St. John's Daily Star, 1917-08-16

              The St. John's Daily Star Newfoundland VOLUME 111. ($3.00 per Annum) THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1917. (Price: One Cent.) . No. 187. BRITISH FORCES STRIKE A SUCCESSFUL BLOW IN WEST SMASH HUN LINES ON TWO-MILE FRONT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF LENS HUN'S ATTACK IS A FAILURE Germans Make Determined Assault on-British Lines at West Hullock, But are Repulsed By Gen. Haig's Men ENEMY RAIDS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL [ONDON. Aug. 15. (Official)— Early this morning the enemy attacked •ur line east of West Hullock, but by heavy artillery and rifle fire was repulsed. He succeeded only in driving hack one or two or our advanced posts a few yards. During the day we again improved our positions on the right bank of the Steenbeke River, where we captured several prisoners. Last night the enemy endeavored to raid our positions east of Laventys. At the second attempt he succeeded in entering our lines, but was immediately driven out. Another raid, undertaken in considerable strength, estimated at three companies, was made against our renches at Neuve Chapelle. It was epulsed by Portuguese troops, after iharp fighting, in which a few prisoners were secured. Enemy air craft continued to pursue aggressive tactics yesterday and attacked our long distance bombing machines with great 'vigor. Our machines reached and bombed successfully their objectives in every case. Artillery and photographic work was also carried out throughout the day by our machines, and machine gun fire was opened with effect upon enemy infantry, both in the trenches and in the open. In the air fighting,, seven German planes were brought down, and four others driven down out of control; two of our machines are missing. SOME SUCCESSES FOR ROUMANIANS Roumanians Make Gains From the Teutons and Defeat Strong Assaults Made by the Enemy. pETROGRAD, Aug. 15, (Official)— On the Western front there were fusilades and scouting operations. On the Roumanian front Monday there were stubborn battles in the Ocna- Grozechti region. The Roumanian troops continued their counter offensive which began on Sunday, and toward evening occupied the village of Slanie, and dislodged the enemy from the heights about six versts southwest of Grozechti. The offensive is developing in the direction of Dvaga. All counter attacks were repulsed by the Russo-Roumanian troops. Enemy efforts to attack our positions in the region of Makkaimeni, were frustrated by our fire. A Russian scouting party of forty men in a daring surprise attack against a Turkish barrier guard in the region of Tirebeli, captured some prisoners. The remainder of the front is quiet. German airplanes dropped bombs jon the railway stations at Nolved| eschno and Siniavaka. TOTOTOTOTOTOTO Butchered Norwegians London, Aug. 16.—According to a despatch from Copenhagen, the Norwegian steamer Fralkan Harban has been sunk in the North Sea and ten was also sunk, but her crew was saved. [ENS AND ITS ENVIRONS, including the famous an^so-called "impregnable" Hill 70, scene of the latest British triumph over the German Forces. AH the places captured by the Canadian troops in their victorious assault are shown on this map. ADVANCED ON 2-MILE FRONT Hill 70, a Formidable Defence Position,. Hitherto an Unpassable Barrier, Taken with a Rush by Haig's Men ENEMY FRONT LINE TRENCHES TAKEN Aug. 16—With only slight casualties, Canadian troops in the fighting south and east of Loos, have captured German positions on a front of two miles, including Hill 70, a formidable defence work. According to a British communication issued to-night, five German counter-attacks were repulsed. The communication follows: This morning the Canadian troops stormed German positions south and east of Loos, on a front of two miles. Formidable defences on Hill 70, which resisted our attacks in the Battle of Loos, in Sept., 1915* and had since been improved and strengthened by every method and device known to our enemies, were carried by assault. After storming the enemy's first-line trench system on the whole of . the front attacked, our troops advanced as far as the western defence of Cite St. August, penetrating German positions to a depth of about a mile. Besides the elaborate series of trench lines and strong points forming the defences of Hill 70,.the villages of Cite St. Elizabeth, Cite Stemlie and Cite St. Laurent, as well as Case Wood and the western half of Hugewood are now in our possession.All our objectives were captured. Our casualties were slight. During the day five hostile counterattacks were repulsed by our infantry, or broken up by our artillery. One of these was carried out by the troops of a division of the Prussian Guards. The enemy's losses, both from our attack and in prisoners captured, have not yet been ascertained, but 26, including fifteen officers, reached one collecting station this morning. ~a\ m± ~& !•> —Ik -i FRENCH ADVANCE 6ur Allies Score a Success in die Region of Dixmude Paris, Aug. 15.—The French attack ed, in Belgium last night and made in the region of Dixmude, reads the War Office official statement. The Germans directed a heavy artillery fire against the French first lines on the Aisne front, between Hurtebise and Craonne. On the Verdun front the French repulsed German attacks. BRITISH GAIN IN BELGIUM Germans Pushed Back Across The Stenbeke River—Hun Surprise Attack is a Complete Failure SPECTACULAR FIGHT IN THE AIR gRITISH Front in France and Belgium, Aug. 15.