RUSSIANS' STAND AGAINST ODDS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2388, 18 February 1915, Page 5

RUSSIANS' STAND AGAINST ODDS

OBSTINATE FIGHTING IN EAST PRUSSIA AOSTRIANS ADVANCING IN BDKOWINA (Rec. February 17, D.40 p.m.) petrograd, February 17. Official—"We have obstinately fought superior German forces at Augustow, which were trying to surround our wings. A German column is advancing from Grajevo to Osowiec. Tho enemy between the Vistula and the Skrawa reached a line from Plock to Racioz (25 miles north east of Plock). "Tho enemy has captured Nadworna, in Bukowina, and crossed the Serth River."

HOW THE GEEMAN PEESSUEE DEVELOPED. (Rec. February 17, 5.15 p.m.) mu r j • 1? it> , London, Fobruary 16. The German advance in East Prussia was foreseen, but apparently was developing faster than was expected. The Russian arrangements were made in time, and the troops haVe now fallen back to an extremely strong position The enemy's further advance will be severely impeded, owing to the heavy condition of the roads and tho swampy country. Berlin claims to have captured 29,000 Russians during the last f*w davs — "Times" and Sydney "Sun" services. EEPOETED HASTY, EVACUATION OF LODZ. (Rec. Fobruary 17, 0.15 p. m .) Paris has been informed that the Germans have evacuated Lodz^urriedly removing thir victuals and stores to Kalisz, on the Poland frontier. ''Times' and Sydney "Sun" services. The Prime Minister has received the following from the Hi"h Commissioner, dated London, February 16, 5.15 a.m.), a • "Petrograd reports that in the regiou of Augustow the Russians fought obstinately on Monday against numerically superior German forces, which were trying to surround the Russian wings._ The enemy's column is marching from Grajevo to Oscwiec. Between cho Vistula and the Skawa the enemv reached a front, from Plock to Racioaz. In tho Carpathians tho Russians have progressed on tho left bank of the Upper San, and taken 600 prisoners, Determined German attacks on Kozwinaka and Wy'schow were repulsed. In the operations against Bukowina the enemy has captured Nadvorna, and crossed the Serth River."

RAILWAY STRATEGY IN THE EASTERN THEATER Mr. Frank H. Simonds, who has been contributing to the American "Review of Reviews" a most interesting commentary on the progress of the operations in the various theatres of the war in Europe, devotes some attention to the importance of railway strategy in the Eastern theatre. "Looking at Russian Poland on the map," he says, "it will be seen that it resembles a gigantic wheel, half its circumference or rim made by. the territory of Russia, the other half, by Austrian and German territory from East Prussia to Galicia. Warsaw,' tlio capital, is situated about in tho centre, and serves as the hub of this Polish wheel. From Warsaw three r main railways radiate like the spokes of a wheel. The first, going north-west, reaches the Prussian frontier near Mlawa, whence it continues io Dantzig. Tho second goes nearly due west, approaches the frontier at Kalis?., and crosses it just beyond this town, whence it continues west to Frankfurt and Berlin. The third runs south-west and reaches the frontier of Silesia east of Czenstaehowa, whence it continues to Breslau. For convenience these three railways may ho called, respectively, tho Dantzig, Frankfurt, and Breslau lines. The only other railroad of immediate interest is that which leaves tlif. Breslau line at Skicrniwiez,' fifty m:)cs west' of .Warsaw, runs north, crossing tho Frankfurt line at Lowiez and reaching tho frontier at Thorn. This will b 0 described as tho Thorn line. "Now, at the points where all these four lines touch tho German frontier —that, is, at the rim of the Polish wheel—they meet German railroads which follow tho frontier all the way, and for tho purpose of our figure may be likened to the tiro of the Polish wheel. 'J heso aro tho strategic railroads, so much mentioned in recent dispatches, tho most important of which extends all the way from the Dantzig to the Hicslau railroad. The military advantage of these railroads of tho Germans is this: Russian armies advancing to invade Silesia, Poscn. or Kast Prussia must move along tho lines which have been described as the spokes of the Polish wheel. On ( . c thoy arc well committed to such an invasion a Russian uvuiy, for example, tnnviua alone; tho. Ht-culaii tinr, can "lily M»!uwiicate and #sud reiufqjcemculs t 0 ajwLher ami. moving along tho Daut>

<iig line, by sending troops all the way back to Warsaw, that is, up one spoke and down another. But the Germans, possessing the strategic lines alone the rim of the wheel, could send their troops directly from Czenstachowa to Mlawa Again, while the Russians would have to use the railroads needed to supply the armies in the field for such a concentration, the Germans would bo able to use lines parallel, not penpendicular. to their front, and not used in supplying their troops actually iu the field. A glance at the map of German territories just inside the frontier from Poland will show that the region is a perfect network of railroads, thus affording many lines by which to move troops to the front, while Russian Poland, save for the lines mentioned, is practically without railways, and these had been partially destroyed in November."