view raw text
J -ETPPEAN WAR DEVELOPMENTS. An official statement from Petrograd warns the public to he cautious about accepting rumors of a crushing Russian victory in Poland. It says thu retreating Germans are offering desperate resistance and the battle has not yet been finished. lhe statemcut in full is as follows: "The headquarters staff warns the public that these rumors are not founded on facts and must be received with reserve. Undoubtedly the German plan to pierce our frontier on the left bank of the Vistula aud surround part of the Russian army has completely failed. It appears from the communications of the staff commander-in-chief that tho Germans have been compelled to fall back from Rzgow and Tuszyn through Brzeziny on Strvkow under conditions most disadvantageous to them. The Germans suffered enormous losses daring the retreat. The fighting, however, is not vet finished. The enemy continues to offer verv stubborn resistance. We have succeeded in makiug progress at certain points," is all that Grand Duke Nicholas, Russian commander-in-chief, permits himself to say of the battle of Lodz. General von Hindenburg is seemingly holding fast to ills advanced position at Lowicz, in Poland, and the disaster predicted for his army hy Petrograd observers has not happened. Both the Russian and the German capitals insist the enemy is being held in check; but since the Germans are now as neat-Warsaw as thev were a week ago, a defeat cannot have been suffered by either of tho armies. General von Hindenburg has been in danger since the beginning of his drive against opponents that outnumber him two to one, but it seems certain his lines of communication are open, which will permit him to fall back if the Slav assault threatens to overwhelm him. A telegram from Thorn, West Prussia, gives an armv order issued by General von Hiiidenburg, commander of the German army in Russian Poland, stating that "in tho severe fighting lasting several days my troops brought to a standstill the offensive of the numerically superior Russian army." The army order repeats the contents of a telegram sent bv Emperor William congratulating General von Hindenburg on his new success, thanking Him and his troops for the protection they afforded to the eastern frontier, aud promoting the general to the rank of field marshal. "I am proud of bavins reached tho highest military rank at the head of such troops," the army order concludes. "Your fighting spirit and perseverance have in a marvelous manner inflicted the greatest losses on the enemy. Over 00,000 prisoners, 150 guns, and about 200 machine guns have fallen into our hands." An official statement issued by the German general staff says: "Only unimportant engagements are reported from East .Prussia. At Lowicz our troops liavo recommenced their attacks and the lighting continues. Heavy Russian attacks in the district to the west of Mowo and Radom were repelled. In southern Poland there has been no change." Other information given out by the German official press bureau follows: "Military critics of the Berlin newspapers consider that the successes of the Aus-trians on November 25 and of General Mackenseu on the following day have made still more favorable the position of the Germans. Reports from Vienna are to the effect that the conflict along the greater part of the front has assumed the character of a stubborn and long drawn battle, the outco.ne of whicli is likely to exert an important influence on the whole situation." The fighting in France and Flanders has been unimportant lor a few days. Tho French governments official statement says that the allies are outnumbered by the Germans. Fifty German army corps are said by the Paris authorities to be In France and Belgium, making a probable total of 2,000,000 men. That the allies have been unable to surpass this number is due without doubt to their shortage of equipment. The Germans are reported to have collected 700.000 men in the neighborhood of Arras, where they are preparing for a determined effort to break through the allies line. A dispatch from Copenhagen says the cable between Frederieia. Denmark, ami Lilian. Russia, and between Frederieia and Petrograd. which are the only direct cables between Denmark and Russia, have been cut in the Baltic sea seventeen miles east of Bornholm. It is supposed that the cutting was done by German warships. The only communication with Russia now is by way of Sweden. German newspapers assert that a German submarine sunk tlie British battleship Bulwark, which was blown up with all but fourteen of Its crew off Sheerness. some thirty-four miles from London. An official Austrian communication says: "The situation is unchanged. In Russian Poland yesterday It was generally quiet. Some weak Russiau attacks in the Carpathians were repulsed."
