THE RUSSIAN CRISIS

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3990, 24 July 1915, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN CRISIS

GIGANTIC STRUGGLE FOR WARSAW. ENEMY GHE6KED SOUTH OF LOBON. RUSSIAN COMMANDER’S INTENTIONS STILL UNKNOWN. i ' LONDON’S KEEN INTEREST IN THE CRISIS. RIVAL ARMIES’ POSITIONS FULLY REVIEWED. FEVERISH ANXIETY IN BERLIN. ( ! nited Press Association—Copyright. ) (Received July 23, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, J uly 23. The public tire absorbed in the struggle for Warsaw. Communiques show that the Russians are holding all the vital points on the front and that the essential railways are still intact. Though communiques mention fighting’ at llejowiec village, half-a-mile from the Cholm-Ivangorod railway, critics point out that the Germans have not yet reached the point west of the Vistula, which they attacked before being- driven back in 1914. The Ger-manh claim to be investing Ivangorod, but an Austrian official message admits that they are still westward of the Vistula and north of the fortress of Blonie, on a line mentioned in a Petrograd official message about twenty miles west of the Vistula. ’ General Mackensen’s advance has been arrested 20 miles south-west, and 13 miles south-east of Lublin. While General ATackensen’s centre is butting towards the railway eight miles west of Cholm, unless success is speedy General Mackensen is bound to be troubled by shortage, of supplies. A single German army corps consumes 250 tons daily, apart from ammunition and fourteen Army Corps will require 700 motor lorries, assuming that the double journey of 120 miles can be performed daily. General Mackensen formed large magazines during a pause in the fighting at Krasnostaw early in -July, but has only one g nd road. . The “Morning Post’s” Petrograd correspondent says if the previous occasion can furnish a precedent, the stoppage of the enemy on the Chodel-Piaski line is likely to continue and. similarly The Russians will contrive to keep the enemy at their distance on the Nare'v front. There is still no indication of the Grand Duke Nicholas's

intentions, but everything points to a plan for holding up the enemy on one front and smashing him on the other. The “Morning Post” adds: “It is generally felt in .1 el.ro- <> rad that the situation is serious, one indication of which is the Miriness of the bulletins, but the public are confident in a successful issue of the .strangle. . . Berlin telegrams show that the battle or-> \\ aroav is being followed with feverish anxiety in Germany, where the fear of n winter campaign has become a nightmare. The commercial classes share a general belief that a crushing defeat of the .Russians would enable Germany to dictate peace soon. It is announced that the Russians set M mdan afire before evacuating it and that little of the town remains, while the harbor was destroyed. . ' The “Geneva Tribune states that the Russians north of Voletza compelled tile Austrians to retreat on a front of eight kilometres. ‘ The Germans were also defeated north ' of Krasnostav, losing 13,000 troops. . • , An official Russian report is as followsl here is a desperate engagement on the river Jessie, smith-west •of Kovno and the Roianv bridge. _ . , „ * Our troops on the left of the Vistula occupy a trout from p,lonic to "Nadarjine and the outlying defences of Ivangorod. The battle between the Vistula and the Rug was again very desperate, villages changing hands again and again. We cleared the right bank of the Rug in the Sokal region taking .1500 prisoners in one village.