"PRZEMYSL; THE STORY"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2428, 6 April 1915, Page 5

"PRZEMYSL; THE STORY"

INCOMPETENT AUSTRIAN OFFICERS A SHAMEFUL 'EXPOSURE (''Times"- and Sydney "Sun" Service.) London, April 4. . The correspondent of "The Times," describing "Przemysl; Its Story,"says: "The impregnable fortress was two or three times over-garrisoned. The pa-, tient, haggard soldiers were starving inthel trenches, whilst sleek, faultlesslydressed officers' Were living on the fat of the land at fashionable hotels and restaurants. The captured garrison consisted of 131,000 men, 4000 officers, and 40,000 civilians. ' "Experts estimate that- 50,000 men could have held the fortress against any forces. When the'food pinch came the situation became acute; all except, the officers' and the cavalry transport horses were consumed. Cats sold at Bs. each, and dogs at _a sovereign apiece. "When the garrison became thin and half-starved) the officers filled the cafes, pkyed cards and billiards, and' led the Vielina life. They did not share the hardships of the men; they had every luxury, while their own orderlies and servants begged for a slice of bread. Soldiers fell m the streets from weakness and hunger. The officers retained their private thoroughbred mounts until the day before the surrender, when two thousand of the animals were killed to prevent the Russians obtaining them. Soldiers Half-orazed with Hunger. "A Russian officer states that when he entered the town he saw half-crazed Austrian and Hungarian soldiers tearing the horses' bodies,.the men's faces and harfds being smeared with blood while they were devouring the raw flesh. When it was obviously utterly impossible to hold out anv longer the Austrianß destroyed, with' enormous charges of dynamite, three,bridges over the river San, the explosions breaking all the windows in that part of the town; "Munitions and military stores were dumped in the river, the guns.of the frrts demolished, arid the stocks of the rifles broken. When the destruction had. been completed the Austrians asked for parlementaires. 1 Three envoys were sent, and th'e.v discussed and accepted terms of capitulation, amounting to unconditional surronder. "It was impossible to conceive a greater contrast than that between the businesslike Russian officers and the easy-going, dapoe'r Austrians. The former looked to he serious, hard-fighting men ; the latter were wasp-waisted. in smart uniforms, with trailine sabres. They sauntered about, laughing and joking. ■ Parasites In Uniforms, "The Austrians throughout had plenty of ammunition. _ They greatly out-numbered the Russiuis; yet only one effort had been made to break out, the force taking part comprising 30,000 —all Hungarians. "The civilians gladly welcomed the Russians. _ I "The Austrians and Hungarians were I first-class raw material; but now they! are utterly broken and hopeless, this being due to their wretched officers, the most incompetent in Europe, who appear to have been parasites, not con-. tributing to the defence of the fort- j cess."