ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 280, 20 August 1915, Page 5

ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT.

THE BATTLE OF KOVNO. THE RUSSIAN ACCOUNT. 11 DAYS’ DESPERATE BATTLE. ENORMOUS LOSSES SUSTAINS. (Rcc. 12.25 a.m.) PETEOGRAD, August 19. Official: Towards Dvinsk we repulsed all German attempts to take the offensive. At Ivovno, after desperate battles lasting eleven days, and costing enormous losses, the Germans were successful in establishing themselves in the fortifications on the left bank of the Niemen, westward cf the River Jesia. The Germans are now attempting to pass to the right of this position, where part of the defence works are still in our hands. We hold all the fortifications on the right bank of the Niemen. There has been continuous fighting on the Narew front and between the Narew and the "'Bug, with alternating successes. The enemy made a very stubborn attack on the roads to Bielostok and Bielsk from the west, also on the north-eastern front of Novo Georgiesk /principally upon the fortifications commanding the railway from Mliaws'f

A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE ADVANCE AT VARIOUS POINTS AMSTERDAM, August IS A German communique states that two more forts were stormed on the north-east front of Novo Georgievtsk, when twenty guns and 600 prisoners were taken. The Russians are offering fresh and strong resistance to Prince Leopold’s army in the Ramionka sector, on both sides of the Siematkchze. On the Bug, near Fuerste ndorf, we forced a crossing, repulsing th e enemy, Our right wing reached the south bank of the Bug. Mackensen drove the enemy from the Bug into advanced positions at Brest Litovsk We advanced east of Vlodava, across the railway from Cholm to Brest Litovsk and eastward, ENORMOUS CAPTURES CLAIMED. AMSTERDAM, August 19 A German communique admits the French success between Angres and Souchez; also a temporary success at Lingekoff. A further 3,900 prisoners were taken at Kovno. The Russians under pressure of the captur e °f the town, are now evacuating positions opposite Kalwarja and Smvalki. We forced a crossing of the Narew west of Tykolin, prisonerlng 800. North of B iel ska we reached the railway, from Bialystok to Brest Litovsk taking prisoner 2000. We have conquered the Bokra district, north-east of Novo Georglevsk and we stormed and captured forts on the northern front with over a thousand prisoners and 125 guns. Leopold’s army has driven the enemy from, strong petitions north of Millnik. Mackensen’s troops penetrated advanced positions before Brest Litovsk. The enemy evacuated th e east bank of the Bug, below and above Vlodowa. REJOICINGS IN GERMANY, ~ AMSTERDAM, August 19. Saivoea wore tired to celebrate tha fall of Kovno. All the church belle were rung.

THE KAISER’S CONEATULATIONS. (Eec. 2 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, August 1?. The Kaiser telegraphed to Yon Hindenburg his congratulations on the fall of Kovno, expressing the Fatherland ’s indebtedness to the ineomparabb bravery of its sons and their far-see-ing initiative. The Kaiser thanked and decorated General Eiehorn and General Litzmann. A LINER TORPEDOED, ANOTHER LUSITANIA INCIDENT. 535 SAVED TO DATE. (Reed 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 19. Th e White S.ar Liner, "Arabic,” 10,062 tons, was torpedoed eft' Fastnot, and sunk. The passengers saved to date number 535. (Reed 11.35 a.m) NEW YORK, August 19. A London message states that according to th e White Star people, 375 were saved from the Arabic, leaving 48 unaccounted for. (Reed 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 19. Fifteen or sixteen boats were launch, ed from the Arabic and the Company is hopeful that there is no loss of life. (Reed 12.45 p.tn) LONDON, August 19. The Arabic sank in eleven minutes, The passengers were probably taken to Queenstown. A WILSON LINER SUNK. THE CREW RESCUED . LONDON, August 19 The Wilson liner “Grodno” has been sunk. The crew was rescued. STEAMERS SUNK. CREWS ALL SAVED. (Reed 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 19. The British steamer “Thornfield,” and the Wilson liner, “Serbino” have been sunk. The crews were landed

