RUSSIA'S TASK.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1916, Page 5

RUSSIA'S TASK.

MILITARY CRITIC'S VIEWS. THE ALLIES' MOVE. London, June 10. Colonel Repinglon says that Ihe Russian advance is only beginning; the armies in the south only represent onethird of the forces. When the other two come into play the staff's at Vilna and Lemberg will be sending each other disquieting dispatches.

It is unlikely that the Germans in Russia can effectively succour the Austrians. All the German divisions available have been withdrawn from the Balkans for Vci'dui'. and Hndenburg has been sucked dry for the same reason. We shall now see whether there are fresh divisions in the interior of Germany. If there are not and the Russians operate in the north, awkward times are ahead for Germany. We must not fix our eyes exclusively on Brussiloff. ihe eastern theatre affects large areas. The Allies are moving at last, and we must look far if we wish'to embrace the horizon which will soon be aflame. FURTHER RUSSIAN SUCCESSES. Petrograd, .Time 16. Russian successes continue. A further 'ourtecn thousand prisoners have been captured. GERMAN ACCOUNTS. Copenhagen, Juno 10.

German newspapers state that the Russians, after three hours' bombardment, destroyed strong Austro-German lines north of Fifty thousand Russians attacked, but advancing over far, were compelled to fall back two miles. The newspapers add that the AustroGermans are now strongly reinforced and have taken up new portions. CZERNOWITZ SURROUNDED. EVACUATION REPORTED. London, June lfi. The Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent states that General Letchitzky's troop have surrounded Czernovitz on three sides. The enemy's tardiness in evacuating the town is due to the desire to remove important stores. The Russian advance in tlie Tarnopol district is not pressed at present, because tho development of the success northward and southward ivill compel a withdrawal from Tarnopol and the acceptance of ». battle more or less in the opet:.

Athens, June 10. . Bucharest reports that Czernovitz has: been evacuated, ON THE NORTHERN FRONT. HINDENBURG superseded. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, June 17. General Mackensen has been appointed to the command <.f the Germans in the south Dvinsk region. This indicates that the Kaiser no longer places implicit confidence in Genera! Hindenburg. General Mackensen will cc.ntrol General Hindenbnrg's right wing, and also the entire group of Anstro-Germans, under Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who are holding the river Niemen up to the Polyesie. Military critics comment ironically that the Germans sent General Ludendorf, chief of the staff of the northern armie-, to assist the Austrians. He was their icmaining solitary officer, not over talented, and is a poor substitute for the tens of thousands of bayonets that (he Austrians are in dire need of. The Germnr.s do not dare to seriously weaken the Northern front, but have sent some t'.oops southwards. The first German reinforcements to arrive were a division of the Guards, who made a desperate endeavour to arrest the Russian advance from Luick, but failed, after suffering heavily. A GREAT HAUL.

AMMUNITION FOR WEEKS. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, June 17. Official: It is asserted that the ammunition capture' l during thp present offensive will suffice the entire army fcjr several weeks. , WATER UP TO THEIR CHINS. A BRAVE REGIMENT. MANY PRISONERS AND MUCH BOOTY. Received June 17. 7.30 p.m. Petrograd, June 17. A jommunique says: Fighting continues south of the Polyesie, and the enemy have suffoied heavy losses. We captured 17:i0 prisoners during a powerful but fruHless counter-attack by the enemy in the Styr region, near Hokul. The cavalry continue in pursuit of the enemy west and south-west of Lutsk. General Snkharoff's troops, by sespisrate C-j-htin.T, dislodged the enemy from a, fortified position on the river Pluichevka. One of our young regiments forded the river, the water being up to their chins. One iimpany was engulfed, and died an heroic deat!-, but the valor of their comrades resulted in a disorderly flight of the enemy, of whom 5000 were captured. Many machine-guns and thousands of rifie3 were taken.

NEARING KOVEL. FIGHTING FOR THE RAILWAY. Received June 18, 11 p.m. Petrograd, June IR. The Russian thrust at Radziviloff has reached iPotchaseff, eight miles to tlie south-eastward, and represents an advance of ten miles. The Russians in the Stokhod region are within twenty-five miles of Kovel, a vital railway centre through which the German reinforcements ,ave pouring southward. The fighting at Przevloka, northwards of Buczaez, is important, because it is within twelve miles of the strategic railway from iPodliaice to Lembcrg. JAPAN'S CONGRATULATIONS. ENEMY HASTENING UP REINFORCEMENTS. Received June 18, 11 p.m. Petrograd, June IS. A communique announces: The Emperor of Japan has congratulated the C.'ar on tho Russians' glorious victory in Gaiicia. In order to arrnst our advance towards I. embetg the enemy are reinforced by elements from ether fronts, and are making, at many points, furious cou/itlraitaeks agnii st General Brusiloff. The enemy's offensive at Gadomitche,

westward of Koike, was repulsed, and the Kusshr.s, pressing the pursuit; biereed the defences on the northern lank of the Styr.

