GERMANS CHECKED IN THE BALTIC PROVINCES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2537, 11 August 1915, Page 5

GERMANS CHECKED IN THE BALTIC PROVINCES

FAILURE OF RIGA OFFENSIVE PRAGA OCCUPIED BY THE ENEMY By Telegraph—Press Asseciation—Gonyright : . „ Petrograd, August 9. ; The newspapers assume that the Germans are altering their plans on tlid Eastern froiit, and 1 are now aiming at Ossoiviec. They dcclare that tlio enemy's operations oil Riga entirely failed. Tho "Novoe Vremya" states that the Germans were thrown baclf at Mitau, which explains, tho sudden attack on Kovno. The Baltic newspapers imply that Mitau is now in Russian possession. • RUSSIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. August 10, 10 p.m.) '' Petrograd, 'August 10. Official.—"Nortli-east of . Wilcomierz we dislodged the German advance guards from several villages, inflicting great loss. , ■'During the night of August 7-8 the enemy renewed his attacks on Kovno. There was 'intense bombardment on August 8, . by artillery of all calibres, including the heaviest guns, and extremely desperate.attacks on our advanced position. The.assault against our western front at Kovno was everywhere repulsed witli enormous German losses." . GERMAN OFFICIAL' COMMUNIQUE. , , . ' , Amsterdam, August 9. ' A German communique states:—"The Germans have approached Kevna fortress, iCapturing 430' Russians. : "Wo progressed towards the northern and, western front of . Lomza after severe fighting, taking prisoner 1400 and capturing an armoured motor-car. "Wo crossed the Ostroff-Wyszkoff road. The enemy, at some points stubbornly resisted, but were repulsed. ' "Novo. Georgievsk is now cut off eastwards. "We captured several thousand Russians at Warsaw. "We liavo occupied Praga and are advancing further eastward. "General von Woyrsch has crossed: the Garwolen-Ryki road, northeastward of Ivangorod. • . ' "General'Mackensen's left wing has pushed the Russians back across the Vieprz., "Our centre and right wing are approaching the' Ostrow-Gansk-TJgrusk line.'.' AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL' COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. August 10, 8.40 p.m.) . , Amsterdam, August 10. ' An Austrian official communique states: "Tho left bank of tho Vieprz and tho right bank of the Vistula near .Ivangorod Lave now been elcared of tho enemy. The number of prisoners captured by the Archduke Joseph's army has increased to eight thousand. ... "On the Dniester, towards Uscieczsko, we repulsed the Russians at several points, and took prisoner sixteen hundred, and five machine-guns."-PAMPHLET BRIBES TO THE PEOPLE OF KOVNO. • Refugees from Lithuania state that the . Germans are distr ibuthig"™ mplilets.in Kovno, announcing the reunion of tho Russian and Prussian Lithuanians as an independent kingdom under the Kaiser's son; Prince Joachim, whose portrait adorns .tho pamphlet. , GERMANS'HOLLOW TRIUMPH AT WARSAW , KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT FOLLOWS ENTHUSIASM. i . ..: Rotterdam, August 9. Keen disappointment followed the jubilations and flag-waving in Berlin owing to tho absence of any announcement of large captures of men and booty Ttic tone of the newspapers suddenly changed, they pointing out that the capture of. Warsaw is not a decisive military achievement. Hie "Vossicho Zeitung" says:—"The capitulation of Warsaw is a great stride nearer peace, which, however., is still far distant. No fortress, even Paris can be regarded as tho final object of military operations. Peace will only follow 1 the ruiri of the enemies' armies. The conquered Vistula line will become a r springboard for the attainment of this object, liko Liege and Antwerp on tho West front. The capture of Warsaw and Ivangorod only clears away the first difficulties." PRESS CRITICS ON THE EASTERN CRISIS SITUATION CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED. (Rec, August 10, 4 p.m.) London, 'August 10. Tho "Daily Telegraph's" Petrograd correspondent states: "Tho higher military authorities regard the Russian Vistula army as out of danger, the troops taking up their positions without precipitation. . The rear was not at any moment threatened. ... "Thero are growing indications that tho impetus of the Austro-German attack is weakening. The failure to repeat Friday's attempt to rush Kovno and Ossowiec is evidence that the enemy 'has not a largo force in theso zones. News from Vilna states that the Russian artillery at Kovno wrought fearful havoc. Prisoners state that there has been lately a deficiency of food ! and fodder. Hie German soldiers are exhausted by continual marching. Some were unable to stand, refusing food, and begging only permission to sleep. "Tho Russian position in tho Baltic provinces is. firm.. They pushed back the Germans almost to Mitau, and tho enemy has not shown any inclination to resume tlio aggressive. It is believed that ho lias drawn upon thesft forces to strengthen his attack eastward of Ponicvitch, where the battle hangs in the balanco. "The Germans have made no headway. Tlio main enemy pressure continues on tlio Naiw line, also on the front on both sides'of the Vioui'z, where tho fightine favours the Russian),.

