GENERAL RETREAT BY AUSTROGERMANS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 20 July 1916, Page 5

GENERAL RETREAT BY AUSTROGERMANS.

(Main Service.) LONDON, July 18. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Rome correspondent has received a highly significant Petrograd telegram announcing that a general retreat on the East front has commenced. The Austro-Germans are retiring, laying waste the country and burning villages. The telegram is one of, many indications that Sir Douglas Haig’s offensive has aroused, the first fears of the German general staff. It has suggested the possibility;, that they must revert to the purely defensivein order to secure tolerable terms of peace. . Von Hindenburg has been already summoned to the West front to discuss the situation with the Kaiser and Falkenhayn. it is understood that Von Hindo--burg has been given complete control of the East front, including the Austrians. Von Hindenburg’s appointment is essential to carrying out the shortening of the East front, .which is already in progress. Russian experts point out that Hindenburg’s sector in the Riga district is now organised solely for defensive warfare. It consists of concrete trenches and ten to twelve lines of wire defences, near which mines are laid. The Germans are still building a series of field railways connected with Mitau, Windau and other railways. The organisation at Hindenburg’s rear represents the last word in military science as regards rapid transference >of troops and the supply of munitions and food.