GERMAN ARMY DEFEATED

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2265, 26 September 1914, Page 7

GERMAN ARMY DEFEATED

RUSSIAN VICTORY IN EAST PRUSSIA FRONTIER POSITION; RECAPTURED AUSTRIANS IN A* CRITICAL '/POSITION KAISER'S NEW MOVE TO CRUSH -ENGLAM)' TO PIECES * : ALLIES' DOGGED ADVANCE FIGHTING ALONG THE AISNE In EVanoe, the centre armies of the Mies are maintaining their - 'dogged and relentless pressure on the Germane. The fighting along • this line, we are' told to-day, is less a battle than a siege on a Strongly fortified field position, to be won foot by foot by desperate encounters, covered by fierce bombardments by the artillery,' the ad-. ' • vanoe being at the rate of about half a mile a day. The operations oi the German right show : greater mobility, and here the success of the Allies' left is being: spiritedly maintained. There is practically no change in the position elsewhere along the line. The most important developments of the war are the Russian operations in Galicia against the Austrians and the Germans in East Prussia., The Russian General operating in. the north has-, defeated the German Army which '.; was ' opposing his advance into East Prussia, and has reoaptured Solda.ii, while the Russian armies in Galicia, by their tactical stroke in oapturing the fortified position of Jaro'slav, have; gained an important base for their operations against the fortress of Przemysl, and have manoeuvred the Austrians into a difficult and perilous position. Internal dissensions' in the ranis of the Austrians, caused by the resentment of the proRussian Slav units against the hectoring of their Austrian commaaders, is weakening their effectivenesses a fighting machine. There is a, further budget of stories from survivors of the North Sea tragedy, and .. an account of the shelling of Madras, on the Bast Coast of India, by the German raider Emden. An American, long resident in Berlin, has given to a London interviewer his'impressions of the Kaiser's plans to crush England—Zeppelin airships, for overhead; attack, dro, being con- v structed with feverish haste, and merchant vessels are being con* yerted into troopships in large numbers. LITTLE CHANGE ALONG BATTLE- FRONT ALLIES MAKE SLIGHT GAIN GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED ON WHOLE LINE By TelegTaplir-PrwJ Association—tfopyrlsht Paris, September 24. . Offioial. —The situation on th# front is unohanged. : Officers believe that the Germans would, have retreated before now, but for the conditions of the roads rendering it impossible to transport the heavy cannon. The Germans are fighting like desperate men, the officers sacrificing the forces without,reason, driving them again and again to the charge as if they, were blind men.' . ADVANCE Off ABOUT HALE A' MILE DAILY. Paris, September 24. A oommumque explains that the battle of the Aisne assumes on a large portion of .the front the characteristics of a fortress war, analogous to the operations in Manchuria. The exceptional power of the artillery on both Bides imparts a special value to .temporary fortifications; it is therefore a matter of carrying successive entrenchments, .all of which are guarded by accessory defenoes, notably barbed-wire entanglements: Therefore the Allies' ■advance is only at a rate of 600 metres to one kilometre (.6214 of a mile) daily, ... ALLIES' LEFT MAKES SLIGHT PROGRESS, (Reo. September 25, 11.5 p.m.) Paris, September 24. . Official.—On the left, between the Somme and the Oise, we have made progress in the direotion of Roye, 26 miles south-east of Amiens. The detachment which occupied Peronne has maintained its position, notwithstanding vigorous attacks. - , ' ' The enemy between the Oise and the Aisne continues to %eep large forces firmly entrenched. We have advanced slightly north-west of Berryoubae. There is no change between. Reims and the Argonne. The enemy has continued his attacks east of the Argonne, and on the heights of the Meuse the struggle continues -with alternate retirement at certain points, and advance at others. - ' , ' ' ' There is no notable change in the region of Nancy and the Vosges. Some detachments of the enemy tried to penetrate French territory, driving back our light covering force, but the movement was 'soon arrested. SINKING OP THE THREE CRUISERS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS VESSELS HIT ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY London, September 24. _ Further details of the loss, of the oruisers Oressy, Aboukir, and Hogue by Herman submarines are available.' , Albert J. Dougherty, the chief gunner of tho cruiser Cressy, states: "We were steaming slowly .in line somewhere off the coast of Holland. A hundred yards approximately separated each vessel. Suddenly we heard a great crash, and the middle ship, tho Aboukir, heeled over, going down rapidly. We closed up with the sinking ship, when there was a second crash, and the Hogue began to settle down. As we drew near to go to them, someone shouted to me: "Look out, there's a submarine on the port beam.' "I saw she was about four hundred yards away, her periscope being above the waves. I took careful aim with a 12-pounder; the shot went' over her about two yards. I gave the range, fired again, ant) hit the periscope. She disappeared, but came up again, showing her conning-tower.' I fired a third time and smashed in the top of the conning-tower. After that I 6hot at a trawler a thousand yards away. She was evidently a German disguised, and was directing operations. Tho shot sot her afire, but I do not know her ultimate fate. At this timo we had been (truck by one torpedo, but the damago done was not vital. "Then we saw a second submarine on the starboard, and made a desperate effort to get her, but failed, and her torpedo got home in the engine-room, and the Cressy began to turn over. I believe Captain Johnson wont down . with the ship. Ono torpedo passed under the stern, tho enemy actually discharging torpedoes while the water was thick with drowning men. I saw five submarines, but only, one was hit." .

