THE CORRESPONDENTS' DESPATCHES.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14864, 11 September 1918, Page 5

THE CORRESPONDENTS' DESPATCHES.

FAILURE OF GERMAN ARTILLERY

EVIDENT SHORTAGE OF SHELLS

j ENEMY'S STRENGTH IN THE WEST.

THE BRITISH LINE.

(Reuter'e Telegrams.!

London, Sept. 9. Reuters correspondent at American Headquarters states that repeatedly during the past week, even when the German infantry were most hotly pressed, the German artillery had not provided anything like the assistance which might, be anticipate. For example, the German counter-batter/ work on the occasion of the sanguinary defeat of three German divisions at Crecy-au-Mont was puerile. One is forced to conclude that perhaps partly owing to the loss of millions of rounds in the retreat the enemy in certain sectors I are short of ammunition. i Rsuter's correspondent at British Headquarters, writing this- evening, sa y S: —Southward we have reached a line eastward, of the villages of Trefcon, Paeuilly, Flechin, and Bernes1. We are in Roisel. Thence the line runs along the Roisel-Villersfaucon railway. Wo are occupying Faucon and also ' Haulcourt and Guyencourt. • Further north we carried a spur south-east of Hendicourt, and gained .useful ground north of the village. !"■'■'

CABLE NEWS.

[Peess Association. —Copyright.]

We are in De Sart Wood, between Fins and Gouzaaucourt.

The Germans are reported to bo trailing out of Hendicourt, near which we captured the spoil heap v.-bich figured prominently in tho Battle of Cambrai last November. •

The enemy have now engaged 107 divisions since August Bth, of which three are dismounted cavalry. Thirty-two divisions have been engaged twice and three have been engaged three times. We have counted roughly 142 divisions north and soxith of the Somme. Thus there are one and. a quarter million troops between Switzerland and the sea. Tho German strength is probably less than two and a half millions on the whole front. Their Eastern forces have been combed out,and it is believed there will not be a fresh division from the East for the Western front, either German or Russian.