Eastern News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 79, 2 August 1915, Page 5

Eastern News

OUR GUIDING STAR.

FIRM CONFIDENpE OF VICTORY.

United Press Association. (Received |9.25 a.m.) Petrbgrnd, August 1. Tlio newspapers, in commenting on tlic Anniversary of the War, repeat the Czar’s words of August, 1914: .“We will not conclude peace, until the last enemy has left the land.” The Bourse Gazette prints a message in the Allied languages stating: For a . year the enemy has been threatening the freedom of , the world. We deeply appreciate the self-sacrificing Allies who arq exerting combined pressure on all sides. AVe are firm in the confidence of victory, in the community of our interests, and in the final triumph. This confidence Giles the nation’s spirit: It is' our guiding star, and though th eyear has been one of bloodshed, it will rferve ns in the coming months, ijiaybe years, of terrible struggle. Russia greets her Allies; and she hails their heroic loyalty in standing by her to the end.”'

EVACUATION OF WARSAW.

GERMAN AVIATOR’S DISCOVERY.

RUSSIAN TROOPS QO EASTWARD

(Received 9.30 a.m.) Geneva, August 1

It is reported from Lodz that a German aviator, while making a reconnaissance at Warsaw, saw the Russian troops evacuating the city and going eastward.

NEW KING OF POLAND! WARSAW TO BE SAVED. MIGRATION OF POLES AND JEWS (Received 8.35 a.m.) Petrograd, August 1. ft is expected that a Gorman Prince will be proclaimed King of Poland.

At Warsaw the Russians are sparing the city from exposure to bombardment. They leit the electricity and waterworks intact, and have only taken the machinery, ammunition, and stores which would be directly useful to the enemy. There has been a great migration of' Poles and Russian .Jews into the interior, where they will assist in the gathering of the magnificent harvest.

The Grand Duke Nicholas has issued an order indemnifying the owners of all property and crops destroyed during the retreat from Warsaw.

RUSSIAN AIRMEN’S SUCCESS (Received 9 a.m.) \ Petfograd, August 1. Two Russian aviators on the —lth July, after a flight, brought down an Austrian machine. The Russians landed simultaneously aiul captured the enemy, whose machiiy was a new one of 120 horse-power.

GENERAL VON MACKENSEN

GERMANY'S HOPE IN THE EAST, NEW METHODS BROUGHT TO BEAR. United Press Association. (Received 9.25 a.m.) Paris, August 1.

A Russian General, who fought in the recent Galician campaign, states that it was easily seen in November that a new star was rising in the German Army, Von Alackensen succeeding Von Hindenbnrg, whose methods were valueless against Russian strategy, The Russians at Lodz noticed p,. change, in the method of German attacks. It consisted in choosing a given spot and throwing against) it all the available forces, no matter what obstacles. Alexander the Great used this method, but instead of a forest of lances, Von Alackensen used artillery. He places bis gups ifi three or four rows, first the fieldgims, then the medium-sized guns, then the six-inchers and eight-inchers, and lastly the twelve-inciters. The only possible reply was equipment similar to that of the opposing guns. Ordinary fieldgmis fail to reach the enemy’s heavy guns, and are simply shot to pieces by the' enemy’s twelve-inchers. Von Alackensen also dispenses with attacks in close formation. The following actual, attack is fairly typical .of his new method. A German battalion had to cover half a mile across an open road from one forest to another. When the head of the column appeared, K' Russian battery fired, and under the rain of shrapnel the Germans halted, and then a few soldiers 'started an easy run, and using many path's,, reached the other forest. The Russian battery could not fire shrapnel at a single soldier, and it was hopeless to shell the forest, so we bad to watch the German advance for an hour and a-half. When sufficient Gormans wore gathered, an attack on the trenches commenced. The attack was commenced by a single file, who used every imaginable cover. When within fifty paces of the objective trenches, the attackers laid down and opened a violent rifle fire, which prevented an accurate reply and enabled a second German detachment to come up. The first lino may lose two thirds of its effectives, the second lose half, and the succeeding ones correspondingly less, but the Germans did not throw themselves on the trenches until six detachments have thus massd. The shortcomings in Von Alackensen’s tactics are his dependence on artillery, on good weather, and on good roads. The winter will help the Russians, and it is only a question of time before we master the Germans,

WARSAW DOOMED. RUSSIANS WILL RETREAT. Umtkd Pukss Association. Pctrograd, July 31. There is no definite news of the evacuation of Warsaw. I lie successes- of the Russians during the past few days at the Xarew and between the Vierp/, and the Bug are regarded as a guarantee that they are withdrawing with deliberation throughout, which is strictly in accord to the programme.

ON THE VISTULA.

Pctrograd, July 31

Official: The fighting at the Xarew is principally by artillery.- Me repulsed several attacks. The enemy crossed the Vistula at Radamka. and we •attacked the detachments which crossed. Our heavy artillery destroyed the enemy’s bridge at Kobylnitza.

Large enemy forces attacked on Tliursduy on both banks of the Viprz. Me repulsed tin* enemy at the KhmielReaski sector, inflicting heavy losses, but the enemy advanced on the left bank of the Viprz. Alter a stubborn

fight, one division captured Truuniki and crossed to the right liank. A e

repulsed all the enemy attacks between the Viprz and tlie Hug, and repulsed the enemy at Sokal, taking prisoner one thousand. We repulsed the Austrians at Kamienka, on the Hug GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORTS. A STUBBORN RESISTANCE. Berlin, .Tidy .‘if. Official: Our attack is progressing north-west of Lomnha, and on the railway north of Toworowo and east of Rozanweyrseh. We crossed to tlie right of the Vistula, and are advancing eastwards, despite stnhhorn resistance. Russian reinforcements counter-attacked unsuccessfully. Ihe jenemy also resisted General .Mackensen’s pursuit on the line of Xowoulexamlroja and the heights of toe 'N istula, north, of Luhlin, which we occupied yesterday, to the south of C holm. We are attacking the enemy everywhere.

London, July -‘>l

The Berliner Tageblatt attaches great importance to General von Billow’s advance towards Dvinsk, at which point the Russians are offering small opposition, and the paper says: We will soon have control of the Warsaw to Petrograd railway, and thereafter the only Russian line of retirement is via Brestlatovsk, Minsk aid ( Moscow, hut General Mackonsen is only three days’ march from Brestjlatovsk, and a lack of dramatic events is unlikely. THE FALL OF LUBLIN. AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORTS. Vienna, August 1. Official: Archduke Josef has occupied Luhlin. His left wing crossed h> the Stra. and is pursuing the Russians. 'I he- Germans are advancing down the Wicperz, and are approaching Choml from the south-west. The enemy is attempting a renewed resistance at several points at previously prepared positions, hut they are being attacked everywhere. The Germans north-west of Ivaugorod advanced on the south hank of the Vistula and iepulsed a violent Russian attack, the Russians suffering severely.

Amsterdam, July 31

An Austrian official message confirms the statement that the Russians are retiring from the A'istnla and Rug front, and are devastating the farm crops. Pursuit is proceeding. Superior Russian forces compelled the defenders of the Sokal bridgehead to withdraw o ntheir southern front.

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORTS'. Pctrograd, August 1. Official: There were barren attacks! at Bansk, between the Dwina and the Xiemen. A fiery Russian bayonet charge west of Kovno on Thursday dislodged the enemy from several positions, which we captured in the morning. The enemy’s weak forces continued their efforts to cross the left bank of the Narew, to the east ol Rosau, but we maintained our old front. AVe yesterday repulsed a German attack north-west of Bionic, and vigorously attacked the troops who crossed the Vistula on the. Maghdncheff-Kozo-nitze front. In the sector below the mouth of the Radomka we dislodged the enemy from the forests ou the right bank, and drove him from the islands and sandbanks to the A'istnla. The enemy is holding his ground on the Upper A'istnla, near Mattzewitze. Our troops on Thursday night, between the A'istnla and the Bug, were ordered to march to positions prepared in tho rear. The enemy did not molest our occupation of the new front, where we established ourselves ou Friday without a fight. We have evacuated Lublin, and the railway between the .stations of Novaialexandria and Keiovetb. Our troops continue to dislodge the enemy from their positions at Sokal. Prisoners state that the enemy suffered severe losses hero during the last few days. SYYMPATHY FROM BRITAIN. London, July 18. The newspapers unanimously accept the wisdom of the Russian retirement, and sympathise with Russia in her hour of trial. They pay tribute to 1 Russia’s heroic service and sacrifices in the common cause, to the proven !value of the Grand Duke Nicholas’s j strategy, and to the superior qualities 'of the Russian troops over the German troops.

The newspapers generally do not disguise the seriousness ol the blow. The military correspondent ol The Times says it is impossible to question the wisdom of the retirement.

The only fionltt I ill point is whcthol' it cnn bo successfully curried out. There was a time to retire, hut retirement is difficult. The security of the whole line depends upon whether von Unlow can he prevented, from forcing Sveiita and inarching on Vilna. thus establishing himself astride the. Russian communications. The Russians have a fair chance of a successful retirement, hut directly it begin.*} the (humans "ill go full steam ahead and throw themselves on the Russian rearguards like a pack of wolves, hut tat* rearguards can he relied upon to pita* a. pood account of themselves. It is natural, says the correspondent, that some Russians should ask what the. Western Allies are doing. Our answer is; We are holding up two millions of the* best of the Germans, besides relaxinp the pressure at the Caucasus by hammering the Turks.