MORE PIRACY. NORWEGIAN STEAMER PLUNDERED. MONEY AND LETTERS STOLEN Wbte 'i. 4}" (Reed 9.20 a.m.) CHRISTIANA, August 19. The Commander of a submarine took all letters and remittances from the mail steamer Haakon, and ordered all printed matter and parcels addressed to anti-German countries to be thrown overboard. The mails included seven bags of Danish. GREECE’S ATTITUDE. KAISER CORRESPONDS WITH KING. PARTS, August 18. Le Matin states that King Constantine almost daily receives letters from the Kaiser. - ZEPPELIN HEROES FETED. . ' ' • • : (Roc; 2 ft.m.J; AMSTERDAM, August 19. The Zeppelin crews were feted at Hamburg where they recounted their wonderful exploits in England.

THE GRECIAN SITUATION KAISER TAKES A HAND, PROMISES ENERG-EJIIIC ASSIST-* ANCE (Reed 10.25 a.m) SOFIA, August 19. It is stated that the Kiaser telegraphed to King Constantine urging Greece not to make concessions to Bulgaria in re,grad Kaivalla, adding that the Central Powers will energetically support the Greeks’ cause. ARMENIAN OUTRAGESREQUIEM SERVICES IN BULGARIA. BULGARIA APPEALED TO. PROTEST TO TURKEY. (Reed 10.25 a.m) SOFIA, August 19. Requiem services are being held throughout Bulgaria for the Armenian victims of Turkish outrages. Speeches are being made execrating the Turks. Armenian refugees have appealed to Bulgaria to protest to the Porte against outrages. GERMAN INTELLECTUALS. COUNTERBLAST 'TO ANNEXATION PITFALLS POINTED OUT. (Reed 11.35 a.m) LONDON, August 19. As a counterblast to the recent annexationist manifestos, 82 politicians and intellectuals, including Dernburg, Professors Delbruck and Harnack, and Prince Von Hatefeldt, have'petitioned HoL'wGgl iepqvn-Vsing >thje convfcfioa that annexation was a serious political error, which would fatally weaken Germany.

Signatories declare themselves upholders of the principle that annexation of peoples, politically autonomous or accustomed autonomny is to be condemned. Germany could only assimilate foreign elements slowly and incompletely, and the process would bg destructive of German national homogeniety. Obviously there are territorities which we shall have to evacuate and these must not become rampant enemies. Such danger can be prevented without resorting to annexation. GERMAN DENIALS. SOUTH-WEST AFRICAN ORDER FOR MOBILISATION. (Reed 10.25 a.m) AMSTERDAM, August 19. The North German Gazette declares that the Governor of South West Africa never negotiated with Maritz to create a Boer rising, nor did the Kaiser send a telegram guaranteeing independence. The Gazette adds: The mobilisation order to South West Africa expressly prohibited aggressive, actiion, against the Union, and it quoted what a Brit-ish-Colonial says in a telegram to Mr Buxton as proof that the Union began hostilities. ‘ AUSTRALIAN WOUNDED.

IN CENTRAL HOSPITALS (Reed 10.25 a.m) LONDON, August 19. Arrangements are being, made to transfer many Australian wounded from Manchester and other provincial hospitals to' four main centres, Sheffield, Epsom, Denmark Hill, and Wandsworth, and thus secure similarity of treatment and administration. COTTON IS CONTRABAND. NOTIFIED IN AMERICA (Reed 11.35 a.m) WASHINGTON, August 19 4 The British Embassy has announced that cotton has been proclaimed contraband, The date is not fixed. UNITED STATES AND ALLIES. GOLD EXCHANGE QUESTION. LONDON, August IS. Clearing bankers are consulting with tlic Treasury and the Bank of England with a view to adjusting American exchanges. It is believed that a loan will shortly be issued in the United States. The Allies will also export at least 50 millions in gold.

The rate of exchange in New York yesterday was 4.5.

CZECHS BADLY TREATED. LONDON, August 1A Czech officer at Petrograd states that the Austro-Gcrraans are most hostile to his countrymen and arc meting out terrible reprisals on all Czeens. Politicians hawe been arrested in large numbers. Twenty-eight Czech infantry were shot by the Austrians, who accused them of seeking to surrender. All Czechs between the ages of 17 and 30 are with the colours.