THE RUSSIAN CRISIS IN THE EAST

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2530, 3 August 1915, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN CRISIS IN THE EAST

. RETREAT TO PREPARED POSITIONS WARSAW NOT YET EVACUATED The High Commissioner reports:— . • ' ■ ' ® 1 ■ London, 'August 1, 6.30 a.m. . . Petrograd reports that a portion of the Lublin railway has been abandoned. "Between the Vistula aiid the Bug the Russians have retreated to prepared positions, '■ without--'interference by. the enemy."- ■ ■ 1 :. - RUSSIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE . DESPERATE FIGHTING AT DANGER POINTS. (Rcc. August 2, 9.25 p.m.) ■ . . _ . . - Petrograd, August 2. - ' Official. — 'Wo fought a desperate engagement with tho Germans on Friday and Saturday on tho River Aa} uelow Dausk. ' After numerous , and fruitless attempts, the enemy, at the.cost of grave losses,, established himself on the right bank of the Aa, near Juiigferkopf farm. "Our at Ponteviszroad, near Darchischke, overthrow a German column which had taken the offensive, and repulsed an advance guard near-Ruttany and Tyltagola, taking several hundred prisoners and a number of machine guiis. iWe also captured tho enemy's trenches, which wero full of German dead. "Tho enemy has gained a footing on the left bank of tlie Narew, near tho mouth of tho Schkva, but our counter-attack drove them back towards the - river-bed. ■ ' - "Considerable enemy forces developed an offensive between the Narew and the Oje, in the Rozan sector. A very desperate battlo. ensued, tlie enemy using asphyxiating gas in great quantities. Many desperate bayonet actions occurred, after which the enemy made slight progress near Kamienba. They captured our trenches south of Oje, but later were driven back "The fighting was most sanguinary, the enemy losing severely. We captured one thousand prisoners and a complete battery. "Barren attacks were made by the enemy between the Vieprz and Rejovetz station. We .withdrew somewhat to the north between Kholo and tlie Bug, beforo superior forces, after desperate fighting."- > GERMAN-OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE, (Rec. August 2, 6.45 p.m.) ■ London, August 2. A Berlin communique states:—"We made further progress north-east of Rozan, and repulsed Russian counter-attacks. During July, between tho Pilica and the Baltic, wo captured 95,023 Russians, forty-one guns, and 230 machine-guns. "Our troops across tho Vistula, north of Ivangorod, repulsed heavy attaoks. Pursuing, we captured the heights 'near Podzamoze, taking prisoners totalling one thousand. The' enemy, again offered resistance between the Upper Vistula and the Bug. "We ejected the enemy from his position near Kurow, east of NovoAlexandra. We passed through Cholm, pursuing the enemy, who continued to retreat on both banks of the Bug and between the Bug and South Lonozna 'During July wo captured in tho south-eastern theatre 323 cfficers J5,719 men, ten guns, and 126 machine-guns." ' AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec.-rAugust 2, 10.40 p.m.) \ Amsterdam, August 2. An Austrian communique states: "We stormed the Russian lines near Kurow, and forced our way in tho direction of Novo Alexandria. The enemy is still resisting here, and also on tho east bauk of tho Vistula, and near Lublin, but continues to retreat from this sector to tho Bug River, "Tho Austro-Germans ill July captured 12,836 prisoners, sixteen cannon, land 202 machine guns.SPARING WARSAW FROM BOMBARDMENT GERMAN PRINCE AS KING OF POLAND, . • ,_ : i< By Tolegraph-Preas Aeaociation-Cejuriglit Petroerad, August 1. It is expected that a German Prince will be proclaimed King of Poland at Warsaw. Tho Russians'in sparing the city from exposure to bombardment, have left tho electricity and waterworks'intact, only taking machinery and ammunition stores, which would bo directly useful to tho enemy. There has been a-great migration of Poles, Letts, and Russian Jews to tho interior, where they will assist, in gathering tho magnificent harvest. ' The Grand Diiko Nicholas has ordered tho indemnifying of tho owners ef property and crops destroyed in tho rotreat from Warsaw, ENEMY'S STRENGTH BEING REDUCED. ! (Rcc. August 2, 9.25 p.m.) Petrograd, August 2. Warsaw has not yet. been evacuated, and the deliberation of the Russian tarithdrawal is an encouraging feature of tho situation." , . A semi-official '■ communique states that, strategically, the situation has not changed on tho front nearest Warsaw. "We havo been wholly unshaken by the enemy's attacks east of Rozan, and they were unsuccessful even on tlie most active points on tho other front affecting Warsaw, on the west. In tlie south-west arena, after a- stubborn conflict, we expelled the Germans from tlie woods on tho right bank of the Vistula. "Deep reasons demand our withdrawal, which will be temporary, not prolonged. The fact that the enemy lias not obstructed our withdrawal shows how his strength is being reduced through exhaustion, and to Hie impotence of his efforts to outmanoeuvre us.-_ That our retirement is not being made under pressure shews that tho initiative is on our side." , WHAT A' GERMAN AVIATOR SAW. • i Coneva, August 1. It is ropoTtod from Lodz tint a German aviator, who in rule u m'umuih. fooea At .Warsawi saw Russian troocß evacuating the city to tlie eastward.