BATTLE-CLOUDS ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 5

BATTLE-CLOUDS ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT

VON HINDENBURG'S PREPARATIONS WHERE WILL THE GERMAN BLOW 1 DESCEND? . By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright . ("Times", and Sydney "Sim" Services.) London, May 9. ■' The prospects of a German offensive on the Russian front aro the dominating interest of the military situation. General von Hindcnburg has massed his artillery and ammunition on the Dvinsk and Riga fronts, and is bringing np supplies by rail and sea.to Memel and Libau. Guns have been transfen - ed from fortresses, including that of Konigsberg. Skirmishes axe proceeding at many, points,, hindering Russia from ascertaining where the chief attempt is likely to be made. The,great German effort.will be to roll up Kuropatkin's army, capture Petrograd,.and possibly cut connections between Moscow and Archangel. An attempt to drag Sweden into the war appears to' be. possible. Another possibility, under the mask of thesb preparations, is.that the Ger- ■ man's intend to attack General Brusiloff's armies in the southern zone, securing Austrian and Bulgarian help in enveloping Rumania, thus diverting tho Russian armies from Asia Minor. , ~ Mr. J. L. Garvin, in the "Observer, points out that if the Russian armies are driven' back the struggle will certainly be prolonged beyond' 1917, but it is impossible to state the'real strength of the Germans on the East front. READY FOR ALL EVENTUALITIES THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND MUNITIONMENT TO-DAY. • . , ' ' Petrograd, May 8. Semi-official: "The present Russian Array is excellently and wholly uraed with Russian rifles of a new model. Every regiment is well supplied with the newest machine-guns. The supply of munitions is adequate. Two million men are now in training in the interior." , ■■ STATEMENT BY THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DUMA. London, May 8. The Vice-President of the Duma (M. Alexander Protopopoff), interviewed by the "Sunday Times," expresses Russia's limitless confidence and determination. Throughout "Russia the mobilisation of every form of war energy proceeds steadily. Only 33 per cent .of the men of military age have been recruited. Instancing the reorganisation of the works, M. Protopopoff said that sixty million roubles (over .£6,000,000) had been spent on new workshops in Vladivostock for the output of rolling stock for munition trains. Three hundred textile factories have been taken over by the War Office, and sixty-eight of the biggest metallurgical works had been turned into munition factories. THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN ASIA MINOR . / ■ TURKS REPULSED WITH HEAVY LOSSES (Roc. May 11, 1 a.m.) ... Petrograd, May 10. A Russian communique states: 'Repeated Turkish attacks were repulsed in the Erziiißhan region (Asia Minor), causing overwhelming Turkish losses. "The Turks have been driven out of tho mountains south of Mush, and we have also iluug the enemy a considerable distance westward in the direction of Bagdad."