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a cam WESTER SQ 'fy', gs Twenty Thousand German Prisoners and Many 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. Joffre’s Army T Takes Fifteen Miles of Hun o,trenchmints 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-Fe-ous Fighting Still Continues, With the Allies Gaining Ground." I - , despatch from London says: The iriiiiirirai offensive movement so long waited for on the western front was inaugurated by a series of allied vie- 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 "ia/ur-i/sto/Yoo unwounded Germans taken prisoner, of whom the British took 2,600. North of Arras the town and ceme- tegy of Souchez 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 Halluch, 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 600 yards near Hooge. . French troops penetrated the Ger- man lines in Champagne along a front of 15 miles and for a depth at some places of 2% miles. 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 Souain 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 ae- counts 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 are 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 Prihee's men in the Argonne. Battle North of the Arms. The fighting north of Arras is a resumption of the French offensive which took place in that district last spring. Gen. J offre 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 in 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 IliPi)ll'WiT (SAMMY SEFCCESS Ri)lr lily WBllhlG ht WENSK Surround Strong Enemy Column on Three Sides Annihilating Three German Infantry Companies - A despatch from London says: Fighting of extraordinary violence is proceeding around Dvinsk. An impor- tant success for the Russian cavalry ts reported, involving the defeat of a strong enemy column near Lake Tchighiry. The Russians, taking advantage of} their intimate knowledge of the coun- '; try, led the encamy to the marshy I The Champagne Battle. 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 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 Arras 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 Hulhich, 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 Halluch 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. C Wagons with all kinds of supplies thunder along the roads. "There is a fearful bringing back of wounded. The trams bring 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 ground, where they surrounded him on three sides, exterminating or captur- ing three complete infantry compan- ies and taking much booty. It is reported drom the southern front that the Russians have reached Kovel ahd that the Austrians have evacuated Brody. During the retreat the Austrians threw a great quantity of supplies into the River Styr. THE VICTORY IN BRIEF Five miles of enemy posi- tions taken by Gen. French, and line penetrated 4,000 yards-nearly two and one- half miles. Unwounded Germans ta- ken by British and French, 20,000. Fifteen miles of trenches captured by Gen. J0ffre, and line penetrated two and one-half miles. British now within twelve miles of Lille. Belgians made succéssful attack along the Yser Ca- nal. French imperil army of the German Crown Prince. NIB VE if All straw, which has been hastily impro- vised into beds. The soldiers speak of the scenes af the front with shud- ders." 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- noon by the Official Press Bureau, says: l "Saturday morning we attacked the enemy south of La Bassee Canal, to the east of Greuay 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 Hulluch, 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 sue- eeeded 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 eounter- attacks east and north-ettst 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 Amand. The Valenciennes station was also bombarded." French Official Stories. The following statement was issued GENERAL J OFFRE. British Official Reports. Guns ES "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- delkerke. The British troops have attacked with success enemy positions to the west of Loos and Hulluch. Our troops operating in conjunction with the British army delivered to the north of Arms an energetic attack which permitted them to gain a foot- hold at several points in the enemy's lines. Saturday night by the French War Office: ' "Between the Somme and the Aisne fighting by means of torpedoes and bombs has been going on in the see- tor of Canny-sur-Matz. Our artillery exploded a munitions depot in a forti- fied house at Beuvraignes. ik "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 Suippes and the Aisne. The first adverse positions have been occupied on almost the entire front 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 Schratzmannele.” RUSSEANS PM ma ENEMY na "e A despatch from London says: The counter-offensive movement launched by the Russians under General Ivanoff against the Austro-Germans in Vol- hynia and Galicia has assumed impor- tant proportions. General 1vanoff has been so successful that the Ger- man Field Marshal, von Mackensen, who is fighting north of the Pripet marshes eastward of Brest-Litovsk, according to the German official re- port, has been compelled to withdraw his line somewhat, as it was in dan- _ger of being encircled; while the Aus- trians have been driven back across the Styr, and have been compelled to surrender the fortress of Lutsk, in the Volhynian triangle of fortresses which they captured during the great drive. Important Success Achieved by Ivan- off on the Border of Galicia. 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 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 know, 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 Vilma has straight- ened the Russian front, and in every way strengthened their powers." BIPLANES PRESENTED BY CLUBS IN CANADA A despatch from London says: Eight biplanes have been presented to the British Government by over- seas clubs. Three of them are from Montreal, St. Catharines, Ont., and Nova Scotia. GENERAL FRENCH. A despatch from Paris says: French aviators have bombarded Stuttgart, capital of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, according to the French official communication. They dropped about a hundred shells on the Royal palace and the station. The official report says: Paris Announces Reprisal for German Raids on London and Other Places "in retaliation for the bombard- ments by the Germans of open towns and civilian populations of France and England, a group of aeroplanes set out recently to bombard Stuttgart. About a hundred shells were dropped on the Royal palace and the station. Our aeroplanes, which were