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EUROPEAN . WAR DEVELOPMENTS. j t Two new German armies are reported marching against the Russians in Poland. One Is advancing J from Kalicz, where the German line of battle has . been reconstructed and new elTorts are being made by the Germans to envelop the Russian right wing, cut off from its communication with Warsaw, and take possession of the Warsaw Railway. A new German army further south has begun an advance against the Russian left wing along the railway line from Lowicz. In an olticial statement issued at Pctrograd the Russians admit that the Germain i are on the offensive in Poland. Military headquarters at Berlin reports that the following are the facts about the German successes near Lodz, in Russian Poland: "Certain parts of the Gernia-i forces lighting east of Lodz against the right flank and rear of the Russians were seriously threatened in the rear by strong Russian forces advancing from the east and south. The German troops faced aliout and succeeded in cutting their way through the Russia!! ring. In three days of furious fighting they carried away 12,000 Russian prisoners and twenty-live guns without losing a single gun. All the German wounded were brought back. The losses, of course, were serious but not enormous, and the outcome is regarded hero as one of the finest military successes of the campaign." The kaiser has visited the troops in their positions near Gumbinueu and Darkehmen in East Prussia. Among the items of news given out by the German official press bureau is the following: "The Russian military newspaper, Russky Invalid, states that the number of Russian officers killed, wounded or taken prisoners now totals 33,000." The total number of Russians captured in the last few days in the fighting in Poland is estimated at 100,000 in the latest German war office statement cu the situation at the eastern front. Many guns also are sail to have been taken and the opinion is expressed that these losses by the Russians "are bound to weaken them seriously." Interest in the war is now centered almost entirely in the struggle between the Russian and German busts. The Russians have approacued within three miles of the outer fortifications of Cracow, their steady advance from Przemysl having proceeded without any real check. They were reported to lie mounting heavy batteries around the town of Wieliczka. which they occupied Wednes day, and from which the outer forts of Cracow can be reached. Important as this is for the fall of Cracow would lay open the roads to Vienna. Bres-lau and Berlin the main interest in the east continues to rest with the operations on the irregular front from Czenstochowa through Lodz and Lowicz to the East Prussian border. The following official statement was issued in Ietrograd: "Fighting continues in certain districts along the front in the region of Lowicz. Important forces of the enemy, chiefiv the troops transported in November from, the German west front, opened -an offensive on Dee. 2 in the region of Lioutomersk and Sezerzow. On the rest of the front on the left bank of the Vistula there is no particular modification in the situation. Revond the Carpathians our troops have taken Bartfeld, capturing eight officers, 1,200 meii. and six machine guns." It is apparent, from all reports, that a new battle has developed to the southwest of Lodz, where the Germans have formed a new line with fresh forces brought from Kalisz and are again trying to penetrate the Russian center. Gen. von Hindenbnrg Is still striving his ut most to retrieve the situation in Russian Poland bv greatly strengthening his forces across the southern end of the German position. It is believed he has brought six corps, aggregating 200.-.-000 men, into the fifty mile gap from Sieradz downwards to Czenstochowa, each corps extending about eight miles. Every attack of the reinforced German forces in Flanders is now being met by a vigorous counter-offensive of the allies. Four hundred thousand fresh British troops have reached France within the last month and are now on the firing line. The English, now hold the line along the Yser, where the; Germans are expected to center their main attack in a final effort to break through to the coast. Heavy cannonading has been in progress during the last twenty-four hours and tlic Germans continue to mass forces between Ostend and Ypres for the general engagement that is expected. The full force of the counter-offensive of the allies has by no means yet been felt by the enemy. This is gradually developing, however, toward an engagement of- the greatest proportions. The Germans, have shifted the weight of their pressure in West Flanders to the region between .Ypres and Dix-mude. and the allies lines at that point are being subjected to a continuous bombardment. Evidence-that the allies have been hard pressed in that quarter is found in official French dispatches to the. effect that more dikes have been cut in order to extend the floods south of Dixmude. The trenches north of Ypres. which were originally held by the British, have been strengthened with fresh French troops, and the arrival of more heavy artillery, which is needed to combat the concentrated big gun fire of the invaders. Discussing Italys position in parliament. Premier Salandra said that the European conflict broke out suddenly without involving Italy directly, and in spite of its efforts to avert the war for the sak of peace and civilization. A careful study of its treaty obligations and the causes of the conflict convinced the government that Italy Was not called upon to participate aiid it accordingly declared neutrality, he said. In view of the necessity or protecting Italian interests, however, a declaration of neutrality alone . was not sufficient to safeguard the country against contingencies which might arise in consequence of such an enormous upheaval, he insisted. The political divisions of the continent of Europe, the premier pointed out. were icrhaps about to be modified. Italy, he added, has vital interests to protect and justly aspires to maintain its position as a great power and to preserve intact its iKlicies. It must therefore be watchful, powerful, and ready for any eventuality. The French official statement reads as follows: "In Belgium there has been an intermittent, but fairly spirited cannonade between the railroad from : Ypres to Koulers and the highway between Be-- celaere and Pass Cheudaele. where the infantry of tile enemy endeavored to gain ground, but without success. At Vermelles we are continuing the work of organizing the positions taken from the enemy. From the Somme to the Argonne region there is quiet along the entire front. In the Argonne the.j have been several attaeks on the part of German infantry, but all were repulsed by our troops.