GERMANS FIGHTING IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15766, 14 November 1914, Page 8

GERMANS FIGHTING IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY.

ADVANCE OF' RUSSIANS INTO EAST PRUSSIA. ! •■ '= TIDE OF BATTLE RETURNS TO GUMBINNEN. ,' . •' \ Peteogkad, November 12. It is officially reported that an engagement has developed along the front from Stalluponcn, on the East Prussian frontier, to Gumbinnen, 20 miles from Russian territory, and in the region of Soldau, further to the south. The Russians occupied Johanni#burg, an important centre in the Masurian Lakes district of East Prussia,", The. enemy's advance guards are endeavouring to make headway in the Kalisz district, on the Polish frontier. v ■y\ The Russians are attacking the Austrian rearguard at the fords of the Upper San, in Galicia. According-to another official statement, the Russians in East Prussia have approached "the eastern outlets of the Masurian Lake's. There have been engagements favourable to our arms at Goldap,. Olava, and Soldau. A vigorous offensive in Galicia continues. - - - . ! - ** v . The. Masurian Lakes, in the south-west of East Prussia, are joined together by a system of canals, which allow a ship -to proceed from Maucr-See in the north to Neider-See and Rosch-See in the south, a. distance of 102 miles. There are five intermediate lakes. This chain of lakes and swamps has more than once caused embarrassment to invading armies, and- the recent retirement of tho Russians from East Prussia was. the result of the Germans catching the invaders at a disadvantage among, the lakes. r . ~ •"' ' ■] '' v Soldau, on the frontier between Prussia and Poland,. is only 68 miles north by ' east of Thorn, the. great German fortress on the Vistula. ;f It is a town of 4000 persons. Soldau was readied : by; the Russians in the early part of the war, but the -Russians subsequently retreated to their, own-territory. \ ■ Gumbinnen, a prosperous well-designed town of 15,000 people, on the railway between Russia and Konigsberg, the capital' of East' Prussia, is 20 miles from the Russian frontier. _It is the centre of a fruitful agricultural and pastoral district. : Gumbinnen was the scene of a bitter fight between the Russians and Germans in . the eairly days* of the war, and a charge made by Russian cavalry to silence a battery of guns has since been described as '•'.the Russian Balaclava."/.:.'...' ■'.•' "■■ t ; :,

-' Johannisburg is in East Prussia, on one of the Masurian Lakes, and near the frontier between Prussia and Russia. It has a, population of : 4000. Johannisburg has been frequently mentioned in connection with the operations of the Russians against East Prussia. -. .• *. : ; ''