RUSSIANS TAKE THE OFFENSIVE AT SOME POINTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2558, 4 September 1915, Page 5

RUSSIANS TAKE THE OFFENSIVE AT SOME POINTS

. THE RETIREMENT CONTINUES STEADILY, (Rec; September 3, 11.30 p.m.) 1 Pefrograd, September 3. Russian communique.—"We repulsed .tho enemy's attacks on Friedrichstadt. .Our troops are approaching AVilkomir. Our cavalary carried two villages near Szirwik.v with tho bayonet taking some prisoners. . { The enemy's oliiof efforts are directed along tho Olita-Merecz Road. Wo i repulsed several obstinato attacks'and there was a stubborn fight near i Orany. . _ ( After holding the enemy near Grodno as long as was necessary-to enable us, to evacuate this' point, wo crrtssed to tho right bank of tho Niemcn. AfteV holding tho enemy in tho Lutzk district we fell back upon the Ulyka-Radziwiloff front-. Wo took hundreds of .prisoners and a number of maohirie-guiis. The enemy has occupied Lutzk. •' Our troops in Galicia, in accordance witli the retreating movement" from Styr, occupied new positions enabling us to cover our movements with rearguards. The enemy again suffered very heavily in the regions of ZolochowZborow, and at the mouth of the Strypa. We hero assumed' a partial offensive, capturing guns, iirisoners, and much material. RUSSIAN-ARMIES MASTERS OF THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR RETREAT. . \ London, September 2. < A Paris communique hails the Russian success at Strypa, and adds:—• i "This victory shows that tho Russian armies are masters of the conditions of 'their retreat, and 'continue capablo of assuming the offensive whenever the oircuuistauces are favourable." SIGNIFICANCE OF AUSTRO-GERMAN ACTIVITY IN GALICIA THE PROJECTED ATTACK ON SERBIA' AND BULGARIA. DISCREDITED. .("Times'' and Sydney "Sun" Services.) ■ '.(Rec. September 3, 7.30 p.m.) London, .September 2. j Colonel Repiiigtou, the "Times" military correspondent, commenting on j the advance of the Austro-Germans in Galicia after eight weeks of compara- , tivo inactivity, says it implies a desire to turn tho right of General Ivanoff's armies, and seize Luzlc and Rovno, depriving the Russian commander of an important group of railway communications, including the chief line traversing' the Pripet district south and north. If this is effected, General Ivanoff would be more than ever cut off from the Russians in the north, with scanty railway communications. If retiring eastwards of Eieff, the two main. groupings of Russian, armies will' endeavour to keep in touch by using bodies of light 'troops ; in the Pripet region, which'is unsuitable for the operations of large forces, and will be shortly impassable. '• . ( 1 The renewed throat of au iTustro-Germari invasion. Serbia merits respect. It would bo a big thing to disarm Serbia and chain up Bulgaria to the Ger- -" man chariot, and breaking the way to Constantinopio, in order to fall, iiito tho arms of Enver Bey arid his crew, but it is a good deal to ask us to believe that - thoso Balkan States, owing their existence to Russia, her friends are ready to beconio the instrument and-victims of Teuton domination. -There is no doubt , tho "greatest desire on Austria-Hungary's' part to . wipe out the memories of defeats at the Serbian hands, but tho winter approaches, and the Austro-Germans are deeply involved in more important operations. Germany, with uncohejuered enemies on two fronts, her source of recruiting unable to ( stand the. heay.y demands and immense casualties and without enlisting above the military age ; may well dread a Balkan adventure. - .- If tho Russian armies now round Vilna can hold their ground or retire slowly for .the next ten days'tlioy will be out of danger, and, with-, winter near, the German armies will shortly'be in a disagreeablo position. ■ Tho : Russians -, are retiring on forest swamps and into-vast spaces arid solitudes ill the in- : terior, there awaiting spring and the hour of her revenge. •< •: