Eastern News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 84, 7 August 1915, Page 5

Eastern News

A MEANS TO AN END. PARTICULARS ABOUT WARSAW. RUSSIANS LEFT ON THURSDAY. TOWNS IN FLAMES GREET ENEMY. ESCAPE FROM CERMAN PINCHERS. United Press Association. (Received 9.40 a.m.) Petrograd, August 6. The newspapers are unanimous in declaring that the evacuation of Warsaw strengthens Russia's determination to pursue the war to a victorious end.

A letter from Warsaw, dated Tuesday, stated that provisions were at famine prices. A party of Uhlan scouts crossed the Vistula and were taken prisoner. During their advance from the Vistula, the Germans encountered innumerable fires, and they were consequently preceded by military firemen. Ostramorff, Groietze, and Blonie (west of Warsaw) were in flames when occupied by the enemy. The last Russian troops left Warsaw at five o'clock on Thursday morning. The evacuation was carried out in perfect order, even the street let-ter-boxes being taken to .Moscow. Mast of the shops are closed. Enemy aeroplane* up to the last moment dropped bombs on the city. The decision to abandon the city seems to have been precipitated by the advance of great forces on the left bank of the Narew from the direction of Ostrov, about bo miles north-east of the city. IVANCOROD EVACUATED. RUSSIANS CONTINUE CENERAL PLAN. RETIREMENT WITHOUT LOSS. (Received 5.."5 a.mt) Amsterdam, August (5. Official.— A Vienna telegram states that, Ivangorod has been occupied. A Petrograd official states that the forts at Ivangorod were constructed practically , entirely of brick, and were not filled with materials necessary for modern fortifications, and, in view of the impossibility of sustaining the siege, all stores were methodically withdrawn in time. Our rearguards stopped the enemy's progress for a lew days on a lew. lines of the fiehlworks without sanguinary combats'', and on the 4th, in conformity with the general plan, wo blew up several concrete bases on which the brick casements rested, and retreated. TROOPS FROM FRANCE. Petrogratl, August 6. The troops engaged in the latest irruption only arrived from "France three days ago. With fresh troops and unlimited shells the Germans slowly are pushing baok the Russians, though at a terrible cost. Even at this late hour tiie Russians might hold out. but each day brings reports of fresh divisions supporting the eneIny, and the country beyond the Muss a river is only suitable for rearguard actions. Wai'saw streets arc packed with dense crowds, and the stations are « beseiged.

KGVNO ABANDONED.

AUTHORITIES SHIFT QUARTERS.

[ (Received 9.15 a.m.) Copenhagen, August (i. The Yossische Zeitung says: The Russians have completed their preparations for the,,evacuation of Kovno, the Governor and civil officers with the archives' having gone to Novo Alexandrovsk. I Half the civilians have gone and the wounded have been sent to Central Russia.

Kovno is' the (capital of the province of Kovno 400 miles south of Petrograd. The city lias a population of 00,000 but the trade of the city is of no importance. The Kovno district has an area of 16,115 square miles of flat''country, which' is largely marsh and lakeland. Only about threequarters of the .district is under cultivation. Flax and honey are ,the main productions.

Novo Alexandrovsk is about 120 miles north-east of Kovno and 1(H) south-east of Riga (which port the Germans are invading) and 120 miles west of Mitau, which the Germans have captured. The Russians are evidently withdrawing in the north to a line—Riga to Novo Alexandrovsk to YY'ilna—to hold the German force operating to get astride the Retro-grad-Wilna railway, and thus cut the Russian communications.

VICTORY IN RETREAT.

United Press Association.

Petrograd; August G

The situation at Warsaw on August 3 was complicated by a third German menace in the shape of a crossing of the Vistula/, threatening the Brest line of communication with Vonwoyrsch. The force crossed on two pontoon bridges at Maciejowice .meeting with no serious resistance until Saturday, when they were thrown back heavily to the river, with the loss of eight hundred prisoners. The Germans, still retaining the bridgeheads, fought stubbornly, pouring up reinforcements at such speed that four divisions were across the Vistula on Sunday afternoon, and forced the Russians to retire to Carwolm and Vonjoyrschs. The offensive- was pushed with desperation, and proved the most serious attack that was menacing Warsaw.

The Russian communications were excellent, but after three months' constant fighting it was becoming difficult to throw large masses of reserves when so many points wvro attacked simultaneously. An eye-witness states:—lt is a marvel that human beings can live in such a hell as that which the German artillery is creating in Roland, yet the Russian soldiers fight, and later, when

the riHMin sguns aro in lull blast, they rush on bloc- to the attack, dealing blows ;ts terrible as they are unexpected. They were fighting all day long on Tuesday, on a thirty-five mile front, against Maekensen's and the Archduke's packed batteries. After

their trenches were destroyed the Russians took refuge in shell pits, and when night came they charged Maekensen's phalanx and drove it in headlong flight. It is a pity that such a noble victory was only a stage in the retreat. Machinery in the Warsaw factories lias been brought to Moscow.

There are great German cavalry raids from C'ourland upon the Wav-saw-Petrograd railway, and it is now expected that Dimitrieff will resume command of his former ai'.niy defending Ivangorod.

BERLIN DELIRIOUS. ,

Amsterdam, August fi

The Kaiser telephoned the news of the fall of Warsaw to the Kaiserin, who ordered von Kessell, commander at Berlin, to despatch cyclists throughout the capital. One hundred cyclists dashed through the streets, yelling the news. Civilians kissed the policemen, crowds sang the National Anthem, and the schools were closed. The Bavarian population are almost demented with joy. The churches everywhere are crowded for thanksgivings.

END OF KRUPPS' STRIKE.

London, August f>

A German report says that advices from Essen indicate that all the demands of employees at Krupps have been granted. The military authorities brought great pressure to bear upon Krupps to secure the result, and women have replaced many men in the munitions department.

GERMAN PROGRESS REPORT.

PURSUIT OF THE RUSSIANS.

(Received 12.20 p.m.) Amsterdam, August (>

We fought successful cavalry battles at Popel. sixty kilometres north of Poftiewiez, and near Kovarsk Koui> kle, north-west of Wilkomierz. Despite stubborn resistance on the Narew, we further progressed between the North Bug and Nasielk.

A detachment of troops investing Novogeovgievsk broke through the position at Blendostwo, and advanced further.

Our airship squadron threw bombs 'on the railway buildings at Bialystok, The Russians, after being expelled from Warsaw fortifications without damage to the city retreated to Praga, a suburb on the opposite side of the river.

General von Mackensen's armies continue to pursue the enemy, and expelled the Russians from positions north-east of Novo Alexandrovsk.