RUSSIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145903, 9 August 1917, Page 3

RUSSIA.

RUSSIAN ARMY COMMITTEES. CAUSE OF THE DISASTERS. (Received August 9, 8.5 a.m.) (Times.) LONDON. August 7. Mr. Wilton cables extraordinary details of the committee system, ivliioh was the main cause of the disaster to tho Russian armies. It was ostensibly devised for the maintenance of discipline, but these military duplicates of the Soldiers’ and Workmen's Committees succeeded in every vestige. They usurped the functions of command and non-combatants, especially Jews, clerks, and ambulance men comprised the majorities, and all wore initiated into tho inmost secrets of strategy. So long as speechifying was their main occupation they made a braio show, and a. word from them to Retrograd led to tho dismissal of commanders who were not attentive to them, however highly they wore placed. They ontrivalled headquarters, inspired tho press, commandeered innumerable motors. and kept all the staffs busy attending to them. Despite General Korniloff's request they remain, issuing bulletins, claiming credit for everything favourable, and enjoying handsome emoluments. ENEMY PRESSURE CONTINUED. CAUSES FURTHER RETIREMENT. LONDON, August 7. A wireless Russian official report states; Intense enemy artillerying is proceeding to the south-west of Brody. The enemy is gathering tho harvest in the Screth and Zuczavy valleys. The enemy continues his pressure and is occupying Vaskovoysatulmary, Bnrla, Glit, also the heights northward of Nolit in the direction of Kimpolung. We beat off several attacks in this region, forcing the enemy to retire in disorder. We repulsed attacks westward of Ozclin, We retired a few versts in the region of the Bystritza River, owing to the voluntary retirement of two regiments. The enemy made an offensive in the direction of Focsani and l pressed us across the Tyrladcsus River. RUSSIAN TOWNS ABANDONED. OWING TO GERMAN ADVANCE. (Received August 9, 9.30 a.m.) PETROGRAD, August 8. The Novoe Vremya states .that the Russians have evacuated the towns of Kamenets-Podolsky and Proskuroff. TEUTONIC SUCCESSES. IN THE CARPATHIANS. (Received August 9, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 8. A German official report says:—Tho Austro-Hungarians stormed and occupied several summits on the wooded Carpathians. We extended our successes northward of Facsani, There is bitter fighting on the llusso-Boumanian front, but enemy counter-attacks have proved futile. BRITISH MOTOR CARS. DOING SPLENDID SERVICE.

LONDON, August 8. The Morning Post’s Petrograd correspondent reports that the British naval armoured cars are still actively aiding the Russians in the retreat on the southwestern front. 'During the whole week they punished the enemy’s infantry, who followed the Russians with rifles slung on their backs. The Germans, enraged, threatened to shoot every Englishman caught, and offered rewards for prisoners, but the British, though they lost a dozen cars, have not lost a single prisoner. The Germans then sent a tew cavalry, screening light guns, and made an effort to knock out the cars, but did not succeed. Colofffel Locker-Larnp-son’s cars were the last wheeled vehicles to leave the enemy territory, crossing the Vusiatyn Bridge five minutes before it was blown up. ROUMANIAN OFFENSIVE STOPPED. LONDON, August 8. The King of Koumania, replying to President Poincare’s congratulations on the recent offensive, stated that the offensive had stopped for reasons independent of his will, and that the troops ■were burning with impatience to resume operations. THE ESTIMATED FORCE. ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT. (Times.) (Received August 9, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 8. Ono hundred and thirty-seven. AustroGerman divisions, 24 brigades of infantry and the whole Austro-Gorman cavalry are how fighting on the RussoRoumanian front. Several divisions are en route from France. [There were said to be 143 German divisions on the western front in April.]