt., $7.75 to $8.60; calves, to 23c; backs, plain, 23 to 24c; bone- medium to choice, $7 to $10.50; hogs, less backs, 25 to 251- c. off cars, $9.65 to $10; do., fed and Lard -Tubs, 121% to 12143 c; do., watered, $9.50 to $9.60; do., f.o.b., pails, 12%,e to 12%`; compound, tubs, $9.15 to $0.25. 9'i. to 1Oc; do., pails, 1143`. Montreal, Sept. 27. -Sales of good' steers were made at $7.25 to $7.50; Wholesale Hay Market, fair at $6.25 to $7; and common at Baled hay,new-No. 1,ton,$f5 to $4.75 to $5.75. Butchers' cows, $4.75 to $6.75; and bulls: from $4.75 $16.50; No. 2, ton, $13 to $14; baled to $6,50 per cwt. Canning stock, straw, ton, $6.50. buns, $4.25 to $4.35, and cows tit $3.25 to $3.50 per` cwt. Lambs, On - Business in Montreal. tario stock, $7.75 to $8, and Quebec Montreal, Sept, 27. -Corn, American at $7 to $7,25 per cwt. Sheep brought No. 2 yellow, 871,E to 8$c. Oats, extra from $4.50 to $5.50 per cwt. Calves, No. 1• feed, 43%c; No. 2 local white, Hogs,to $choice0 �selected lots, $9.as to size and 65 h o 42'43c; No, 3 local white, 411�c. Flour, $9.75, and rougher lots, $9.25 to Man.Spring wheat patents, firsts, $9.50 per cwt., weighed off cars. $5.85; seconds, $5.85; strong bakers, $5.15; Winter patents, choice, $5.50; straight rollers, $4.80 to $5; do., bags, $2.25 to $2.35. Rolled oats, barrels, $5.25 to $5.35; do., bags, 90 lbs., $2.40 to $2.45. Bran, $25. Shorts, $27. Middlings, $22 to $33. Mouillie, $30 to $84. Hay, No. 2,'per ton, car lots, $17 to $18. Cheese, finest west- erns, 15 to 15%c; finest easterns, 14% GENERAL JOFFRE,. ENTRANCE TO BALTIC IS MINED BY GERMANS A despatch from Amsterdam says: A Berlin despatch received here says the German Government has announc- edto 141/5`. Butter, choicest creamery, that a new mine field will he laid 30 to 301/4`; seconds, 28% to 29c. south of the outlet to the Sound and Eggs, fresh, 33 to 34c; selected, 30c; that a pilot service will be established No. 1 stock, 27 • to 28c; No. 2 stock, 24c. Potatoes, per bag, car lots, 60c. Dressed hogs, abattoir killed, $13.75 to enable neutral shipping to traverse the danger one. The Sound is the channel between to $14. Pork, heavy Canada short the Danish Island of Seeland and Swe- mess, bbls., 35 to 45 pieces, $28 to den which connects the Baltic with the $28.50; Canada short cut back, bbls., Cattegat and the North Sea. The 45 to 55 pieces, $27 to $27..50. Lard, waterway formerly belonged to the compound, tierces, 375 lbs., 10c; wood Danish sovereigns, who for many pails, 20 lbs. net, 10%c; pure, tierces, years collected tolls from foreign ves- 375 lbs., 113/ to 12c; wood pails, 20 sets usingit. In 1857,however, bys lbs. net, 12% to 13c. treaty with the,commercial nations ni U. S. Markets. Europe, the dues were abolished. Minneapolis, Sept. 27. 'Wheat- No. 1 hard, ;$1.06%; No. 1 Northern, $1.00% to $1.05%; No. 2 Northern, 97% to $1.02%; September, 98%c; December, 93c. Corn -No. 3 yellow, 70% to 711/2e. Oats -No. 3 white, 32% to 331/ec. Flour and bran un- changed. INVALID PRISONERS GO TO SWITZERLAND A despatch from Geneva says: Consumptive prisoners to the number of 2,500 will shortly arrive from belli. Duluth, Sept. 27. -Wheat -No. 1 gerent countries for asylum and hard, $1.03%; No. .1 Northern, treatment in Switzerland under an' $1.02%; No. 2 Northern, $1.00%; agreement recently reached between Montana No. 2, $1.02%; ; September, the Swiss Government and those of belligerent nations providing for the care of invalid prisoners under Swiss guard at the expense of the belliger Live Stock Markets. ents. The British section of the sick pri- Toronto, Sept. 27. -The quotations sonerswill be sent to various places were: -Best heavy steers, $7.75 to in Oberland, the French to Leysin and $8; butchers' cattle, choice, $7.50 to. the German to St. Moritz, $7.65; do., good, $7 to $7.40;. do., $1.00%; December, 93%c. Linseed - Cash, $1.67%; September, $1.67%; December, $1.661/2. ITALIANS SEIZE MOU NTAIN WHICH HAD LONG RESISTED Removal of 'Austrian Garrison From Monte Officially Admitted by Vienna A despatch from London says: The loss of a mountain position on the Italian front is admitted in the offi- cial statement sent out from Vienna by the Austrian War Office. The gar- rison on Monte Coston, the communi- cation says, evacuated the position as the result of an attack by"forces ten times their number." The mountain' for -some months had presented an awkward wedge, in the Italian front, I which now has been straightened. Winter snows are already falling in the Alps, rendering still more perilous the work of the Italian and Austrian troops who are engaged in warfare in the mountainous region near the bor- Coston der. A correspondent of the Gazette de Lausanne describes the recent bat- tle for possession of the Austrian stronghold on top of Freikofel= moun- tain, 9,000 feet high. The attack was made under most difficult conditions. The Austrians had prepared for an assaultfrdm the east. Two battalions' of Italian Alpine troops made their way around the mountain and attack- ed the Austrians from the rear. To reach the summit they were compelled to scale the 'precipitous side of the mountain, clinging to ropes placed in position by mountaineers. The coa;- respondent states that the Italians captured 250 Austrians and a large quantity of munitions.