GREAT HOLE TORN IN ABOUKIR. A member of the Aboukir's watch states: "The explosion shook the whole ship, and tore a great lump out of her side. Many of the men on the upper deck were killed outright. Then the vessel heeled until her rail was immersed. The order was given: 'Every man for himself.' Long before tie Cressy and the Hogue reached the spot the Ahoukir had disappeared. The Germans certainly took us by surprise, and made the most of their opportunity. ' Most of the victims belong .to Chatham, where about a thousand homes are faced with mourning. ■ CRUISERS HAD NO TIME TO RETALIATE. (Bee. September 25, 8.15 p.m.) London, September 24; Dispatches indicate that the Oressy alone saw the submarines in time to attempt to retaliate. An officer said it was satisfactory to know that the Germans had destroyed only three comparatively obsolete vessels that were, shortly destined to be scrapped. They were manned by scratch crews, who had only been together six weeks. The hardest thing was the fate of the cadets, many of • whom were only fifteen j-ears , old, and acted aas coolly as the old hands. Twenty-four men were saved after clinging for hours to a target which floated off the Hogue , s deck. ■ The Titan's captain, ignoring the risks, cruised for hours near the scene and rescued many who were exhausted. Some of the submarines came to the surface and the crews from the conning-tower jeered at the drowning Britishers. Five Germans from the wrecked submarine were saved. GERMANS STATE ONLY ONE SUBMARINE ENGAGED, ■ ■ Amsterdam, September 24. 'A' message from Berlin states that only one submarine, the TJ9, attacked the oruisers. She returned undamaged. None of the wounded sailors landed in Holland aTe seriously injured. The XJ9 is a vessel of 187 tons, built in 1910. Her speed is about 12 knots on the surface and 9 knots submerged. She carries 11 men and can remain 24 hours under water. 1 ENEMY'S FLOTILLA SHIP UNDER FALSE COLOURS. London, September 24. The '"Daily Chroniole's" Harwich correspondent states that the parent ship of the submarine flotilla flew the Dutch flag. The Germans did not make any effort to save life. It is reported that the flotilla left the Baltio last week, came through the Kiel Canal, and dashed to the Island of Borkum, from where the raid was made. ..■<.. Two torpedoes struck the Aboukir. Most of her crew were killed whilst asleep. The officers and crews of all the ships behaved admirably. JUBILATION IN BERLIN. Rome, September 24. Messages- from Berlin state that the news of the sinking of the oruisers caused great enthusiasm. It is 'declared that this is-only a foretaste of what Britain may expect when she faces the German Navy. SIEGE OF' PRZEMYSL DEVELOPING RUSSIANS OCCUPY SOLDAU TIIRTY-TWO GERMAN ARMY CORPS IN THE EAST Petrograd, September 24. Operations at Przemysl are successfully developing. The Russians captured an armoured train, with quick-firers aboard; southward of Przemysl. The Germans in North-West Poland are almost quiescent.. They are etrongly fortifying the Czenstochow-Kalisz line; also the positions further north, and are aoting entirely on the defensive. The Russians have occupied the line of the River Wislok, which is a' tributary of the San. ' .-• . Ozenstoohow and Kalisz lie in Russian Poland, respectively ten and five miles from the German frontier. They are eighty miles apart, and if the entrenched line is carried further north practically the whole-frontier of German Poland would be covered. ,/'■•.■ DISPOSITION OF THE GERMAN ARMY. . . Petrograd, September 24. ■•■ It is estimated that eight German Army Corps are operating against General Rennenkampf. Six are stationed at Posen and the Vistula fortresses, and eight in the region of Broslau or with the Austrians. .Thus, out of a total of forty-two army corps, twenty-two are operating on the eastern front, eighteen on the western, and two upon service in the interior.—(''Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) THE CAPTURE OF JAROSLAV.. ' (Reo. September 25, 6.10 p.m.) _.■ ■ , , , Petrograd, September 24. The capture of Jaroslav has been made the occasion of the greatest rejoicing. The highest strategic importance is attached to its capture, because it gives the Russians a base for action on the right flank of the Austrian armies The situation of the Austrians on the Oracow-Przemysl line ie full of peril" and they must soon seek another line of defence. , ' ■ It is evident the garrison at Jaroslav deserted their guns and retreated to save themselves. The capture in two days of a fortress which experts consider to bo stronger than either Liege or Namur is unexplicable otherwise The Russians control 680 miles of railways in Galicia. RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN EAST PRUSSIA.- • (Reo. September 26, 11.5 p.m.) ' ' ■„-.. , „ _'•■,' Paris, September 24. The "Matin's" Petrograd correspondent says General JRennenkampf has defeated the German Army, and has reoccupied Soldan, in East Prussia. DISSENSION IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.., (Reo. September 25, 8.15 p.m.) _..'..„,.. L 1 , Warsaw, September 24. Russia's victonee in Galicia were partly due to the refusal of the Austrian Poles to fight against their Russian kindred. Great quantities of arms and ammunition were voluntarily surrendered by the Austrians' Polish regiments. Prisoners state that ill-feeling'has been engendered through'the hectoring attitude of the Austro-Hungarian officers and iJhe Germans in general acousing them of incompetence, taunting them with their failures and en- ' deavouring to take the lead in everything. " : CHOLERA AMONG AUSTRIAN WOUNDED, (R«o. September 25, 8 p.m.) ... ~.. ~ , , , • ' ' Vienna, September 24. Nine cases of Asiatic cholera have been discovered among the wounded from Galicia. ' . PROGRESS OF. THE GREAT BATTLE OFFICIAL NARRATIVE CONTINUED BRITISH REPULSE ENEMY TIME AFTER TIME

