oceed.
Fighting in the Herbebois sector had raged throughout the day, and
during the night the French were forced to withdraw.

When February 24, 1916, dawned the French line ran by Beaumont, the
northern edge of the Bois des Fosses, and covered La Chaume Wood. The
Germans continued to bombard the Woevre front, but did not attempt to
attack as the French artillery held them to their trenches.

During the day the Germans, who had been hemmed in at Samogneux, after
repeated struggles to debouch from that place, succeeded when night
came in capturing Hill 304.

From the southern edge of Caures Wood the Germans slowly advanced
through the heavily timbered ravines up the slopes of Anglemont Hill.
On the side of Fosses Wood they bombarded French positions all the
morning of February 24, 1916. East of Rappe Wood and to the north of
Wavrille Wood they assembled strong forces. Two French battalions
succeeded in carrying part of the wood, and were then held up by
machine-gun fire. Fosses Wood and Beaumont were deluged by German
shells of every caliber. An infantry attack gave the Germans the
southern edge of Wavrille Wood, where the French clung tenaciously.
Fosses Wood, then Beaumont, were captured, then La Chaume Wood. The
French situation had become serious. At 2.20 in the afternoon a large
force of Germans advanced between Louvemont and Hill 347, and though
the French made desperate efforts to stay the advancing waves, Les
Chambrettes, Beaumont, and Fosses and Caures Woods were occupied by
the enemy.

[Illustration: General Joffre conferring with General Petain near
Verdun, where General Petain's forces meet the assaults of the armies
of the Crown Prince in the battle for the fortress.]

PART IV--THE WAR AT SEA

CHAPTER XV

NAVAL SITUATION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND YEAR--SUBMARINE
EXPLOITS

Naval events such as the world had never known were believed to be
impending at the beginning of the war's second year. With the land
forces of the belligerents in a fierce deadlock, it seemed that a
decision must come upon the sea. Assuredly the Allies were willing,
and Germany had accomplished things in her shipyards that for sheer
determination and efficiency developed to the last degree, were
comparable to her finest deeds of arms. None doubted that she longed
with a grim hope for such a meeting. Helgoland and the newly enlarged
Kiel Canal were hives where an intensive industry kept every man and
vessel f