WORK OF SIBERIANS. In the c iurse of a hot engagement at Ptokhod, th« Siberians brilliantly carried the village of Svidniki, while the Hussars of White Russia, supported by horse 'irtil'erv, charged through three extended Vnes, sabring two Austrian companies We occupied Radziviloff, and pushed th" enemy from lirody. The enemy on th» entire Strvne. battlefield was, on Friday, in (light, being thrown into the iitm.vt confusion by our palvoes. Germans and Austrians, intermingled, were fall.ny in hundreds.

BRILLIANT BATTERY WORK. S.'veral b''igades of our batteries, at full g,. Slop occupied the open position! and fred point blank at the fugitives. Their dash was irresistible. Fighting fierce in the Gaivaronka district, in Rtrvpa. The enemy is furiously attacking tj»e Sniatyn railway, and an enemy column has been thrown across tlie river at Tcheriaava.

We are Idnbauling the Dvinsk positions with visible success. S A GERMAN REPORT. , Received June IS, 11 p.m. Amsterdam, June 18. A German commun'fiue says: Fig) ting lias developed in the St-nt'hnd and Styr sectors against General positions. General Botl.mer is battling j northward of Przevloka. ADVANCE ON LEMBERG. THE RUSSIAN WAVE ROLLS ON. SOME I'INE FEATS OF ARMS. Receded -.rune 18, 11.25 p.m. Petrograd, June 18. Tie enemy novihward of Lemberg is fall'ng back on the strongly defended line of Vladimir Volynsk-Sokal-Stoyan-off, to where the Germans are hurrying reinforcemi nts. The Russians are advanriu.; towards Lomberg on both sides of thp Dubno-Leinberg railway. Their storming of three miles of formidable positions, along the flooded river Phaishevika, a tributary of the Styr, which is flanked by a series of ten lakes, and supported by a fire from the heights in the rear, was wonderfully fine, and w<w a feat which, with the capture of R< stok forest (southward of the Lower Potchaieff), decides the fate of j the whole Kremenetz region. RETREATING I ROM THE CLAWS. In order to escape General Sayharoff's north Pin and Southern claws, the enemy hastily retreated westwards, towaids Broi'.v, leaving another section of the Lemberg railway in Russian hands. Correspondents eulogise the gallantry of Russian officers. They were invariably mi the 'forefront of the attacks, while the color bearers headed some of fie fiercest and most sanguinary charges against- the Lutsk defences. THE FLIGHT FROM LUTSK. The evacuation of Lutsk became a flight, infantry, cavalry, guns, and lospital supply trains being inextricably mixed, towards Torchen. A portion of rhe mass took the CharukofT road, but quickly retreated on learn'ing that the, Russians had enveloped Lutsk from the 90iithj ABMOUPJ.D CARS' ACHIEVEMENT. A Russian arrhoured ear detachment that was before Lutsk dashed through gun, machine-gun, and rifle fire, and btoke the enemy's line and scattered the lcF.erves. thus enabling the infantry to occupy the trenches and enter the town, without- almost any casualties. Serial I'Venc-h prisoners who had been employed building the officers' summer barracks at. the Styr were rescued. EVACUATING THE PRIPET VILLAGE The battle to the north-westward ofBucaoz covers a twelve mile front. The Austre-Germans are evacuating the towns and. villages southward of the , Pripat. Hie left bank of the Pripet is st'-jngly fortified. ' CZBRNOV.TfZ ALMOST DESTROYED. 1 The reg'on near Czernowitz is the ; scene of futious fighting. The town is ■ almost demolished. The enemy is still ; clinging tu the suburbs, but the Russians have nearly surrounded them, interposing a barrier and preventing the Harrison from jr.nctioning up with the Austrians in Bukowina. Two German corpi are hastening from Galicia, and " two Bulgarian divisions are going toi wards Bukovinla. i Austiians near Alyka abandoned a badly damaged armoured traiq.

OFFICIAL REPORTS. f l?E ADVANCE CONTINUES.

Received. June 17, o.. r > p.m.

Petrograd, Juno 18. A communique states: By a heroic efloit tTie (loop 1! under General Stcherbatcheff overthrew tlie Austrians in Gui'ovodv district The struKpfle on the w.-st b-'.nk of the Slrypa, north-west-of Uneanzn continues. We have already eapturi-d OOflO men, Our artillery in the Dvinsk region prevented the enemy taking tin; offensive in several sector"

A Turkish offensive in the direction of Bagdad occupied the town of Serpul, but \ve dislodged the attackers and drove them back to their original positions. AUSTRIAN PEOPLIi DECEIVED. Paris, June 16. Newspaper? in Vienna are forbidden to publish tie Russian communiques and the public is without news, except the Aus'rian ,eo:'miun : .c|ues, affirming that the Austro-Hmnrarian losses are small and those of Russians overwhelming. The increasing influx of Lemherg refugees ia interpreted as showing that the official statements are mendacious.

EFFECTIVE GUNS AND SHELLS. ' SUPPLIED BY JAPAN. Home, June 1(5. Newspapers state from a Russian source that the effectiveness of the Russian artillery in the present offensive is due to the great Japanese guns. The Japanese shells are charged with u new explosive, the destructivnoss of which surpasses ai! expectations. A Bulgarian division lias arrived on the Tsonzo front to replace two Austrian divisions sent to Galicia.'