The telegram below was received late last night from the High Commisisoner: Official.—The following telegram from the General at Headquarters supplements the narrative published on the 22nd- regarding -the ' movements of the British and French armies in immediate touch'with it. "The enemy, is still maintaining himself along the whole front. In order to do so he is still throwing into the fight detachments composed of units from very different formations, namely, the active army, the reserve, and the Landwehr, as shown by the uniforms of prisoners recently captured. • "Our progress, although slow on account of the strength of the defensive positions against winch wo are.pressing, has in certain directions been continuous, but tho present battle- may woll last some days more before a decision is reached. It now approximates siego warfare. The Germans arc making uso of searchlights, and this fact, coupled with their great strength in heavy artillery, leads to the supposition that thoy are employing material which may have been collected for the siego of Paris. "The nature of tho general situation after the opprations of the 13th, 18th, lOfc'h, and 20th cannot bettor bo summarised than expressed recently by a ■neighbouring French commander to his corps; 'Having repulsed repeated violent counter-attacks mudq by, the wioniy,

we , have the feeling that we have been victorious.' • Enemy's Attack Laoks vigour. "During the 18th artillery fire was kept up, intermittently by both sides during' daylight. At night the Germans counter-attacked certain portions of our line, supporting the advance of their infautry as always by heavy bombardment, but the strokes were not delivered with any great vigour, and they ceased about, 2 a.m. During the dav'e fighting an anti-aircraft gun of the Third Army Corps succeeded in bringing down a. German aeroplane. "A body of French cavalry demolished part of the railway, and so temporarily cut one lino of communication, which is of particular importance to the enemy. "On the 19th the bombardment was resumed' by the Germans at an early hour, and continued intermittently under a reply from out guns: Some of their infantry advanced from cover, apparently with tho intention of attacking, but on coming under fire they retired. Otherwise, the day was uneventful, except for the activity of the artillery, which is now a matter of normal routine rather than an event. "Another hostile aeroplane has been brought down by us. . One of our aviators succeeded in dropping several bombe over tho Gorman liiios, one in» cendinry bomb falling .with considerable.

effect on the transport park, near La ! Fere. Corman Munitions Discovered. i "A buried store of the enemy's munitions lias been found not far from tha Aisne, ten wagon loads of live shell being diug up. Traces were discovered of large quantities of stores having boon burnt, all tending to show that po far back as Aisno tho German retirement was hurried. A strong wind during the day, accompanied by driving ram, mitigated against aerial reconnaissance. . ■ "On the 20th nothing of importance occurred until the afternoon, when there Was. an interval of feeble sunshine which was hardly powerful enough to warm the soaking troops. The. Germans took advantage of this brief fine weather to _ make separate counter-attacks against different points. These wero all repulsed with loss to the enemy, but the casualties inourred by us wero by w> means light. In one section our firing line, occupying trenches,, were under the impression that they heard a military band in the enemy's lines just before flhe attack developed. It is now known that the German infantry started the advance with bands playing. The offensive against one or two points was renewed at dusk with no greater success. Infantry Always Ready. "The , brunt of the resistance has naturally fallen upon the infantry, and in spite of the fact that they have been drenched to tho skin for some days, and , their trendies have been deep in mud and water, and in spite of incessant night alarme and almost continuous bombardment, they have on every occasion been ready for the enemy's infantry. ' When the latter have attempted an assault, they have beaten baok the enemy with great loss. Tho sight of the enemy coming up has been a positive relief after long trying hours of inaction under shell fire. The object of the great proportion of the artillery the Germans employ is to beat down the resistance of their enemy by a concentrated prolonged fire, and to shatter their nerve with high explosives, before the infantry attack is launched. They seem to have relied on doing this with us, but they have not done so, though it has taken them costly experiments to discover the fact. Enemy Disappointed. "From the statements of prisoners, it appears that they have been greatly disappointed by the moral effect produced by their heavy guns, which despite actual losses inflicted, are not commensurate with the colossal expenditure of ammunition. It is not implied that their artillery fire is not good. It is excellent, but the British soldier is a difficult person to impress or _ depress even by immense 'shells filled with high explosives, which detonate with terrihe violence, and form craters large enough to act as graves for five horses."