WAR NEWS DELAYED

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 21, 24 July 1918, Page 7

WAR NEWS DELAYED

SYDNEY, 23rd July.

Heavy .'rains are interrupting telegrapliic communication and delaying the.receipt of war news.

In the above map the heavy black line is the position of the battle-front pi'ior to the German offensive near Reims, and the dotted lino from the left hand border of the map, running down to the Marne, then around Reims and off to the East is approximately the position reached as the result of the German advances, including the last stage which was checked by> General Foch's attack at Soissons. The principal result of the last German efforts was to extend the invasion beyond the Marne, the object being then, to move east in the direction of Epernay, as shown by the broken arrow, to reach .-Epernay and cutoff Reims from the south. Between ' the Marne v and Reims the enemy had also made a sharp bulge eastward, which is not shown. General Foch's offensive was directed first against the west side of the big salient, especially along the Aisne, and the strategical effect of the blow was secured at the point shown by the arrow near Soissons. It will bo seen that the Laon-Soissous railway is here so closely approached by the Allied advance as to be virtually cut. No other railway appears to exist by which Laon, the German base behind this front, can communicate with the armies in the salient. The result of this stroke was to compel the Germans to begin a withdrawal, the extent of which is roughly indicated by the shading on the west and south of the salient. It has proceeded further in the south-west angle since the map was drawn. On the east side of'the salient, also, ground, has been won by the Allies. The enemy has brought all the strength possible to bear against the Allies around Soissons, with the object of preventing such a, penetration as would result in actually, cutting off the- retreat of the German aiinies,