Russian Frontier.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 145, 13 November 1914, Page 5

Russian Frontier.

| RUSSIANS APPROACH CRACOW. AUSTRIAN'S FORCED INTO RATTLE. MUST FIGHT, OR SURRENDER. A RUSSIAN ARMY IN SILESIA. Received IU, 12.'20 p.m. London, November 11. The Russian Embassy announces that th« Russian army lias arrived within sight of Cracow, and the siege is imminent.

The Austrian' army has been surrounded and forced to accept decisive battle or capitulate. Retreat across the Carpathians is impossible. Another Russian army is marching towards Silesia. It lias already arrived at Mcknov, enveloping the German righj, ■wing. NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. ADVANCEMENT OF THE CROWN PRINCE. TO LEAD AGAINST TIIE RUSSIANS. Received 12, 11.10 p.m. Paris, November 11.

<Le Matin's Petrograd correspondent reports that the Kaiser presided over a council of war, which appointed the Crown Prince Commander-in-Chief of the Austro-German armies against the Russians. General Yon Hindenbnrg commands the left wing, and General Denkyl the right. i

OFFICIAL NEWS. THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE. DETAILS OF FIGHTING. A CRUCIAL STAGE REACHED. Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister has received the following message from the High Commissioner, dated London, November in-

Official: A correspondent at the Russian headquarters states he has just made a journey over the country between Warsaw and Cracow, where the Russian advance is proceeding. He states that events are rapidly converging the new advance west of Warsaw from a counter-stroke into a general transference of the sphere of operations, and a most valuable rectification of the whole, of the Russian line. In East Prussia the Germans are being slowly driven back by a double turning movement.' Further westward the northern frontier of Poland is well secured.

The Russians have occupied, and hold firmly, Plock, Lodz, Petrikaukiece, San4omir, and Jaroslav, and all the "other passages of the River San. Ob the repulse of the German attack at Warsaw the enemy were pressed back to the Bouth-westward.

After three weeks' continuous fighting near Ivangorod, the famous Caucasian Regiment forced the passage of the Vistula under fire of the German artillery, and the advance guard crossed the broad Btream in skill's and ferry boats, which held good under a devastating cross-firo till the construction of a pontoon bridge allowed a passage. Reinforcements and supports coming along the river bank at Ivangorod had to advance through flood- j fid swamps almost breast high, but their' footing was made good at Kosenice, where there was desperate fighting later. They made a series of brilliant attacks in the forests, after which the Germans ware tkrown back on Radom. A general advance drove back the enemy beyond Radom. At the small town of Szidlcwice the German commander threatened that, as the Russians approached, he would blow up the remarkable Town Hall, which ig Florentine in style, and conspicuous for thirty miles around, and the town contains a beautiful Gothic church, 000 years old. The inhabitants offered to ransom the town by a contribution of 6000 crowns, and the offer was accepted, but twenty minutes later ttie Town Hall was blown up, and the church followed a quarter of an hour later.

In front of Kielce the Austrians were abandoned by the Germans t who retired I and made a stand near Lesezina, on a high sandy position, with a large fir copse in the centre, extending over a wide front. The attaek delivered by the Russian corps, including a division mainly composed of Poles, fell chiefly on the Austrian-Polish regiment from Cracow. The assailants kej)t up their Are all day, and finally rushed the enemy's ride-pits. The Austrians left Kielce at night, some being captured by the Russians, who, close upon their heels, pursued the enemy for miles, and brought them into action later the same day. The next day Russian artillery was also heard south-east of Cracow. The Germans retreated in the direction of Czenatoehow.

During the three weeks' fighting, which was in characteristic Russian style, bayonet attacks were kept up for two hours, and the small units eagerly attacked larger hostile ones. In general, the Russians outflanked the enemy. In one case 1 they broke through the centre, and often the Russian artillery caused the enemy to decamp in the night. The officers describe the enthusiasm of both rank and file as growing, and being clearly visible in the rear of the army, where it is shown by the energy with which the transport is being pushed up. The enemy thoroughly destroyed the bridges, but they were quickly repaired. Meanwhile the ardor of the troops and transport trains minimises the delay. The German rifle fire is superior to that of the lAustrian regiments officered by Germans. The Austrian Slavonic regiments resist well for two or three days, and then break up or surrender, large bodies sometimes asked guides to take them to the Russian lines. The inhabitants speak well of the Austrians, but with indignation of the German. Prisoners confirm the bad relations between the allied armies of Austrians and Germans. When captured, they are kept apart. ' There is ample evidence of the enthusiasm of the Poles for the Russian cause. They show' the greatest courtesy and kindness, especially in the villages. All the evidence of the prisoners shows that the Russians are treating them as well as their own comrades.

The theatre of the present operations is of crucial importance. Though Austria and Germany have joined hands, sqrjous reverses will "compel them either to retreat on diverging lines, or expose their capitals. Either event ■will have political consequences and the highest military significance