—(8y" Associated Press)— British forces to-day attacked German positions on a small section of the Belgian front, pushed the German posts back across the Steenbeke River, east of the Ypres-Thourout railway, and re-established their line on the eastern side of the river. An attempt of the Germans last night to rush the British trenches north of the Arras-Douai railway met with complete reverse. The German plan to take the positions by a surprise attack failed, and as the enemy infantry charged across the open it faced a disastrous fire from machine guns and rifles, and was forced to beat a hasty retreat to its own lines. The British conducted a highly successful raid on German trenches west of Hullock, taking some prisoners, and inflicting considerable casualties on the enemy. One of the most spectacular air fights recently occurred last night when a British pilot met three planes at a height of 11,000 feet, and engaged them all. The fouir pilots brought their machine guns into play and the conflict raged furiously for some time. The British aviator fought on despite the great odds against him. By clever manoeuvring he reached a position which enabled him to pump streams of bullets through the tanks of two enemy machines, and they fell to the earth in flames like great rockets, leaving a trail across the sky. The third German fled on his companions being brought down. The Germans are continuing their nervous shelKng of British positions about Lens, and their artillery is more active than usual east and northeast of Ypres where large numbers of gas shells are employed. - vMh  WILL BE EXILED Former Russ. Emperor and Family to Be Sent to Siberia Petrograd, Aug. 15.—The semi-official Russian news agency announces to-night that former Emperor Nicholas and his family were removed from the Palace at Tsarskoe Selo and that it was reported they \*ere being transported to Tobolsk in Siberia. Gold is first mentioned in the Bible in Gen. ii* M» IMPREGNABLE' GERMAN LINES FALL BEFORE THE CANADIANS HAIG'S MEN TAKE HILL 70 West Front Position, Key to Lens, Dubbed Impregnable by Germans, Falls Before Assault of British Troops DASH OF BRITISH WAS INVINCIBLE DRITISH Front in France and Belgium, Aug. 15—(By Associated Press.)—H'll 70, a famous German stronghold northwest of the French mining city of Lens, which dominates the city and the Loos Salient, was captured this morning by Canadian forces. The British also pushed their lines into the northwestern envii\ . of Lens in a semi-circle around the eastern side of Hill 70. The British attack was made on a 5,000 yard front which had an extreme depth of 500 yards, beginning at a point just above Hugewood. The new British positions now run southeast of and beyond Hill 70 towards Lens; the line then bends southwest and encircles the suburbs of St. Laurent and St. Emile. British guns have been pounding for days at Hill 70 which the Germans considered impregnable. The infantry attack began at 4.25 o'clock this morning. The capture of Hill' 70 ranks in importance with the biggest military operation this year. It was the last dominating position in this section which remained in the hands of the Germans. From it a wide territory can be controlled. Hill 70 is to Lens and to Loos Salient what Messines Ridge is to Ypres, and in some ways it is an even more enviable position than Messines Ridge because even after the fall of Messines Ridge the Germans still retained Pitkem Ridge from which they could sweep the country surrounding Ypres. Hill 70 was bombarded with guns of all calibres which worked havoc among the German defences on the crest of this eminence. The Germans had undoubtedly prepared for the attack as far as possible for there is not a question that they were aware of it impending. Their nervous shelling of the communicating roads back of the British positions here for many days gave full evidence that they knew soon or late they must defend their claims, so it was a case of the better side winning. It was just twenty-five past four when the British guns dropped a protecting barrage before the Canadian trenches and the troops leaped over the parapet for their charge. The details of the fighting are not yet available, but the troops swept forward with the same invincible precision which has characterized the work of the great British fighting machine. Considerable numbers of German prisoners are beginning to arrive at the collection depots. The new British front has been established on a triangular line like shears, whose points are to the north and «*uth of Lens. In the first stages of the fighting the Canadians met with comparatively small opposition, but as they pushed into Lens environs the defences of the Germans stiffened. Whatever the outcome, the battle already has taken a place in the list of the most important conflicts in the war, through the capture of Hill 70. The British and Germans were at grips in the western part of the city of Lens itself, following the brilliant morning advance, whereby they captured Hill 70 and then swept on northwest to Lens. Of all animals, the whale possesses the thickest skin.. In many places its pelt is fully 2 feet in thickness. There is a specie? of Norwegian rat which carries its young in a pouch, just like the kangaroo. CANUCKS WON THE VICTORY Canada's Forces Add to Their Laurels By the Capture of Hill 70, Desperately Defended by The Huns. IRRESISTIBLE ARDOR OF TROOPS fANADIAN Headquarters, France, via London, August 15.— (By Stewart Lyon, special correspondent of Canadian Press.)