MACKENSEN'S OFFENSIVE STOPPED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2519, 21 July 1915, Page 7

MACKENSEN'S OFFENSIVE STOPPED

:; v BYr HUGE AUSTRIAN LOSSES RUSSIANS CONFIDENT THEY CAN HOLD THE GERMANS •V* By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright' ("Times" and Sydney "Sun"- Services.) London, July 19. The Russians are confident of their ability to hold the Germans in the Prasnysz region, and also along the Narew and Lublin-Cholm lines. Should the enemy, make a fifth attempt to force , the Vistula and capture Warsaw, it is believed they will be no more successful than on the four previous occasions. The Austrian losses south of Lublili are now estimated-at nearly seventy thousand. These losses Trere'largely responsible for the bringing of General von- Mackensen's offensive to a standstill. . • The Germans' new northern offensive covers a- front of four hundred miles.. Heavy fighting is in progress for practically the whole of that distance. The German troops include fifty thousand raw levies who have' been rushed from tho interior of Germany; ' . ' [Tho Lublin-Cholm line Is flnthe railway between the -Vistula and the Bug, and measures roughly some 40 miles.] ' .GERMAN OFFICIAL' COMMUNIQUE. i .. *• ' * (Rec. July 21, 0.55 a.m.) Amsterdam, July &0. Official.—"We have occupied Tukkum Altauz, and captured Windau. Our pursuit of the enemy from Altauz has reached the district of Hofzetmberge, north-west of Mitau, where the enemy had previoulsy prepared positions. Fighting proceeds east of Popel.any and Kurtsany. "We broke through the Russian position between the Pissa and the Schkva at several points. The Russians evacuated their position, and are now retreating towards the Narow." • _____ . 'AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. 1 London, July 19. 'An Austrian official communique states: "The battle betweea the Vistula and the Bug is in full swing. The Russians are fighting with extraordinary stubbornness, and - frequently there are hand-to-hand struggles before they give up positions. ' ENEMY HAS FORTY-ONE ARMY CORPS IN ACTION. ' » m,. PBtrograd, July 19. It is. estimated that the enemy is operating with forty-one army corps of Ivhich fourteen aro between the Vistula and the Bug, eight between tho But; and.the Dniester, seven north of the seven in Courland and Kovno, and five west of the Niemcn. ' CONDITIONS IN GALICIA REVIEWED. ' ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services,). (Rec. July, 20, 8.5 p.m.) London, July 19. Mr. Stanley Washburn (American war correspondent in tho Eastern theatre), summing up the conditions in Gftlicia, says: "The Austrian soldiers dislike the campaign, which they only undertook because they believed that the \ war was drawing to its termination. They fully appreciate the fact that when the Germans depart the Russians will advance and expel them. "The Germans, not realising the Russians' stamina and capacity for reouperating, believed that their success in Galioia would wreck the Russian morale." Mr. Washburn points out that, acting for months under this impression, tho Germanß split up their strength, scattering their amy corps piecemeal from Poland to tho Bukowina. "The best authorities believe that it will be impossible, even if they partially defeat the Russians, for tho Germans, even approximately, to repeat their earlier achievements. The. Russians' greatest basis is their personal optimism and unshaken ■ stubbornness, despito the last disastrous two months. The Russian peasantry from tho Pacific to the Baltic aro backing the war] and-if Russia had possessed lialf the ammunition the Germans had, she would jiever have retreated." BOMBASTIC ORATIONS BY THE KAISER -"THE ALMIGHTY HAS A MISSION FOR GERMANY." (Rec. July 20,11.5 p.m.) „ .• Zurioh, July 20. Telegrams from Vienna show that the Kaiser has delivered a series of bombastic orations in Galicia and East Prussia. He lias been travelling up and down tho rear of tho German armies which aro advancing on Russia, cxhortin°them to greater exertions. ° . Speakiug at Lemberg, the Kaiser said: "Victory complete and overwhelming is in sight, and then Germanui will rci gll supremo in glory as tho liberator of Europe and the guardian of Kultur." ■ Speaking at Cracow ho said that Germany was fighting to overcome a World conspiracy to blot licr out from a pi acn in civilisation, "but Germany cannotbo defeated or extinguished. Tho Almighty has a mission for Germany to achieve, and the loyal and useful support of Austria and Turkey will not be'forgotten by Germany in tho hour of her supreme triumph." At Beuthen, in Silesia, whero he said: "We are approaching the end of a terriblo .world war, which has beon w asc( l IJV1 JV a ll the weapons at our disposal, as a_man fight's treacherous bandits. Our fon& are now feeling tho weight of Germany'* blows, Mid begU'mim t 0 realise that wb #rp "uti'SHS cuougu for thorn a 11. '4 .... ,

Speaking at he said': "Our triumph cannot be long delayed. Our foes are in confusion. German branery, organisation, and science havo emerged from tho ordeal successfully. Germany is greater and mightier than ever. For wo havo to thank the Almighty, our own strong arm, and sharp sword." Tho Kaiser has telegraphed to the Queen of Greece that, ho lias paralysed the. Russians for at least six months, and is about to deliver a- coup in tho West that will make all Europe tremble. ARMED TRUCE ON THE DANUBE EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION ON SERVIAN FRONT. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, July 19. •' A Belgrade correspondent describes an extraordinary situation Wtlio Danube and Save Rivers, the opposing forces having observed a- truce for practically five, months, as tho result of mutual arrangements with respect to cacli other's cities. Belgrade and Semlin, which are on opposite sides of tho Danube, are confining their fire to the gun positions of the outward fortification, and it' is thus possible to walk the streets of Belgrado with impunity, though tho Austrian troops are easily discernible with the_ naked eye only a thousand yards away, tho flooded Danube separating the rival forces. A similar position exists along tho River Save, .which was the scene of earlier desperate fighting. Here seven hundred yards'separate the troops, between whom children may bo seen fearlessly chasing butterflies. The only symptoms of war are tho occasional snipings,