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Northern Advocate, 5 December 1916, Page 3

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VICTORY SITJXI' RACE.'

RUSSi.V TO THE RESCUE

Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. (Press Assn.—Reed. r>.45 p.m.) LONDON, December 3. The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent with the southern Russian headquarters says that the main daiisor to Bucharest is from the south. The astonishing facility with which the Germans crossed the Danube was due to the technical superiority which General Mackensen established wir.!powerful long-range batteries at man: points on the right Dank. Severa' islands prevented the Russian an l " Roumanian gunboats from navigating the river. Simultaneously othe; long-range batteries drove back thRoumanian batteries on the left ban which vainly tried to stop the Germans. Then the Austrian monitors intervened to protect the German landings. ■General Maekensen's rush was really a victory sprint race for Bucharest, wherein the Allies were outstripped. Meanwhile the Russians were not idle. They extended their front by ! over 100 miles, assisted by dense 1 fogs which fortunately shrouded the risky operations. The risk was aI! the greater because it was temporarily necessary to attenuate some parts of the front while reinforcements were being brought from the rear. j General Brusiloft's southern-most army is now able to threaten General Falkenha.yn's left flank and rear. The Russians, attacking with great resolution between the Moldavian town of Okna and the Ciksereda station, reached the river Tatras. "A brave Russian lieutenant, with a small body of men, rushed the mountain ravine an t { surprised enemy pioneers who were attempting to blow up a railway bridge. The capture prevented the demolition of the bridge, which is on one of the main lines of General Falkenhayn's communications. The storming of Kirlibaba was a desperate business. Many houses were captured and recaptured several times. Machine-guns were used everywhere, and rifles were fired from every window, roof, and cellar. The Russians also occupied a summit commanding the railway to Marmarossziget in Hungary.