"There are indications that tho Austro-Germans have small faith in the permanence of 'their gains." _ A refugee, from Galicia reports that the Austrians aro not restoring their civil administration.". STRENCTH OF THE ENEMY RECKONED UP. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. August 10, 8.30 p.m.) London, 'August 9. < Colonel Ropington (tho "Times" military correspondent) estimates that at the end of Juno two-thirds of tho German Army was still in tho west. He believes that 1,250,000 men supplemented by 750,000 (?) Austrinns, are operating in the east. "We must not ilatter ourselves," ho says,, "that 'the German reserves are being used up. The garrisons and depots in the interior are still full of recruits, though of inferior finality. Th© Germans' advance in tho east is being hotly pressed, but they are unablo to break the order of tlio Russian retreat." Mr. Stanley Washburn (the American war correspondent in tho Eastern theatre) says that he has travelled thousands of miles over Poland and Galioia, visited eight of the aotivo armies, and met and talked with nearly a thousand officers. "From £Ke first month, n ho says, "the popularity of tho war lias grown steadily until it has the support of the entire Russian people. The Russians 'havo come through their trial of fire,-, and with tho exception of one army (now reconstituted), they've probably suffered far less in personnel than their enemies. Their spirits are good and their confidence unshaken. "The task" now before Germany is to repeat the Galician enterprise against an army infinitely better than the one sho broke in May. If she can do this she will havo tho same problem to meet on some other lino in two months, and after that another, and another. She may do it once; she may do it twice,-but there must come a- time when sho can do it no more —when Russ7a slowly;'surely, and inexorably, will come back step bv sten until she has Germany on her knees."

GERMAN PEESS GREATLY DISAPPOINTED. ("Ernes" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) (Rec. August 10, 8.30 p.m.) m. n -r. • •, London, 'August 9. Ihe German. Press is greatly disappointed at tlie Duma's unsvroarinK resolution to continue the war to the bitter end. The;. "Berliner Tagblatt" says: "We have always warned our leaders against tho view that Russia is' aiming at a separate peace. Wo believe that tho Russian Government will attempt to keep up tho liopcs of the people and drag-on the war." The "Kreuz Zeitung" sa.vs: "The Duma is an object Jesson, showing that Russia's morale and newer of resistance aw still unbroken." The "Cologne Gazette" says: "Since the position on the Bzura Rawka front lias been given, up, the possession of Warsaw has lost its military importance.''" SEA ATTACKS ON RIGA REPULSED GERMAN CRUISER AND TWO DESTROYERS DAMAGED. T (Rec. 'August 10, 8.40 p.m.)] . , London, August 10. The German fleet in the Baltic made attacks on tho entrance to the Gulf of Riga, but wore repulsed. A cruiser and two 'of their . destroyers were damaged by mines. . THE RUSSIAN OFFICIAL VERSION. (Roc. August 10,10 p.m.) m ., „., n -. . . 'Petrograd, August 10. Othcml. — A German fleet of nine battleships, twelve cruisers, and a large number of destroyers, made persistent attacks at the entrance to tho Gulf of Riga, but were 'repulsed everywhere. Our seaplanes, by throwing bombs, contributed to our success. Our mines damaged one of tho enemy's cruisers and two of his destroyers."