ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 4 September 1915, Page 5

ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT

I RUSSIA HOLDING RIGA. A PARTIAL OFFENSIVE GRODNO AND LUTZK EVACUATED GERMANS SUFFER LOSSES. Sfept, 3/ A communique states: We repulsed attacks at Friedrichstadt. Our troops are approaching Vilkomir. Our cavalry carried two villages near Szirwiky, with tlhe bayonet. Some prisoners were taken. The enemy's chief efforts are directed along the Olita-Merecz road. We repulsed several obstinate attacks after a subborn fight near Orany. After holding the enemy near Grodno as long as necessary to enable us to evacuate this point, we crossed to the right bank of the Niemen. After holding the enemy in tjhe Lutzk district, we fell back upon the UlykaI Radziwiloff front. We took hundreds of prisoners and a number of machine guns. The enemy has occupied Litzk. Our troops in Galicia in accordanca with the retreating movement from the Styr occupied new positions, enabling us to cover our movements.. The enemy cijain suffered very heavily in the regions of Zolocihow, Zborow and the mouth of the Strypa We have assumed a partial offensi--o capturing guns, prisoners and much material. RUSSIANS SAFE IN .TEN DAYSGERMAN STRATEGY CRITICISED. THEIR POSITIONS PRECARIOUS. (Time s and Sydney Sun Cables) LONDON, Sept 3. Col Repington, the "Times'" military correspondent, commenting on the advance of the Austro-Germans in Galicia, after eight weeks of comparative inactivity, sajys it implies a desire to turn th e right of Ivanoff's armies and seize Lutzk and Kovno, depriving the Russian commander of an important group of railway communications, including the line traversing the Pripet district south and north. If this is effected Ivanoff will be more than ever cut off from the Russians in tihe north, with scanty railway communications. If retiring eastward to Kieff the two main groupings of the Russian armies will endeavour to keep in touch by using bodies to the right of the troops in the Pripet region, which is unsuitable for the operations of Harge forces, and wfhich will shortly be impassable. The renewed threat of an Austro-German invasion of Servia, he says, merits respect. It would be a big thing to disarm Servia, chain Bui-" garia to the German chariot and breaking a way through to Constantinople in order to fall into the arms of Enver Pasha and his crew; but it is a good deal to ask us to believe that tihose Balkan States, owinig to the existence of Russia and her friends ar e ready to become an Austro-German instrument, and the victims of Teuton domination. There is no doubt it is/ the greatest desire on Austria-Hungary's part to wipe out the memories of her defeats at Servian hands, but the winter approaches, and th e Austro-Ger-mans are deeply involved in more important operations* Germany, with iher unconquered enemies on two fronts and her sources of recruiting unable to stand the heavy demands and the immense casualties without enlisting above the military age, may well dread a Balkan adventure. If the Russian armies now round Vilna can hold their ground or retire slowly during the next ten days they will then b e out of danger. Witih the winter near the German armies will shortly be in the disagreeable position of having th« Russians into the forests and swamps, and into the vast snaces and solitudes of the interior, awaiting the spring for the (hour of her Tevenge.

AUSTRO-GERMANS SEPARATEAUSTRIA LEAVING POLAND. ATTACK ON SERVIA EXPECTED (Reed 8.55 a.m) t VIEjNNA, Sept 3 1 Archduke Frederick visited M»**»sen at Brest Litovsk and officially took farewell of him. Henceforward German and Austrian armies in Poland .ease co-operating. It is understood that Frederick shortly moves the Austrian* from I oland against Serbia. A FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. CONTINUOUS ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. (Reed 8.55 a.m) PARIS, Sept 8. A communique states that srtillery activity continues. The Germans pre tend to h>ave> Lingekopf and B~rrer kopf while really they have ont-' recaptured some trenches on a front cf 200 metres.

j VON KLUCK RECOVERED. UNFIT FOR THE FROXF. (Reed 8.55 a.m) Sept 3. Von Kluck has recovered from his A\xund s arid commands the Silesian Landwehr, but lie will not 'hold anjr command at the front in future BRUSSELLS BOMBED. BY FRENCH AIRMEN AMSTERDAM, Sept 3. A French airman safely flew ever th® city of Brussels and bombed the Landsturmers' barracks at Etterbeck, damaging them greatly. H e bombed and; destroyed a neighbouring ga s factcrjV killing and wounding the majority of I the staff. GERMAN BATTERIES SILENC23X BY FRENCH ARTILLERY. PARIS, September ;'*. A particularly heavy artillery struggle at Artois, in the Argonue, r.nd Vosges continues. French batteries silenced the enemy, GERMAN PHYSICAL UNFITS. RECALLED TO THE COLOURS. BERNE, September 2. Twelve thousand Germans in Switzerland previously deported for physical reasons, have been recalled to Germany for service. Relatives are anxious about the fate of earlier recruits, as no casualties amongst Germans from Switzerland have been published since ' Nov-'mbt-r. GRECO-BRITISH AGREEMENT. FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES'. ATHENS, Sept. « Greece and Britain bare signed a commercial agreement fixing the tota* importations and exporta+ions hotweem Greece and the Allies. Greece undertakes to prevent th<* traffic of contraband and the Entente permits free exportation of tobacct*, raisins, currants, and the importation of all goods exclusively preserved for local Greek consumption. DASHING FRENCH FIGHTERS. "THRILLED WITH PRIDE." DESPERATE WORK IN ALSACE: PARIS, Sept 3. An official report, in describing' t}ha month's fighting at Lingekopf, Barrenkopf and Schratzmaenelle, states that in one attack they used mostly young; troops of the 1915 class. It was their first big battle. The General command. ing; declares that it thrilled him with pride to sea tjhem dash furiously on the enemy. In a hot fire, they flungthemselves over the trenches, literally tramping the Germans underfoot. They cleared the crests and went right past, but they neglected to clear ; the first lines, and polish off the Germans sheltering therein. Their excessive daring robbed the second line of the chance of supporting them. la another attack a company reached ther wire entanglements but was forced, to entrench. Singing the "Marseflleise, 1 * they repulsed a violent counter-attack. They were summoned to surrender,but held their ground for 36 hours, enablingneighbouring units to continue their' progress. UNITED STATES PRESIDENT. REFUSES PEACE PROPOSALS. WITHOUT DEFINITE REQUEST. ———— j FROM THE BELLIGERENTS. . (Reed 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept 3 President Wilson has definitely announced that the United States wilE not participate in any peace proposads unless belligerents welcomed their efforts, and that, on behalf of the United States, the i s willing at all times to use his good offices for any belligerent, but nothing will be done unless a definite request is made. AMERICAN EXCHANGE MARKET. DEMORALISED BY MANIPULATORS. !NEW YORK, Sept 3. The Exchange market is demoralised An increase of ten cents on Exchange was recorded, and within a few minutes later, it was less by four centsFluctuations are largely due to market manipulations.