THE RUSSIAN CRISIS

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3992, 27 July 1915, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN CRISIS

SITUATION REMAINS OBSCURE. BATTLE LINE ADVANCING AMD RECEDING. EMEMY ARRESTED OPI THE BUG. RUSSIA’S GSGAN-fIC-PROB-LEM. I NO SIEGE OF !VANGQROD. I'R ANK R USSIAN REPORT. . (United Press Association —Copyright.) ( Received .July 26, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, July 26. 'l'he “Daily Toltgraph’s’’ Petrograd correspondent- says the situation' remains obscure. The battle line is advancing and receding at diil'cront points, but neither decisively nor successfully. It is authoritatively computed that the recent blows were indicted on Russia by 70 German and 4S Austrian divisions and 4 German and 11 Austrian cavalry as well as large bodies of the Austro-German 1 m nd sturrn. There are 750,000 of the enemy between the -Vistula and the Rug. and two-thirds of lour German Army Corps against the line Novogiorgievskivangorod, which is not besieged, nor yet the target for heavy artillery. It is thought possible that the enemy will endeavor to contain these fortresses with a curtain of troops, reserving their main ' forces for field operations. It is hinted that the advancing enemy at. Kovno will soon be stubbornly resisted. A Russian official message is as follows : —On. the roads from Shavli and Ros.* i ny the enemy continues to progres. in the direction of Point Vege. 'Die uemy delivered a series of desj»err •. attacks along the eastern bank of ti ■ Pisa. He was unsuccessful and suit* xl great losses. W. repulsed. l persistent attempts to* cro-s the Nar. w, in the OstralonkaEojaay sector, but the enemy, hi the Kn.jany-Poltusk sector, threw pain of his forces to the left bank of the A a row. The enemy delivered barren attacks to ;he left of the Vistula in the direction of Riarsitchno. The enemy was compelled by our counter-attacks to cease his offensive between the Vis- - tula and the Rug, except at Grim becliow, where we repulsed sev. rrl attacks. The enemy’s attempt to establish himself on the right bank of the Rug , failed. i I NATIONAL RETRENCH-. ME MTS. LOCAL BODIES CO-OPERATING. (Received Julv 26. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 26. i Local bodies throughout Britain are ! co-operating in national retrenchment and are curtailing or abandoning many ’ construction and improvement schemes aggregating an enormous figure. As a.rinstance, the Birmingham workhouse inmates are being fed according a, their appetites, eating as much as ihev want, instead of fixed rations, this resulting in economy without complaints. GERMAN SUBMARINE CAPTURED. AN ITALIAN SUCCESS. (Received July 26, 11.45 p.m.) ROME. July 26, German submarine No. 40 and its ] ; crew have been captured. It at- • ( tempted to attack an Italian ship on , tin* night of the IHh, but its torpedo , cmudit in a metallic protecting net , an,r t lid not explode. The suborn: me was taken to Venice.

FOR VALOR. VICTORIA CROSS AWARDS. LONDON. July 25. Victoria Crosses have been awarded ns follows: — , Captain J'otham, of the 51st Sikhs. Oil the 7th of January at Lokl A aF lev, when 1500 tribesmen attacked jotham with a dozen of the Waziristau Militia, Jotham ordered a retirement and sacrificed bis lire to rescue a man who lost his horse. Second-Lieut. Moor, oi the oixl Hampshires, for bravery and resource at, Ivritbia. When a battalion had lost all its officers mid was rapidly i©* tiring under a heavy attack. Moor, realising the danger to the rmnaiudwoj' the Tine, dashed hack two hundred yards, led his men, and recaptured ilie trench. _ Lance-Corporal Tombs, Ist Liver pool Regiment, for gallantry at Rue ]., Bois. —Of liis own initiative, ho crawled out repeatedly under heavy sjidl and inadmiegun fire and rescued lour men, one hundred yards away in front of the trenches. Twelve D.S.O.’s have been awarded, including Lieut. -Colonel Wilson of the ml, Royal Scots, for boldly recapturing a trench at Krithia whence tmo troops of another division wore forced hack. , Thirty-three Military Crosses have la-en awarded. AiD FOR THE MOTHERLAND. A FSTRALIA’S SMART RESPONSEMELBOURNE. July 2(i. Mr Pearce states that the' Imperial 'Government cabled, asking Australia to form a second division. Jhe •Government agreed, and infantry for three brigades of the division are already in Egypt. GENERAL ITEMS.. FAMOUS BELL FOR MELTING POT. PARIS, July 25. <: Le Matin” states that it has been decided to melt for munitions the great hell of Saint Etienne.at Vienna, cast in 1711 from 180 bronze cannon •captured from the Turks. , The National Patriotic Organisation h"s arranged meetings at the chief centres on August 4th whereat citizens will he asked to record their unalterable determination to continue tlm war to a victorious end and raainta 11 the ideals of liberty and justice which are the Allies’ common sacred.

•cause. t Three hundred people were arrested recently on the. Belgian National Day, as the result of collisions with the German military authority. (Received July 26, 8.5 ip.ni.) Despite criticism, it is believed that \f '• iGovernment will adhere to its in--I.m i ion of adjoprr.l'’!: . Parliament on \\Vd-ii\sd.:y until the middle of September. • - .

