IN THE EAST

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1915, Page 5

IN THE EAST

. AROUND WARSAW. CITY NOT YET EVACUATED. SERIES OF DESPERATE BATTLES. Received August 2, 9.25 p.m. Petrograd, August 2. Warsaw has not yet been evacuated. The deliberation of the withdrawal is au encouraging feature of the situation. A semi-official communique states that strategically the situation is unchanged. The front nearest Warsaw is wholly unshaken, and ,the enemy's attack's east of Kozani were unsuccessful, even at the most active points. The other front, affecting Warsaw in the west and south-west, is the arena of a stubborn conflict.

We expelled the Germans from the woods on the right bank of the Vistula. There are deep reasons which tend to demand that* our withdrawal will be only temporary, and not prolonged. The fact that the enemyi has not obstructed our withdrawal shows how his strength is toeing reduced through exhaustion to impotence, and that our retirement is not under pressure shows that the initiative is on our side.

Official: We fought a desperate engagement with the Germans on Friday and Saturday on the river Aa, below Dausk. After numerous fruitless attempts the enemy, at the cost of grave losses, established himself on the right bank of the Aa, near Jungferkopf farm. Our troops at Pont Devisz road, near Darchischke, overthrew a German column which had taken the offensive, and repulsed the advance guard near Ruttanv and Tyltagola, taking several hundred prisoners and a number of ma-chine-guns. Wo also captured the enemy trenches, which were full of German dead. The enemy gained a footing on the left hank of the Narew, near the moutli of the Sehkva, but our counterattack drove them back towards the river bed.

Considerable enemy forces developed an offensive between the Narew and Oje, in the Rozani sector, and a very desperate battle ensued, the enemv greatly using asphyxiating gas. There were many desperate bayonet actions, after which the enemy slightly progressed near Ramenba and captured our trenches south of the Oje, but were later driven back. Fighting was most sanguinary, the enemy losing severely. We captured a thousand prisoners and a complete battery. There were barren enemy attacks between the Viepry and Rejovetz station.

We withdrew somewhat northwards between the Kholo and the Bug, before superior forces, after desperate fighting.

OPENING OF THE DUMA. INTENSE ENTHUSIASM SHOWS. A NOTABLE SPEECH. Received August 2, 9.35 p.m. l'etrograd, August 2. There was a brilliant assemblage at the opening of the Duma. The Ambassadors of the Allies were greeted With tremendous enthusiasm, members rising and cheering them. M. Sazanoff (Minister of Foreign Affairs) said that this was a moment ot extreme tension, and complicated the work of the combined action between the Allies, which had been well organised. He paid a tribute to Italy's courage, and said that if other neutral States followed her example they would contribute to a speedy cessation of bloodshed. He hoped the Anglo-Swedish negotiations would provide the basis of an agreement. The monstrous German methods of waging war, which did not stop at wholesale poisoning of soldiers or the extermination of women and children, had aroused the repugnance of neutrals, and these feelings had spread to the United States, where humanitarian feelings revolted at tire sinking of the I-usitania. THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN.

M. Sazanoff continued:—The unexampled fighting of the Allied troops on Gallipoli had excited our unanimous admiration. After suffering 'grave losses anil forcing almost insurmountable obstacles erected by nature, and cunningly taken advantage of by the Germans, our valiant allies, with unshakeable tenacity, see approaching the longed-for moment when a close direct bond will be e-tablislied between us. The Turks, scenting the approaching storm, have overwhelmed Christians with crueltie3, and Armenians and Greeks are suffering terrible persecutions. THE BALKAN STATES. Greece will have to decide whether she is capable of assisting her co-religion-ist* in Asia Minor without joining the Allies. Roumania is undergoing heavy pressure at Austro-German hands, but, despite, all the.r effort*, is resisting temptation. M. Sazanorf warned Persia that she mint abandon intrigues with the Austro- • lermans. The friendly relations between Rus-ia and Japan almost bore the character of an alliance, and' would undoubtedly lead to still closer relations in the near future. I<r>>!.\ WILL FIGHT ON*. ('nil.'hiding, M. Sazanofl' emphasised Russia's determination to'continue the war until victory was assured. AUTONOMY FOR POLAND. M. Goremylcin {the Premier) said the war had shown that Russia was insufficiently prepared, in comparison with the enemy. In order to overcome the enemy the whole development of the national force; was requisite. The Czar had charged him to declare that he.had ordered Cabinet to elaborate Bills granting Poland, alter the war, the right to, freely organise her national, social, and economic life on a basis of autonomy under the Czar. NEW SACRIFICES SEEDED. Petrograd, August 1. The Czar has issued an order to the and navy that, despite their efforts, which had covered the flag with fresh glory, the enemy was not yet broken. They must not lose heart, but must face the new sacrifice and trial necessary to lead Russia to success. Painful trials had often been sent, but the country had every time emerged and got strength and power. The Czar expresses a firm belief in the successful termination of the war, and asks God to bless the forces of Russia. GERMAN FORCES FOR RUSSIA. Petrograd, August 1. It is somi-ofl'ieia!ly stated that Germany continues to send troops to Russia from the weat.