cannon- §AVEE NAM? RIM SiEljl,liG A French Aviator Single-Handed Puts A despatch from Paris says: With the exception of.an attack by an enemy patrol in Champagne the tight- ing recently has been largely in, the hands of the artillery. Cannonading has broken out in Belgium, according to the French offieial 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. Garnier, 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 J offre, the French Conv. mander-in-Chief, and the allied com- manders 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. The Sound is the channel between the Danish Island of Seeland and Swe- den which connects the Baltic with the Cattegat and the North Sea. The waterway formerly belonged to the Danish sovereigns, who for many years collected tolls from foreign ves- sels using it. In 1857, however, by a treaty with the commercial nations of Europe, the dues were abolished. A despatch from Amsterdam says: A Berlin despatch received here says the German Government has announc- ed that a new mine field will be laid south of the outlet to the Sound and that a pilot service will be established to enable neutral shipping to traverse the danger one. hiiifliPuh'liS Ii'riyilg?hi?d) PALAQE ENTRANCE TO BALTIC IS MINED BY GERMANS INVALID PRISONERS A despatch from Geneva says: Consumptive prisoners to the number of 2,500 will shortly arrive from belli- gerent countries for asylum and treatment in Switzerland under an agreement recently reached between the Swiss Government and those of belligerent nations providing for the care of invalid prisoners under Swiss guard at the expense of the belliger- ents. The British section of the sick pri- soners will be sent to various places in Oberland, the French to Leysin and the German to St. Moritz. CONSCRIPTION AHEAD FOR BRITISH DOCTORS A despatch from London says: "There will be no course open but to apply to the United States to fill up the neecssary complements of medical men if this country cannot produce the requisite doetors," writes Sir James Barr, vice-president of the Bri- tish Medical Association; and a lieu- tenant-colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps, in appealing for doe- tors for the armies going abroad. "Two thousand five hundred of them are required," declares Sir James, who adds: "Conseription is coming." 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 stibmarine. _ Six Hostile Air Craft to filow the fkibmarioes (let Victims GO TO SWITZERLAND (T 'h1'tlffl 10h'il Flight. London Daily l, This testimony, the correspondent lagen says the , says, was adduced by the Danish mar- ie, which was I ine court at an enquiry into the sink- September 5, 1ing of the Frode. When the steamer ‘. by a German ‘was halted by the submarine, accord- nan sailor who i, ing to the testimony, the sailor imme- Buenos Ayres i diately declared himself a German and alse papers of ‘ was transferred _to the submarine. WEEK’S slriiNJ,', aded at different points along the line, returned in safety to their base." l This hurried retreat, however, was ‘saved from becoming a regular rout I by the German batteries, which open- led fire from the other side of the river, and stayed the onrushing French, who contented themselves _ with retaining the important positions 'conquered, from which their guns could not only sweep the Dormoise i Valley, but could get the lateral rail- . road within range. So far as infantry action was concerned, the section of the battle of Champagne towards Ta- hare ended here, and the opposing I artilleries resumed their terrifie can- I nonade. The point of departure is not named in the communique. If this was Nan- cy, the aviators had a straightaway flight of 135 miles to Stuttgart, " lowing for no detours. The distance from Belfort is a matter of five miles shorter. A statement issued before the an- nouncement of the attack on Stutt- gart tells of the effective bombard- ment of the railroad station at Con- frpms, which is in occupied Fren eh ter- ritory on the line between Verdun and Metz, by a group of seven French air- men. EEEE (Mill EEEEE a EEAEEEEE EEAE i Impetuous Rush of French in Cham- pagne Drives Germans Headlong Into Dormoise River. A despatch from Paris says: N ews from Champagne tells of fearful car- nage among the retreating Germans. This is, in fact, one of the bloodiest of battles, and which, for the number of victims, surpasses any previous com- bat in French warfare. On a front of only 16 miles 30,000 German infantry fell, which, in addition to over 20,000 prisoners, makes the total German loss more than an army corps. ' The suddenness and vigor of the at- tack are clearly illustrated by the number of guns taken. That the re- treat was swift and bloody, especially north of Beausejour, is shown by the frightful slaughter on a hill above the Dormoise River. The impetuous rush of the oncoming Frenchmen, charging with the bayonet, drove the Germans from the crest of Hill 200 into the river below. The shouts of the vie- torious French mingled with the screams of the fugitive' Germans as they plunged into the swift-running river, and as the current swept the Germans off their feet they clutched one another by the necks in a desper- ate death grip. It is not exaggeration to say that in a few minutes the rushing stream accounted for several German com- panies, and at certain points it could be forded across on their heaped-up bodies. E A despatch from Paris says: /Fvo FGerman aeroplanes flew over Swiss 5 territory between Couffenay and Por- rentry and dropped a bomb near the f Cras Dermont farm, injuring a child, l according to newspaper despatches I from Berne. - British Try Flank Move. While the mighty struggle/Is pro- ceeding on land so far favorably to the allies, a tremendous flanking oper- ation is being carried out by the Bri.. tish, of which the communiques have as yet made no mention. This devel- opment will probably prove the deci- sive factor in the huge attack now in progress. It is a surprise for the Germans and another triumph for the British fleet. Canadian Spared Life of Hun Who Shot Him in the Back. A despatch from Lethbridge, Alta., says: That Captain Frank Pett, a Lethbridge officer, with the Tenth Battalion, was intentionally murdered by a wounded German on the field of battle at Yprés is now established by word from one of the soldiers with Captain Pett at the famous charge. Captain Pett, in the charge, came across a wounded enemy, who asked him to spare his life, which he did. When he turned to go the German shot him with his own rifle in the back. GERMANS DROP BOMBS ON SWISS TERRITORY Later the Frode was torpedoed and two men were killed by the explosion. (ji? 1?iunTii'iii'i1ii'jlifl.lj,isi)sil MURDERED BY GERMAN.