RUSSIANS FIGHTING HUGE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2284, 19 October 1914, Page 5

RUSSIANS FIGHTING HUGE BATTLE

ALONG A FRONT OF 280ILES OVER FOUR MILLION TROOPS ENGAGED Petrograd, October 16. 'A telegram states that a gigantic battle between Warsaw and the Dneister has commenced along a front of 280 miles. There are half a million Austrians and Germans botween Warsaw and Ivangorod, 700,000 from Ivangorod to the San River, and 450,000 between the Ban and the Dneister. The Russian forces are estimated at two and a half millions. — • GERMAN ARMY OUT IN TWO. (Reo. October 18, 3.35 p.m.) London, October 17. The "Daily Chronicle's" '• correspondent at Petrograd roports that it is unofficially stated that the great battle which began on Monday at first seemed to'go in favour of the Germans, but on Tuesday and Wednesday the Russians took the upper hand, and repulsed tho enemy, wlio were driven back in the direction of Kielce, and their army cut ir. two, the Russians capturing ten thousand prisoners and 42 cannon, Kielce is a town in Russian Poland, about 60 miles N.E. by 15. of. Cracow, on tho railway which ctossps the German frontier just east oP ITio point at which the border-line of flnssinn Silesia touches that of Galicia; Prom tho crossing radiate linos which lead into tho heart of both Germany and Austria. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN GALTCTA. (Rec. October 18, 3.35 p.m.) Petrograd, October 17. Official.—The Russians liavo assumed tho offensive iilong the Vistula, in Galicia. (Rec. Octobor 18, 4.40 p.m.) Rome, October 17. Reports from the Austrian frontier state that cholera is rapidly spreading iti Gtolivia and in Hungary, Ton thousand oasea are reported in Northern JSurswj, ••■■■,■■■

An official message to the Prime Minister of New-Zealand states (under date, London, October 16);— Fighting is proceeding 60uth of PrzemsyL The Russians repelled strong German assaults from Warsaw and Ivangorod on October 15. A battle has begun between Warsaw and the Dneister alone a 280-miles front. Tlio Russian Governor-General of Galieia announces a scheme of administration dividing the villages into three provinces. STORY OF THE OSTERODE DISASTER HOW THE RUSSIANS FADED TWO FIRES, m , ,„..„; , London, October 1^ Jhe following is the first detailed account of the Osterode disaster: General Rennenkampf, the Russian commander, seemed cortain that he would capture Konigsberg, but when General Shillinski's army advanced in two bodies—one via Lyck and tne other by way of Soldau—the Germans allowed the Russian vanguard to emerge from the swamps and reach firm ground at Osterode,' 30 miles north-north-west of Soldau. General Hindenberg, who had previously experienced this identical problem in manoeuvres on that very ground, hurried up his artillery from the two great fortresses at Thorn and Graudeitz, and, reinforcements from the Rhino and Belgium having arrived, hurled his forces upon the Russians at Neidenburg, 15 miles north-east of Soldau. The Russians were driven into the swampy country 6urrouudhig a lake. CAUGHT IN THE SWAMP LANDS, The German reserves were then thrown on the Russian right at Ortels--burg, forcing it also into the swamps. The Germane next occupied high ground: en three sides of a lake. Towards evening the Germans closed in, and concentrated their fire on the Russians, who were unable to manoeuvre. The Russian guns sank in the swamp, and horseß and men were bogged. Only the 6th and half of the Ist Army Corps escaped across the frontier. General Hindenberg then marched ninety-four miles in four days, to cut off General Rennenkampf, but the latter had already taken precautions, having cent a force to Lyck and many men to Suwalki. Tho Germans defeated ; the Lyck force, but General Rennenkampf was able to retreat in good order. AUSTRIA MAKING A SUPREME EFFORT. _ . Rome, October 16. Having called out all men between the ages of twenty and forty-seven years, the Austrian Government is to-day summoning youths between' .the ages of seventeen and twenty, to provide a new army for a supreme effort against the Russians in Galieia and the Servians on the Drina.