ANOTHER MOSCOW. ALLIED ARMIES PRAISED, Received August 3, 12.35 a.m. Petrograd, August - 2. M. iPolivanoff said that Germany by lier persistent preparations, and omp'loymcnt of methods regardless of the military code of lionor, had secured a military superiority over other nations, and by the concentration of enormous forces was enveloping Warsaw, which was always a weak point on the western frontier. Russia accordingly will perhaps yield a portion of that region, falling back into positions where the army can prepare for a resumption of the offensive. They to-day would perhaps give up Warsaw, as they gave up Moscow to Napoleon, in order to ensure final vietary. He paid a tribute to the Allied armies, particularly for the battle of the Marne.

SPARING WARSAW. - GREAT MIGRATION TO THE INTERIOR. Petrograd, August 1. ' It is expected that a, German Prince will be proclaimed King of Voland at •Warsaw. The Russians are sparing the citji from exposure to a bombardment, and have left the electricity and waterworks intact. They have only taken ■machinery, ammunition, and stores directly useful to the enemy. There is a great migration of Poles, Letts, and Russian Jews to the interior, where they will assist in gathering the magnificent harvest. MACKENSEN'S ADVANCE. WINTER WILL HELP THE RUSSIANS. Petrograd, Augusf 1, A Russian general, who fought in the recent Galician campaign, states that it was easily seen in November that a new star was rising in the German army. M&ckensen was succeeding liindenberg, whose methods were valueless against Russian (strategy. The Russians at Lodz noticed that the change in the German attack consisted of choosing a given spot and throwing against it all available forces, no matter what the obstacles might be. Alexander the Great used the method, but instead of a forest of lances, Mackensen •used artillery. In places the guns were in three or four rows. The first were field guns, then medium, then six-inch and eighteen-inch guns, and lastly nineinch and twelve-inch guns. It was only possible to reply by similar equipment to the opposing guns, as the ordinary •field guns failed to reach the enemy's heavy guns- and were simply shot to pieceß by the enemy's twelve-inch guns. 'Mackensen also dispense* with attacks in close formation, the following actual attack being fairly typical of the new method. A German battalion had covered half a mile across an open road from one forest to another. When the head of the column appeared, the Russian battery firpd a rain of shrapnel, and the Germans halted. Then a few soldiers started at an easy run and, bv using many paths, reached the other forest. The Russian battery could not fire shrapnel at a single, soldier, and it was hopeless to shell the forest, so they had to watch he German advance for an hour and a half. When sufficient Germans had gathered to attack the trenches, they commenced the attack. •Tlicy commenced in single file, using every imaginable cover, and when within fifty paces of the objective trenches the attackers lay down and opened a violent rifle fire, which prevented an accurate reply and also enabled the Becond German detachment to come up. The first line might lose two-thirds •of their effectives, and the second half and succeeding ones correspondingly! less, hut the Germans did not throw themselves at the trenches until six detachment* were thus massed.

The shortcomings of General Mackensen's tactic l ; -are the dependence on artillery, good weather, and good roads. Winter will help the Russians. It is only a question of time before we can master the Germans.

REARGUARD ACTIONS. THE RETREAT ALONG THE BUG. Received August 2, 5.3 p.m. Berlin, August 1. We ejected the enemy from positions near Ivuvow. east of Xovoe, Alexandra. We passed through Cholm, pursuing the enemy,, who continued to retreat on both banks of the Bug between the Bug and south of Lenozna. During July we captured in the south-eastern theatre !!-23 officers, 70,719 men, ten guns and 120 machine-guns. Our troops across the Vistula, north of Ivangorod, repulsed heavy attacks. Continuing pursuing, we captured the heights near Podyamoze, making prisoner or.e thousand nf the enemy, who again offered resistance between the Upper Vistula and the Bug. MORE BOMBAST. "MY DESTRUCTIVE SWORD." Received August 2, 10.40 p.m. Bucharest, August 2. The Kaiser has telegraphed the Queen of Greece: "My destructive sword has crushed the Russians; they need tix months to recover. In a short while 1 will announce the new victories won by my soldiers,'who have shown them .selves invincible in battle against nearly (lie whole world. The war drama is now coming to a close. Kindest regards.— Tino." RUSSIAN AIRMEN'S SUCCESS. Petrogrud, August 1. Russian aviators, on the 28th, after a fight brought down an Austrian machine. The Russians landed simultaneously and took the enemy prisoners. • Their machine was a new Aviatik of 120 horse-power. DESTRUCTION' OK CROPS. Petrograd, August 1. The Grand Duke Nicholas has ordered • the indemnification of owners for property and crops destroyed in the retreat from Warsaw. WHAT AN ATRMAN SAW. I 1 Geneva, August 1. Tt is reported from Lodz that a German aviator, making a reconnalsance over Warsaw, saw the Russian troops evacuating the town and moving eastward*.