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Show Extreme Weather Limit- I ing Battles on the I Belgian Front. I FEENCH ARE VICTORS I Allies Preparing to Re? I new Big Offensive I Germans Anxious. I LONDON, Oct. 11. The official H statement issued today by the war office says: "There was a heavy rain again last ,11 night. The enemy's artillery showed considerable activity during the night lH west of Passchanedaele. Otherwisa there was nothing of special interest fl to report." French Defeat Germans. 'lH PARIS. Oct. 11. The French last )JH night defeated an attempt to recapture ground taken in the Frecnh offensivo in Belgium this week, the war offico jH announces. On the Verdun front the Germans broke into advanced French positions but were repulsed after a spirited engagement. 11 Review of War Situation. IH Extremely bad weather on tho Flan- i dors' front is limiting the activities of the belligerents. The allies, however, have maintained themselves in the ter-ritory ter-ritory they gained in Tuesday's great I drive. At only one point has their" hold slipped at all, and that was in a i jH particularly low sector along the Brit' jH ish front below Poelcapelle, where ' their advance posts were drawn in a While the work of consolidation and preparation for the renewal of the of- IH fensivo is proceeding, German couni-ter-attacks are being held off by thn entente guns. Last night the French had one of these attacks to deal with in the region east of Draeibank but broke it up. JH Some attention Is being attracted jH by the persistence of the German of-forts of-forts to regain ground on the Frenoh front in the Verdun region. In thia connection, it -is noted that recently hJH ono of the German critics, in alluding 'IH to the situation in Flanders, spoke of the peril to which the Germans might IH be subjected on the Vjjrdun front if iH the German lines in the Belgian area HH should give way. ' IH The French are very near German territory northeast of Verdun and a forced weakening of the German linafi (jH there might well have a serious of !;H feet upon the whole military situation well placed as the French are for thi initiation of a drive from the outlay iH ing Verdun positions. Tho Germaa 'H effort to push back the French hero, , or possibly to regain the lost initiative in the region, may possibly be traced to anxiety in this respect on the part of the German high command. Small success, however, is attend ing tho crown prince's efforts in thia direction. He tried again last night near Hill 3-14, but General Petain'a fM forces held their ground, driving thfl 'H Germans out of such advanced ,jH trenches as they managed temporarily to penetrate. JH |