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Show KAISER'S ARMIES SHATTERED AND IN j I RAPID RETIREMENT ' 'I . Allies in Belgium, British Southeast of Valenciennes, French j and Americans South of Sedan Pounding Huns With Great Fury Batteries of Field Guns and Vast , v Quantites of Ammunition Captured. i, , IT i Forced toa realization of impending peril by the progress of the British southeast of Valenciennes and tho ; French and Americans south of Sedan, i Germany's shattered armies are in i ! rapid retreat from the Belgian frontier i to the Aisnc river. So rapid is the retirement re-tirement that it is very difficult to determine de-termine the exact location of the con-Tending con-Tending forces along this S5 miles of front. i British forces have cleared the bar- rier of Mormal forest and threaten to drive a wedge between Mous and Mau-s Mau-s beuge. To the south the French have launched an attack that has forced i the enemy back from threo to four 1 miles while along the Meuso the ' Americans, in close co-operation with the French just to the westward,have ' overcome a stubborn resistance by the ' enemy and moved still nearer the Se-1 Se-1 dan-Longuyon railroad, fc There is evidence that the Germans arc not carrying out tho orderly retreat re-treat that marked their retirement from the Marne aud Somme salients. ' Batteries of field guns with horses attached, at-tached, have been captured and a vast quantity of munitions Avhich could bo : moved quickly under ordinary circum- stances has fallen into the hands of the allies. To the north Ghent is closely invest ed by the French, Belgian and British f I troops. The fighting there is appar- II outly between German rear guards and , E the allied forces, for civilians are said II to be close behind the lines, and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium watched the be- il.B ginning of tho assault against the citj f Tho line of tho Scheldt is no longer ' ( ' any protection lo the enemy in Bel- ),f H glum. It has been orossed everywhere 1 f H from Ghent to Valenciennes and it is II probable that allied troops have been I 'II flung across the canal north of Ghent. jll II Between Ghent and Brussels there is ,j Mil no great natural obstacle except Uie ' fl Dendre river but it seemg probable ' ;fl that the enemy will not turn at bay until he reaches the Namur-Brussels- If III Antwerp line which is said to have f II been prepared for a grim struggle. j fl American soldiers north of Verdun ' II have crossed the Meuse at three places " I II and have gained ground on the east t II side of tho river. This advance Is IV 1 H most important for itthreatens the Iffl Sedan-Longuyon line aaa new point f II and removes from the GeVmans the ad- : ill vantage of having a posipn. in flank II of 'the American forces dvancing II northward on the western, sfoe'of the j II stream. Sedan must be under artillery i II firo from Ihe medium caliber' Ameri- ; I cau guna. JH |
