RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

Nelson Evening Mail, 21 July 1916, Page 5

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

GERMANS IN A DILEMMA WHERE WILL THE NEXT RUSSIAN BLOW FALL? (Published in The Time*.'' (Rec. Julv 21, 2.15 p.m.) " LONDON, July 20. Mr Washburn, on the Kovel front- describes the Russ'an's difficulties. The Ausiro-Gerrnans scientifically strengthened the natural defensive lines at Stokhod intending either to give time for the comiplet'on of tho Kovel fortification or check the Russians' -advance wi»le Kovel was smoothly evacuated. He points .'out that the Germans are in a dilemma, as they do not know when to expect the next Russian blow because the Russians are hitting hevethere, and everywhere; but the Germans a-re clever fencers and have fought more desperately. It is a m-'stake to imagine that the Germans are on the verge of collapse. Although -there is a shortage of food at home, it is causing the troops uneasiness and a:::-:i'Jty, affecting the morale. Austro-Gennan losses ten davs here are from 73,000 to 100,000.

THE UPA LINE RUSSIAN ADVANCE UNDERDIFFICULTIES.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

PETROGRAD, July 20.

In the fight on the LLpa the Rus ' sians forced the line at three o'clock in the morning of the 16th., wading under machine gun and rifle fire through water and marsh above their waists, often reaching to the armpits. Tho engineers laboured under a heavy shell fire to construct a bridge to enable tlie cavalry and guns to cross in pursuit of the enemy. At the Austrian end of the bridge

there was a terrible sight. The place was congested with dead, dying, and horribly wounded. Many of the \ns tria-ns liad apparently been: wounded by their own guns in attempting ti> prevent, the bridging of the stream. The Anstrians now simply refuse to fight after tho initial resistance. They •prefer to surrender in blocks rather ! than risk being cut to pieces on the. retreat. RUSSIAN CAVALRY THE CARPATHIANS GROSSED. ANXTETY IN HUNGARY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PETROGRAD. July 20. General Lechitsky's cavalry are lotoss the Carpathians on the main road -'n.m Kirlibaba towards Marmaras-Sz.i-et. threatening Pffanzer's coimnun-ieations and causing intense anxiety in Hungary. AUSTRIAN REPORTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 20. An Austrian communique says : South-west- of Delatyn we drove out Russian detachments which peuct rnteel to the western bank of the Prut It and crossed the river. A Vienna message. says that telegraphic communication with MarmarasSziget is suspended. A large portion of the village of Ciirahmora. in the war zone .was destroyed by fire. F;ve hundred houses were burned. REPORTED WRECK OF A ZEPPELIN BY RUSSIAN GUNS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assorialion.) (Rec. June 21. 11.4 a.m.) THE HAGUE, dune 20. It is reported at Cologne that Russian guns wrecked a Zeppelin at Riga. HOSPITAL BOMBED BY ENEMY AEROPLANES. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. June 21. 11.4 a.m.) PETROGRAD. July 20. A communique states : —Enemy aeroplanes bombed a hospital at lazaret Zamiren. north-east of Raranovitchi. killing three doctors and ten patient-, and wounding 28. We checked the advance of the enemy south-east of Gorckhov. The overflow of the Dniester continues. The valleys are flooded and the slopes and heights are so slippery that it is almost impossible to climb them. Bridies he.ve been washed away.