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Show GERMANS PLAN NEW AHEMPT TO : I BLAST WAY THROUGH TO CALAIS I London, Feb" 3, 5 a. m. The London newspapers this morning express the conviction that the Germans are planning H a new offensive. It is expected that they will attempt to blast iH a way to Calais and Dunkirk by the use of strong bodies of in- fantry supported by enormous masses of artillery. H London, Feb. 3, 6:45 p. m. A fishing trawler reported MmM today to the naval authorities that she had seen a German Zep- H pelin i nthe North sea in a sinking condition, it was stated in H an official announcement this evening. H London, Feb. 3, 12:25 p. m. -The British steamship Belle of France has been sunk The Europeans in her crew and H the 220 Lascars were landed" Nineteen Lascars are missing. H The Belle of France was last reported at Karachi, a port of H India, on her arrival there from Port Said on December 24. H Her gross tonnage was 3,876. She was 352 feet long, of 48 H feet beam and was built at Sunderland, England, in 1905, for H the Belle Steamhsip agency, limited, of Liverpool. H London, Feb. 3, 1 1 :50 a. m. Reports of the sinking in mid-Atlantic of the British freighter Chasehill from New York H January 1 3 for Havre with a cargo of supplies for the French H government, were confirmed today: The chasehill foundered WU January 1 8. Her crew was rescued by the Spanish steamship B Mar Adriatico, whic harrived at Gibraltar February 1 . H Berlin, Feb. 3, via London, 3:03 p. ra. Notable artillery activity by both sides along the Franco-Belgium front is reported by German army headquarters head-quarters in today's official statement. The allied artillery fire has been particularly par-ticularly heavy in the vicinity of Neu-ville, Neu-ville, where the Germans recently made a considerable gain of ground. English mine craters in the vicinity of Ilulloch were occupied by German troops. The text of the statement follows: "Western theater The enemy artillery artil-lery has vigorously replied to the shelling by our artillery of enemy positions po-sitions over a wide front. "Northwest ot Hulloch we occupied two craters caused by the explosion of British, mines before our front Vigorous Artillery Fire. "In the region of Neuville the enemy en-emy Increased its artillery fire until during the afternoon is assumed great activity. Along other parts of the front lively artillery activity developed. de-veloped. "In the Argonne hand grenade fights occurred. "In the region of Peronne our airmen air-men shot down two aeroplanes, one English and one French. Three of (he occupants were killed and tho Trench observation officer was seriously seri-ously injured. "Eastern and Balkan theaters The situation is unchanged." London, Feb. 2, 10:40 p. m Tho following British official statement has been issued regarding the operations opera-tions on the western front: "One of our patrols last night, after shooting a hostile entry, threw hand grenades Into hostile trenches established estab-lished at the northern end of Frlse. "At about 11-30 o'clock this morning morn-ing the enemy attempted a surprise attack aaglnst our trenches near Ypres on the Pilkelm road. The attack at-tack was not preceded by an artillery bombardment and was easily repulsed by our fire." Review of War Sttuation. Expectation of another German attempt at-tempt to blast a way to Calais, using masses of infantry and artillery, is indicated in-dicated by London press comment Intense artillery activity along the Franco-Belgian front reported in today's to-day's German official statement, may presage another important offensive movement in this field by one side or the other. Berlin indicates that the French may have a plan in view to recoup their losses of territory near Neuville, which they sustained recently as their artillery fire in this sector is reported report-ed as increasingly heavy. The Germans are continuing their submarine activities In the North sea, according to a dispatch from The Netherlands and report the torpedoing of the Dutch vessel Artemeis in those waters. Germans Launch Attack. Paris, Feb. 3, via London, 3:30 p. m. The following statement was given out at the war office this afternoon; "The night was calm and there is nothing of importance to report. Shortly after midday yesterday following fol-lowing a spirited bombardment, the Germans launched an attack agninst our positions in the Bois Des Buttes, north of the Aisne in the region of the village of Bois." German Submarines Busy. Hook of Holland, Feb. 3, via London, Lon-don, 2:13 p. ni. Continued activity of German submarines in the North sea is evidenced by the torpedoing of tho Dutch motor vessel Artemeis near the lightship Noordhlnder. Tho Artemeis Arte-meis arrived here today leaking. New Commander for Turks. Bucharest, Rumania, Feb, 1, via London, Feb. 3, 2:18 p. m. Field Marshal Union Von SanderG has been nppolnted commander-in-chief of the Turkish forces on the Caucasian front. He was commander of the first Turkish army and directed the (fortification of Gallipoli peninsula, It was reported last month that Field Marshal Baron von der Goltz ; had been appointed commander of tho Turkish forces in tho Caucasus. A dispatch from Rome Tuesday said tho field marshal with 80,000 men -had J 1 been locked up in Erzerum by the H Russians. H Thaw Floods Trenches. fMM Kiev, Russia, Feb. 3, via London, tiMM 2:38 p. m. Prisoners arriving here H report that all roads in the region H of the Styr are under water on ac- MM count of the thaw and that the wa- H ter in the trenches is knee deep. The W river has overflowed, compelling the jMM Teutonic troops to evacuate strongly VMM fortified positions. MU Russians Complete Road. JMM Petrograd, Feb. 3, via London, 2:35 IH p. m. The short line railway from WM Petrograd to Soroka on the White H sea, a distance of 530 miles, has just IH been completed, giving, another out- MM let to the north besides that of Ar- mM changel and thus tending to relieve ,, H the congestion at the latter port. IH Norwegian Steamer Detained. H London, Feb. 1. (Delayed by cen- JMM sor).- The Norwegian steamship mM Skafd from Baltimore for Moss, Nor- MM way, with a cargo of barley, rye and MM wheat has been taken into Kirkwall MM by the British authorities. H |