The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1915. THE ADVANCE AGAINST WARSAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1915. THE ADVANCE AGAINST WARSAW.

The most stirring feature in the war , zone to-day ia the Auatro-Gernun ' advance on Warsaw. In order to imdir- 1 stand the position of affairs with regard to Warsaw it ia necessary to bear in mind that what is known as the "Polish triangle" consists of the strongly fortified positions of Warsaw, Ivangorod,,'and Brest Xitovsk, while from , ike outpost fortress of Novo Gcorgicvsk (looking towards the German frontier), ~ at the junction of the Vistula and the Narcw, there runs north a series of strongly fortified river crossings, covering the western Russian provinces up to the Baltic coast. There are also strong and well fortified lines of defence behind this, which, if held by well equipped armies, could oppose an almost impregnable barrier to an invading force. Has Russia the necessary equipment to enable her to stop the advance of the enemy? She has herself alluded to lack of munitions, so that it may be assumed that the Austro-Germans have the advantage in that respect, and that all Kussia can do is to resist to the utmost of hev capacity. Yesterday's cables indicated tliat Russia was repelling all attacks, and there seemed to be a real confidence in the success cl her present tactics. Moreover it was stated that the army bad been entirely reorganised, and at the crux of the situation, south-east of Lublin, there was a new general who was destined b be famous; also that the cream--of the army was concentrated at the danger point, The -only weak link in tbe Russian chain appears to be that of munitions, and a serious defect this is. Russia now has the advantage of her railway system for moving troops from point to point, wJiile the enemy's difficulties are daily increasing. Tli3 Times' correspondent states that one crushing blow against the Germans, whose main strength lies in the Prussian Guards, in the centre south of Cholo, would demoralise Ihe Austrian* between the Vistula and the Dneislcr. Apparently Russia is well aware of this fact, and is straining every resource to deliver ilr.it blow by luring the enemy on to destruction. A very brief period should demonstrate whether once again the Russian tactical retreat will be converted Into a groat victory. The question arises as to what will be Russia's position in the event of the fall of Warsaw. On this matter it is as well to recall the fact that the nvisnnu; intention of Russian strategists ,vas not to advance wesward, but to await the German attack, but that in consequence of the rapidity of the Russian mobilisation the Grand Duke decided to hold the Warsaw line, so as to take the pressure off the Allies in the Western theatre by attacking East Prussia and Galicin,

How well our ally succeeded in thi-* aim is now matter of history, Lilt had Russia, as at first intended, withdrawn from Warsaw she would have established a strong defensive position on a line about a hundred miles to the eastward. The position to-day is that the AustroGermans have thrown immense forces, thoroughly well equippd in every respect, against the Russians, who have been compelled to resort to a strategic retreat, and whether they will succeed in stemming the tide of assault in time to save Warsaw, or will continue their retirement, inflicting heavy losses on th.-> enemy and gradually wearing down the opposing forces, remains to be seen. At present the Russians appear to be holding their own in the main. Nine months back, when a great battle raged along the / Narew and Vistula, the Germans were nearer Warsaw than they are at present. The deciding factors to-day will be strategy and munitions. It is, however, possible that a sudden activity of the Allies on the Western front might prove a sufficient menace to force Germany to withdraw a large body of troops from the East—a kind of return compliment to the Russian advance into Galicia in order to relievo the strain in the West. Russia does not seem to be the least discouraged, but, on the contrary, is exhibiting calm confidence in her ultimate success, and we may rest assured that her tactics are arranged on a basis providing for j..1! contingencies, and that her confidence i:i the ultimate issue is not misplaced.