RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

Nelson Evening Mail, 20 July 1916, Page 5

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

GENERAL RETREAT REPORTED RIGA LINES ORGANISED FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 18. The Daily Telegraph's Rome correspondent has received a highly significant Petrograd telegram announcing that a general retreat on the East front ha,commenced. The Austro-Germans are retiring, laying waste the country and burning the villages. The telegram savs that this is one of the many indications of Sir Douglas Haig's offensive, which ha s aroused the first fears of the German General Staff. It is suggested as a possibility that thev must "revert to the defensive in order to secure tolerable terms of peace. Von Hindenburg has already been summoned to the West front to discuss the situation with the Kaiser and Von Falkenhayn. It is understood that Hindenburg has been given complete control of the East front, including the Aus trians. Hindenbergs's appointment inessential to carrying out the shortening of the East front, which is already n\ progress. Russian experts point out that Hindenberg's sector in the Riga district is now organised solely for defensive warfare. It consists of concrete trenches, and ten to twelve lines of wire defences near which tnin<»a are laid. The are still building a series oT field railways competed with Mitau V.'iiidaii and other railwavs. The "r gamsalion of Hindenbcrg's rear represents the last word in military science as regards the rapid transference of troons and the supply of munitions and fiocl. HUNGARY PENETRATED BY .RUSSIAN CAVALRY. AUSTRIAN'S' REAR THREATENED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Re<\ July £O. 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, Ju!v 19. 'The Daily News Petrograd correspondent stiles that Letchitsky's cavalry penetrated a day's march into .Hungary and threaten the ro;iy of the Austrian's in the Kiiupoluug-Kiity region. PRELUDE TO BIG OPERATIONS RUSSIAN ADVANCE ON LIPA. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) ;Rcc. Juiv'ZO. 11.20 a.ni.) AMSTERDAM. Jnh 19. Aiietrc-Gc-rman nr-'-pancr «tt:nb rreat importance tc the Busman advir:s on Lipa. The Russian;, anted by splendid railways, swiftly concentrated large forces near Szklin. Correspondents assert that these attacks are a prelude to big operations. Avoid imitations of "NAZOL"—;.ha.t honest specific for couglis and • olds. No other remedy will benefit you so quickly as the genuine "NAZOL."

MARCH ON LEMBERG MOST SERIOUS OBSTACLES OVERCOME. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 18. Marcel Hutin claims that the most, serious obstacles in General Sakharoff's mai'ch on Lemberg have heen overcome. Sunday's victory resulted in a pain ot 31 miles against Gevnian troops. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (.Roc. Julv 20. 11.60 a.m.) LONDON, duly 19. A German communique says :—Hindenburg's troops to the south and southwest of Riga broke repeated Russian attacks with extraordinary hrdi losses. There is lively artillery activity on the Stokhod. and elsewhere it is quiet. THE VOLHYNIA OFFENSIVE. THE LOWER LI PA CLEARED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PETROORAD, July 18. A communique states that General Sakharoff captured thirty gnus in Volhynia. *The battle on the 16th on the whole of the Lower Li pa. cleared the ene:ny, who were repulsed beyond Zwiniacke and Krassow and the river. ENEMY FRONT PENETRATED .RELOW LUZK. (Reuter's Telegrams.^ PETROORAD. July 19 The hammering given the Austro-G-ormans in the OstrofT-Gutem sector, twenty miles south-west of Luzk, is a. great tactical success. The Russians smashed the enemy front on a. w.dth of a mile, and penetrated it to a depth of several miles. The enemy have been most active nere since the Russians Luzk thrust. AUSTRIAN REPORTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 18 An Austrian, comimamiquo says : Near Zabio and Toba.rov the Russians forced back our advanced :;:osit : ons. Attacks on our main position failed, with heavy losses. Enemy advances north of Radziwiloff, south-west of Luzk, were repulsed. LONDON. J-uyl 18. An Austrian communique states:— The Italians subjected the o tv of Riva and a. few sectors in the Dolomites to a severe bombardment. They also bombarded Marlborgetto and Goriz bridgehead." MIDDLE EAST RUSSIANS MAKING- GOOD PROGRESS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PETROORAD, Julv 18. (Official.) Th.o Russians in the Caucasus i.re making good headway. MESOPOTAWIAN^CASVIPAIGN CAUSE OF TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES, i (Australian a-~d N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July IS. Mr Asquith said the trans-port •1-ffi-culties in connection with the Mesopotamian expedition arose through the sending of seven, divisions instead of vwo. The seven divisions pushed on in advance of the trimsport, in the hope of effecting the relief of General Townshend at Kut. Sir Edward Carson said 1 thousands of .people thought the whole Mesopotamia!! compaign had been conducted with onminal .negligence. Ho asked if art opportunity would be given to debate the mattor, including the allegation that the troops were asked to fight w.th obsolete guns. Mr Asquith promised to afford an o|>portunity on Thursday. PARTY WAR COMMITTEES DISSATISFIED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 19. The Unionist War Committee are dissatisfied with Mr Asquith's attitude regarding Mesopotamia and the Dardanelles, and have requested Sir Edward Carson to move for a select committee to inquire into the conduct of operations at Gallipoh, the Dardanelles, and in Mesopotamia, including the requirements of troops and provision' for sick ana wounded, to fix the responsibility .ipon the department's whose duty it was to attend to these matters. The Liberal War ' tabled a motion in Sir F. Cawley'.s name : calling for the .production of the medi- | cal reports and other papers. Colonel Churchill has joined the latter committee, and attended its meeting. THE BALKANS ALLIED AIRM'EN ACTIVE. DESTRUCTION OF CROPS IN MACEDONIA. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. Jnly 20, 11.15 a.m.) 'SALONIKA, July 19. Allied aeroplams continue to fly over the Macedonian cornfields, igniting crops. Thousands of acres have been burned.