—In the battle of Lens which began at daybreak this morning the Canadians have once more made a splendid successful attack upon historic ground. Early reports indicate that the Germans first and support lines along a front of over 4,000 yards, extending from the environs of Lens to the chalk pits, 1500 yards south of Hulluck have been carried by storm. The assaulting waves included men from all parts of the Dominion. War worn veterans, among them some who answered the first call' in 1914, were mingled with recent drafts from the base whose first actio; it was. All alike went forward with irresistible ardor over the most difficult ground, driving the enemy back before them. Among the objectives was Hill 70, east of Loos, where a fiercely contested battle was fought in September, 1915, and Cite St. Laurent, a northern suburb of Lens. News has come in from the troops who have followed up and passed through the waves of attack that they have reached a point east of Hill 70, almost a mile from their jumping off trench. The enemy put up a strong resistance and will probably counter-attack in force as soon as his reserves can be brought up, but what Canadian valor has won Canadian tenacity can be trusted to hold. Hill 70 is regarded by artillery experts as the key to Lens, and the enemy will not surrender the city except under an unendurable pressure. No particulars as to our losses or the number of prisoners taken as yet, but the artillery preparation was most thorough and it is hoped that in the masses churned up of shell pitted chalk on Hill 70 and in the half square mile of wrecked miners' houses in St. Laurent few shelters remained for the enemy machine guns, his most effective means of defence. DEUTCHLAND NOW A WAR SUBMARINE Former Undersea Freighter To Be Used in Pacific Campaign Against Merchantmen. POPENHAGEN, Aug. 16.—The German commercial submarine Deutschland, which visited the United States before that country entered the war, has been converted into war submarine, according to German fleet gossip reaching the Associated Press. The Deutschland has a great radius of action and has been fitted with six torpedo tubes. This submarine, it ij said, may soon leave for the Pacific to operate against traffic from San Francisco. The U-boat was to have started activities some time ago, but an explosion on board, while the vessel was on a trip, made necessary some repairs, which took considerable time. German losses in submarines, according to information of the Associated Press, has been twenty to twenty-two boats, this figure, apparently covering losses since the start of the unF©stfict«d submarine warfare campaign. Four additional boats are *aid to have been lost in the Mediterranean. 1 Germany has now almost 300 submarines,submarines, the newest boat being of the big sea-going type, each armed with a six inch gun. FIGHT IN WEST PART OF LENS Canadian Troops at Grips with Huns in Mining City—Spectacular and Victorious Advance of Canucks EFFICIENT WORK OF THE ARTILLERY gRITISH Front in France and Belgium, Aug. 16.—After the brilliant advance this morning, in which the Canadians captured Hill 70, and then swept on Northwest of Lens, the attackers were close at grips with the Germans in the western part of Lens, late to-day. The attack began at 4.25 o'clock, just as the first grey streaks of dawn were appearing. All night the British big guns had been pouring a steady stream of high-explosive shells into the German positions, the great detonations overlapping one another like the rapid crackling of machine gun fire, swelling into a mighty volume of thunder that shook the earth and stunned the senses. Then, a short time before the hour of the offensive arrived, batteries abruptly ceased and a strange, almost oppressive, stillness, fraught- with portending of a cataclysm, which must follow, crept over the country, which until then had been an inferno of death. It had been raining, and grey clouds still hung low over the trenches where crouched the Canadian infantrymen waiting eagerly for the arrival of the momen. i would summon them to attack. lenly, ten minutes before the time set for the attack, every British gun within range broke out with a hurricane of shelling, and solid lines of crimson lightning belched from the German trenches as the explosives broke about them. To this lurid picture was added the unforgettable spectacle of burning oil, which the British threw upon the enemy lines. Great clouds of pinkish-colored smoke rolled across the country from the flaming liquid and the murky sky threw back myriad colors from the conflagration below. The moment of the attack arrived* and as the British guns dropped their protecting barrage in front of the Canadian Frenches, the clouds parted and a yellow crescent moon appeared. Under the light of this beacon the Canadians leaped over the parapets and began their methodical advance behind their barrage fire. The British barrage was without a flaw. Behind it the Canadians mounted Hill 70, and swept along the grest of the line. On the crest where so much blood had been spilled before, heavy fighting might have been expected, for the position was well-manned with machine guns. The resistance here, however, was not strong and it was not until the dwellings in the outskirts of the suburbs were reached, that vigorous fighting occurred. The ground ovei which the infantry advanced was honeycombed with British shell holes and the barbed-wire defences had been levelled, so that they gave little trouble. The first serious resistance from '.he Germans was met dt the point where the enemy was entrenched strongly in concreted cellars, and here sanguinary fighting occurred. !».T»_T«.m~_~a.~A Democracy's Forces London, Aug. 15.—Seventeen countries are now in the war on the side of the Entente -s follows: Great Britain, France, Russia, United States, Bel gium, Italy. Japan, Roumania, Serbia* Montenegro, Greece. Cuba, Portugal, San Marino, Siam. Liberia and China. 1A JOB LINE! 1 (Ladies' I I VESTS,! ! 3 for 40c. | I SEE WINDOW | IBOWRINQ ! | BROTHERS.) 5^iiiii!i!;iii!ii!iiiii!iiiiiiii!iiiii!iltilllllll!ililllllllliillllllllllllllllllllllll!llllllii^