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Show GEHHMH CENTER IS WEAKENING, SHY JXPERTS Faltering Defensive , Between Be-tween Souain and Champagne Cham-pagne Taken to Indicate Indi-cate Disintegration. MANY PRISONERS TAKEN BY FRENCH Belgian Batteries Silence One of Enemy's Heavy Guns; Fighting in the Vosges Continues. (Special Cabl by Arrangement With London Dally Telgraph and International Nw Service.) LOXDOX, Feb. 22. The German center is crumbling fast and now is in such a weakened condition that a determined drive by the allies would carry all before it, were it opportune at this moment to thus vigorously press the offensive, according ac-cording to military experts here. The continued gains of the French in Champagne, Cham-pagne, the faltering defensive offered by the Germans between Souain and the Champagne and the disastrous outcome of the kaiser's drive against the Verdun positions are taken to indicate the rapid disintegration of the German strength on this section of the western battle front. Tonight's official statement from Paris chronicles on this section further progress between Souain and Beausejour, where a line of trenches and two woods were taken, two particularly violent counterattacks counter-attacks repulsed, many prisoners taken and heavy losses inflicted; gaining of the ascendancy in the Argonnes near Fon- taine-aux-Chargcs, Marie Tlicrese and the Bois Bolante Sinew .gains in Choppy woods, between the Atomic and the Me uso; capture of nearly all the German Ger-man positions in front of Lcs Kpargcs: bringing of the town of Combres, southeast south-east of Les Kparges, under French fire, and repulse of German attacks in the Bouchol woodf. c German Claims. The German claims on this sector ar? limited to the statement that more than J 1000 prisoners, including fifteen officers, have been taken during the fighting in Champagne, where they claim the French losses were heavy. 'Mention is made of a French night attack on the German position east of Verdun probably Los Fparges), but no result is chronicled. Paris tonight confirms earlier unofficial unoffi-cial reports of a Zeppelin attack on Calais. Ten projectiles wore launched on ilio French port town, killing five civilians and causing unimportant damage to prop-city. prop-city. Manv civilians also were killed by the renewed German bombardment uf the town of Rhcims. Guns Silenced. In Belgium, according to the French statement, the Belgian and French "batteries "bat-teries silenced one uf the German heavy guns near LombHcrUyde. No mention is made of the action east of Ypres, in which Berlin states a French trench was captured cap-tured and a counter-attack repulsed when 1 the latter attempted to retake the posi- , tion. ; The fighting in the Vosges continues with unabated energy. The German report re-port says the kaiser's forces have taken the villages of Ilochrod and Stosswihr. Regarding this latter postion, Paris tonight to-night says the French occupied the greater part of the village , today after assuming command of the outskirts yesterday. |