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Show GERMAN GUNS POUNDING WAY TO I VERDI FORTS FROM WEST SIDE I Crown Prince Troops Take Town of Forges After Violent H Bombardment Hill No. 625 Captured, the Germans Suffering Heavy Losses French Hold Lines Fur- H ther West Australian Brigade in the Verdun H Fight British Big Guns Doing H Great Execution. H Rome, March 5, via London, March 5, 2:08 p. m., (de- H layed). Twenty German dreadnoughts have left Kiel, ac- H cording to information received here today. H The foregoing dispatch was held up by the British cen- H sor for two days. Another dispatch filed in London at 3:25 H o'clock this morning said that a fleet of twenty-five German H warships was observed Monday cruising in the North sea. This jH message was received in London from Vlieland, near North H Holland. Paris, March 7, via London, 1 :20 p. m. Further progress H has been made by the Germans in the Verdun region to the H west of the Meuse. Announcement was made here semi-offi- H cially today that they had succeeded by means of violent bom- jH bardment in pushing along the railroad in the neighborhood v of Regneville. H Paris, March 7, via London, 2 p. m. The war office announced today that a division of German troops advancing ad-vancing to the attack has captured Hill No. 625. The war office announcement follows: fol-lows: "In the Argonne district endeavors on tho part of the enemy at Haute Chevauchee to occupy a mine crater have been repulsed. Our artillery has continued its bombardment of the lines of communication of the enemy west of the river Meuse. Germans Capture Hill. "Favored by an Intense bombardment, bombard-ment, German troops have been able to advance along the railroad line in the neighborhood of Regneville. At the samo moment tho Germans delivered deliv-ered a very violent attack against Hill No. 626. An entire division took part ln this maneuver. They were successful in taking possession of this hill in spite of tho heavy losses Inflicted In-flicted upon them by tho fire of our artillery and our machine guns. "We are possession of the village of Bethiucourt and the groves east of the wood des Corbeaux and the wood, do Cumleres, and the heights of Cote de L'Ole. "Artillery fighting continued actively active-ly last night to the east of the Meuse in tho vicinity of Bras and Hardemont ns well as in the Woevre, in the sector of Fresnes and in tho villages located in tho 'foothills." Berlin, March 7. Tho war office announced today that the village of Fresnes, ln the Woevre, southeast of Verdun, was captured this morning by Germans. Tho text of the statement follows: "Small British detachments which penetrated yesterday our trench northeast of Verneuules were driven out with bayonets after strong artillery artil-lery preparations. "In tho Champagne our position east ot Maisons-de-Champagne which the French occupied February 11 was recaptured in a surprise attack. Two officers and 150 men were taken prisoners. pris-oners. "Following up the effect of important import-ant mining operations in the Argonne we pushed our positions northeast of LaChalade, a little forward. "In the Mouse district the artillery fire on the western bank of the rivor again became more lively. East of the river it was maintained at medium medi-um violence. Apart from engagements of reconnolterlng parties, no hand to hand fighting with the enemy occurred. occur-red. "In tho Woevre district the village of Fresnes was captured by storm early this morning. The French are still holding their own in a few houses on the western boundary of the village. vil-lage. They lost more than 300 prison- ore Cost of tlvlng Washington, March 7. Tho cost of living in Constantinople has increased 185 per cent since tho beginning of tho war according to confidential advices to the State department. Constantinople, March 7, via London Lon-don 1 P m. The following statement was issued today by the Turkish army headquarters: "Tho situation in all the war theaters thea-ters is unchanged." Increase of Navy. London, March 7, 4:27 p. m. A. J. Balfour, first lord of the admiralty, stated in the house of commons today that the tonnage of the British navy should have been increased by one million since the outbreak of the war, while tho strength of the air division of the navy had grown ten fold. Review of War Situation. The attack on Verdun has shifted to the west and 'the Germans are now pounding their way toward the fort- l ress beyond the Meuse advancing H along the railroad that parallels tho westerly bank. M Last night the crown prince's troops assaulted and took the town of For- M ges, nine miles northwest of Verdun, but were prevented by tho French IH from debouching against the Cote de M L'Ole, a height about a mile to the M south. M Today cornea the admission from ' -JH Paris that the Germans, after a violent 7 H bombardment, succeeded in forcing vk their way through Forges and along H the railway in the vicinity of Regne- M ville, a village a mile and a half south- M Simultaneously an entire division H violently attacked and captured Hill H No. 625 seuthwest of Regneville. H Heavy losses were sustained by tho H G-ermans in taking this position, Paris H declares. H French lines further west have held and they are in possession of Bethin- court and nearby territory and still M occupy Cote de L'Oie. M There Is still notable artillery activ- M ity along the Immediate -front of Ver- H dun, east of the Meuse as well as in M the Woevre district southeast of tho M fortress. H |