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS. great service OUTSIDE ST. PAUL’S. “THE SOUL OF A NATION.” LONDON, July 2-5. The Bishop of London, in full can- . omcals, with an escort of the London Rifle Brigade, of which he is chaplain, presided at a public service outside St. PatrPs. Chaplains fieaded a- march of 3500 London territorials from Trafalgar Square to St. Paul’s and conduct,';i an open-air service from the steps. Despite a heavy downpour, crowd: . composed largely of women, lined the route. An immense crowd sang “0 God Oil'- Help in Ages Past ” accompanied by the Royal Artillery Band. I Tlie Bishop of London preached on “The Soul of a Nation.” He said France had lost some territory, Belgium had lost nearly the whole of hers, but the souls of the nations were untouched, or rather would rise with renewed strength as a result of the sacrifices. A special intercession Litany was said for those killed in battle, followed by the hymn, “’Lord of Life to Tliee we Cry,” which ended the service. (.Received July 26, 9.35 p.m.) hi is Lordship added: “Russia within a week flung aside vodka and the nation became unified under its leader. Russia can never be conquered while the world lasts, not only because of her extent, but. because of her solid people and leaders. . Britain has called, for universal military service and only a new Engined can come back to her best self and can have the world to-day.” The -‘Daily Telegraph” says the sermon prompts ilie question, “What is the Soul of Britain?” Aro we emerging from the ordeal as nobly a.s France and Russia. We have been spared the unspeakable horrors which have befallen them. Aro we doing all we ought in order-to mark our gratitude? England is slow to move, b.ut the movement is palpable and we do not. fear for the future. THE BALKANS NEUTRALS. OVERTURES FROM GERMANY. AMSTERDAM, July 25. Herr von Wa igenheim, German Ambassador at Constantinople, visited .Sofia and received an audience with the King. lie also conferred with M. ltadoslavo!T. Afterwards he went to Bucharest.

BULGARIAN LOAN WANTED. TURKISH TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS. (Received July 26. 8.5 p.m.) COPENHAGEN, July 26. A Bulgarian representative, has arrived in Berlin and is negotiating a loan. A convention has been signed in Constantinople ceding the Turkish portion of Dedeagatch to Bulgaria. “The Times’ ” Sofia correspondent says it is understood that the TurcoBulgarian treaty regarding the Dedeagatch railway does, not apply any engagement of a political character to Bulgaria, which does not bind herself to remain neutral nor to permit the passage of contraband to Turkey. Bulgaria obtains the whole extent of the line traversing Turkish territory and the Bulgarian frontier is to coincide with tlie course of the Maritza, all territory west to become Bulgarian.

The correspondent adds that it is unlikely Turkey made the concessions without some political quid pro quo.

ROUMAMA’S ATTITUDE. ALLIED VICTORY NECESSARY. ALL EYES ON THE DARDANELLES. (Received Julv 26, 8.5 p.m.) PARIS, July 26. “Le Temps” publishes au interview with M. Takojonescu, a Roumanian statesman, who said an Allied victory was certain. Russia and England were geographically invincible and the French army would be superior to the Gorman if numerically equal. Italy was proving a nation that can accompiish'miracles when fighting in a wise and popular cause. . He said a great Allied victory was desirable to counteract the effect of the Galician campaign and appeal to the imagination of neutrals. Such a victory was only obtainable now at the Dardanelles.' Roumnnia would contribute to the final victory even at the cos! of great sacrifices.

THE SEA WOLVES. ENEMY HFBMA.RINKS' AGAIN ACTIVE. LONDON, July 25. 'Two Mihiimriues sank the French steamer paime, bound from Liverpool to Archangel,' 80 miles from Cape Vf'ath. A trawler picked up the crew. Four Lowestoft trawlers were submarines in the North Sea. 'I he crews have landed. A. submarine* sank the Russian collier Ruhonia. hound from Cardiff for Hu .sia. between the Orkneys and Fair ],•!(.. The crew of 30 reaclied Orkney in their own boats. An Aberdeen trawler lias been suhDi;!rineef~in the North P:ea. Ihe crew h-iidff! at Stroinness. ( Received July 26, 8.5 p.m.) The steamer Firth ot France, bound for the Firth of Forth, was torpedoed in the- North Sea. Six of the crew landed at Lowestoft and it is reported that lour wore killed by the explosion. The, Admiral tv reports that trawler Briton was lost. The skipper was killed and five of the crew are reported drowned, while two are m hospital at Lowestoft. LONDON, July 26. Tile Grimsbv trawler Perseus was mined and sunk. Three of the crew were picked up dead. LOYAL 'INDIA.' FURTHER MAGNIFICENT GIFTS. DELHI, July 25. The press throughout India continues to insist on the more rigorous internment of all Germans as precautionary measures. Special efforts are being made for Servian, French and Italian Red Cross societies. A number of tents nave been sent to Servia and a motor launch for wounded to Mombasa. The ruling princes continue generous assistance. The Maharaja of Gwalior has given a lakh of rupees for munitions. He and the Maharaja of Bhavnagar and the chief Miraj have offered workshops for making munitions. The Prime Minster of Nepel save a lakh of rupees for the purchase of machine guns. The chiefs of Central India sent a seventh motor ambulance. The Maharaja of Jincl gave three motor ambulances, and the Khan of Kalahari! £2300 to buy horses. The Maharaja of Joohpur lias established a settlement in his State as camps for Turkish prisoners. Another nobleman has given . tents, aeroplanes and horses.