-particularly at La Come, to the northwest of the forest of "Grnrie. There has been some artillery firing in the Woevre district and in Lorraine. There is nothing to report in Alsace." The question as to what punishment should be indicted on Gen. Christian de Wet, the rebel leade. in South Africa, recently captured, is recognized in England as one of great importance. Martial law is in operation in the Union of South Africa and th death penalty for treason would he within the possibilities. The government proclamation calling upon rebels to lay down their arms offered amnesty except to those who had taken a prominent part in the rebellion. Capetown messages say that tha capture of De Wet relieves the government of great anxiety. The rising in the Orange river colony at one time threatened to be formidable because of De Wets military prestige, but his capture is believed to have ended it. French troops in. Flanders repeatedly are attacking the German line, says an official statement given out at the Berlin war office, which adds that these assaults have been repulsed. The statement-follows: "In the western theater of war French attacks against our troops in Flanders were repulsed repeatedly, as they also were in the region nortn-west of Altkircb,. where the French suffered considerable losses. "His majesty, the emperor, arrived in Berlin last night for a short stay. In the eastern theater of war the enemys attacks east of the plain of the Mazurian lakes were repulsed, with beavv losses , to the Russians. Our offensive in Poland is "taking its normal course." A report that the German cruiser Karlsruhe had left South American waters and was cruising near the steamship lane in the North Atlantic o n ;i hunt for ships flying flags of the nations allied against Germany, was brought by officers of the steamer Zacana. which arrived at New York from: Jamacia. On Tuesday of last week, while off Port Antonio, Jamacia, the officers said, the wireless operator of the Zacnpa received a message from the steamship Banan of the same line, containing the information that the Karlsruhe, bound north, had been sighted. Information made public at Melbourne indicated that when the German cruiser Enideu was run down, by the Australian cruiser Sydney she was preparing to undertake the most daring and destructive of her many adventures. George F. Pearce, coinnicnwealth minister of defense, announced in the Australian senate that when the Sydney intercepted the Eniden the transports bearing the Australian and New Zeal-, and expeditionary force were within 100 miles ftfi the German cruiser. !! Earl Kitchener, Great Britains war lord, the London Times learns, has joined King George and King Albert of the Belgians at the front with the . British troops. It is reported part of Kitcheners new army of 1,250.000 has reached the firing line. raising the total of the allies forces between Os-" tend and YprcS to 700,000. The Germans, uccord-j ing to dispatches, have brought up 110,000 men. : Increasing their aggregate In that vicinity to OHO.- n COO. so that 1. .503.000. men are engaged in the new j battle of Flanders. 1 I The German military -authorities have takpu measures to prevent famine among tlfc inbaujtaim t J . i of thOiipartS- of Russian Poland occupied by the German army, nccatrdiug to news given out by th German press bureau. Another announcement from the same source is that reports received from Constantinople say England intends to send Portuguese troops into Egypt and that Mohammedan soldiers In Tunis are being embarked for service in Europe. Berlin has received news from the front Indicating that Servlas casualties since the beginning of the war will. reach about 100.000. or virtually one-third of Its entire strength. Reports of further Servian defeats to the cast of the Kolubara and Ljld rivers tend to confirm the prediction of military observers that the end of Servian resistance cannot be far off. A dispatch from Berlin says that according to an unofficial announcement there a number of trans-lmrts, escorted by British and French warships, have reached Antivari, the only seaport of Montenegro. The Austrian ships guarding the coast are said to have retired before the newcomers. Austrian aeroplanes are active, it is said, making disembarkations from the transports unsafe. The . French government has protested to Berlin through the Spanish ambassador that the Germans are detaining as prisoners of war members of the French ambulance instead of sending them back to their army, In accordance with the rules of the Geneva convention. A similar protest has been made by the International Red Cross committee. Iii the budget speech the government estimates Australias expenses in connection with the war at S,0CO.O00 for the present year. The speech expresses the: hope "that the day is not far distant when the sister dominion of New Zealand, while maintaining her identity unimpaired, will be more closely associated with Australia." The following information was given out by the German official news bureau: "Unofficial dispatches from Alsace say the fighting is progressing actively in this minor war theater. A heavy cauuohadlng is going on in Sulidgati. The Germans arc making advances against. Belfort." News that the Suez canal is in no immediate danger from an Arab raid is contained in a dispatch from Cairo. Reconuaisances have failed to discover any hostile bodies in the vicinity of the canal. A dispatch from Vienna says Emperor Francis Joseph has bestowed the grand cross of the Leopold order on Gen. Lihorius von Frank. The general commanded the Austrian forces which captured Belgrade.
