THE AUSTRO-GERMAN ROUT.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14154, 3 August 1916, Page 5

THE AUSTRO-GERMAN ROUT.

PROOFS MULTIPLYING

REPORTED EVACUATION OF VLADIMIR VOLYNSKY AND

KOVEL

PREPARATIONS TO QUIT

LEMRERG

■• {Australian and N.Z". Cable Association)

London, August 1

A Russian communique says : —We forced the enemy back at the bend of the Stokliod river. Wo have reached westward of the Velicka-Kuchary line.

We repulsed counter-attacks at KoTel and Luzk. We attacked in the region of Tohekhuv arid Dubenka, southeastward of Monasterisk.

We crossed the' marshy river Koropetz waist deep. The bridges were destroyed,' We-reached the west bank,

where we organised and captured over 1000 Austro-Gernr.ans.

A tireless message states that the Germans evacuated Vladimir Volynsky and are evacuating Kovel.

Proofs of the Austro-German rout are multiplying.

The "Daily Telegraph's" Rome correspondent telegraphs that the AustroGerman Staffs resolved not to defend any towns in order to avoid the Russians -surrcmncling them. The decision includes Kovel, Stanislavoff, and Lemberg. The Russians have already reached positions south-west and north of j Kovel. j j There is also evidence of Austrian j demoralisation after the- battle of the 28th. The Austrians in panic abandoned 50 kilometres of front west of Luzk. Later, seeing that the Russians paused in their advance, the Austrians retraced their steps and reoceupied ten kilometres of the abandoned territory. The Austrians arc blowing up the Bug bridges to delay the Russian advance on.the Lemberg railway. Traffic between Lemberg and Tarnopol has been interrupted, but engines and rolling stock have been transferred to Cracovr. The population is evacuating the suburbs of Przemysl and Jaroslav. "Fugitives. from Galieia* are flocking to Cracow. • ,

The "Deutsche Tages Zeitung" states that everything is ready for the possible evacuation of Lemberg, but there is no immediate apprehension.

An American correspondent says that opinion in Petrograd is that despite the Austro-Germans' stxibborn resistance, they will be unable much longer to successfully oppose all three Russian lines of advance upon Kovel, Vladimir Volynski and Lemberg, and will probably be compelled to sacrifice one in order to stiffen the others.