RUSSIANS ADMIT DANGER

Evening Star, Issue 15915, 22 September 1915, Page 3

RUSSIANS ADMIT DANGER

VILNA'S FALL CONFIRMED GERMAN PACE ACCELERATED BIG CAVALRY MOVEMENT PUSHING TOWARDS MINSK Prws Association—Bt Telegraph—Copyright PETROGRAD, September 21. A communique states: "We reoccupied our former trenches at Steidern, southwest of Illutsk, seizing a quantitv of rifles and material."We retired .eastwards in the Vilna region, after much fighting at the Middle vilia f.irds. Fighting continues for the possession of the Vilia fords north-west of Molodechna. "Our troops are showing high military virtues, and maintain their- coolness and assurance under circumstances of extreme gravity. _ , "Our cavalry pursued the retreating enemy m the Lutsk (west of Rovno) region, sabring many and capturing a iarge supply column." An unofficial report states that the Russians stripped Vilna of all metals, including church bells. They defended the city until the last possible moment, and are now %hting between the Vilia and the Yilna-Lida railway. The German cavalry has been repulsed from Molooechna (between Vilna and Minsk), but seized the station at Vilezka. It is feared that if the.German cavalry fail to cut off the, 'Russians retreating from Vilna they will attempt a bigger enterprise • against Minsk, threatening the communications ot all tho armies on the western front The movement of 50,000 horsemen recalls the great cavalry raids in the American Uml War. _ The struggle is entering upon a phase in which swampy land under the autumn rains will play an important part. General Ivanoff is prudently suspending his advance in the Sereth region owing to the enemy being reinforced from sections ot General Von Mackensen's widelyscattered army. ' J London •Times' and Sydney 'Sun' Service.. at c w LONDON, September 20. t ri *y ashburn » special correspondent of The limes' with the Russians, states that the fall of Vilna does no* permanently affect the eastern campaTfn. Military authorities in Petrograd support this view. THE SOUTHERN FLANK RUSSIAN CAPTURES. . PETROGRAD, September 21. • Offi clal: Th« Russians have captured 70,000 prisoners on the front south of Polesia during the last days of the Russian August and the beginning of Septem- _ [Polesia is the district of the River Inpeti and the marshes, extending east from Grest Litovsk towards the Dnieper. AUSTRIAN REPORT VIENNA, September 21. A communique states: We repulsed a BtTong Russian attack east of Lutsk. I here was hand-to-hand fighting at many points. The Russian columns attacked Czernowitz and reached the west bank of the Ikwa, but our reserves speedily repulsed them. RUSSIAN POLITICS PETROGRAD, .September 20. An important Zemtsvos Congress at Moscow is considering a resolution for "gently advocating the reassembling of the Duma and the formation of a Ministry enjoying public confidence. The Congress of Oetabrists is also petitioning the Tsar similarly. WESTERN FRONT BELGIAN MILITARY RAILWAY. ZEPPELIN SHEDS SHIFTED. AMSTERDAM, September 20. The Germans are vigorously pushing forward a new railway (working night and day) between Aix-la-Chapelle and Brussels, via Vise, in a practically straight. Une, regardless of private property or natural obstacles. September 21. The Germans are removing their Zeppelins from Brussels, owing to allied airmen bombarding the Berche shed and the destruction of that at Evere.