European War Developments, Daily Racing Form, 1914-12-20

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EUROPEAN WAR DEVELOPMENTS. The Ietrograd correspondent of the London Times sends the following: "The enemys third incursion into Galicia lias been arrested on the borders of tin; province. Some maneuvering on the part of Gen. Uadko Dimitrielts corps sutliced to check the invading columns, although they crossed the Carpathians oh a wide front extending between Wieli-czka and the headwaters of the San river. Tlu-Russians are close to the Sileslan border north of Cracow,, which is the ioint about which is the real pivot. The desperate Hanking moves of the Austro-German armies on the .Bzura river and from the Carpathians only serve to indicate that the Russians hold the pivot tirnily, whence, in good time, they will sweep the Hanking columns off the road and advance into the heart of Germany. The Germans hope the defeat or the Russian armies will end threats of an invasion. Berlin expects Von llindenburg to make Ills victory in Poland decisive. Austria claims a further repulse of the Russians in Galicia. Ietrograd denies that the Russian forces have met with disaster. An Austrian official report says: "The beaten Russian main forces are being pursued on the entire battle front 200 miles long from Krosno in Galicia to the mouth of the Bzura river in Poland where it empties Into the Vistula. The enemy yesterday was driven from its positions north of the Carpathians between Krosno and Zakliezyn. On the lower Donajeo river we and our allies are doing battle with the enemys rear guard, lh south Poland our advance so far lias been made without important fighting. Piotrkow, day before yesterday, and Przedlxirz, yesterday, were "stormed. Tlie heroic garrison at Przeinysl has continued further lighting in front of the fortress with success. The situation in the Carpathians has not vet substantially changed." The following statement from the general staff of the Russian army was made public: "On the left bank of the Vistula an a most complete lull on nearly all of the front has replaced the attacks made by the enemy in the course of the last few days. All of these attacks wi repulsed. In connection with the advance of part of our troops towards the Bzura river and in view of the fact that the Austrians are continually receiving reinforcements in the Carpathians, we have thought lit to rearrange the iwsitions of some cT our armies." The French war office gave out an official announcement as follows: "During the day of Dec. IS we organized in Belgium the territory taken from the oiiemy the evening before to the south of Dix-uitide and advanced our front to the south of the inn at Korteker. Our advance to the south of Ypres has been continued over a very difficult and swampy territory. From the Lys to the Oise we have progressed in the region of Notre Dame de Consolation, to the south of LaBassee by more tliaii one kilo meter. In the last two days we also made progress in the direction of Carency, St. Laurent and Blangy. In spite of spirited counter attacks, the positions taken by us Dec. 17 have been retained. In the region of Albert during the night from Dec. IT-IS we advanced under a violent lire of the enemy and We reached the barbed wire entanglements of the second line of German trenches. .To the north of Maricourt we were forced to abandon a trench occupied the uigbt before -ami set on lire by the enemy by means of hand grenadesl Several German trenches have been occupied in the region of Mantels and in the vicinity of Lylions three violent counter attacks on the part of the Germans have been repulsed. In the region of the Aisne there have been artillery engagements and in Champagne the artillery of the enemy showed Dec. IS increased activity as compared to the 17th. In the Argouiu-. in the forest of La Oniric, we blew up a German undermining trench. Near St. Hubert the enemy by a spirited attack succeeded in making slight progress. It lias been confirmed that on the heights of the Meuse our fire, directed by aviators, demolished two heavy batteries of the enemy and damaged a third battery. From the Meuse to the Vosges there is nothing to report. In the Vosges there has been spirited German riHe firing, but no attack.". A dispatch from Ietrograd states that the Germans are being repulsed sixteen miles northwest of Warsaw by Russian artillery. The Army Messenger, organ of the Russian genernl staff, says the Russians are standing firmly at the most dangerous iKint of attack by Von Ilindenburgs troop. A tremendous concentration of Germans on the left bank of the Vistula obliged the Russians to retire on a line of defense which runs from Kasunpolski to Skierniewice, where thej are fighting desperately to hold the Germans. Dispatches from Ietrograd assert that within two or three days the Russians will lie able to renew the offensive and that if Von Hindpiiburg cannot reach Warsaw in that period he will have lost his last chance. Kazunpolski is on the Vistula, sixteen miles northwest of Warsaw. Skierniewice is thirty-nine miles southwest of the Polish capital, so that the German line runs in a reversed arc. The great fortress of Novo Georgievsk defends Warsaw across the Vistula from Kazunpolski. Petrograd advices are that heavy reinforcements rushed to the Poland front have strengthened the Russian lines and that every attempt made by the Germans to pierce the line of defense established west of Warsaw lias been repulsed. The heavy losses suffered by the Germans have compelled them to abandon the advance which they attempted along the thirty-six mile from Kazunpolski to Skierniewice, but they maintain their assaults at Teresin. on the Soeliaezew-Warsaw Railroad line. Fighting with the aid of searchlights, the Germans made live attacks Thursday night at Teresin. Fierce hand-to-hand conflicts developed there, but after they had lasted for seven hours the Germans were finally repulsed. An official German statement says: "On the east Prussian frontier a Russian cavalry attack to the west or Plllkallen was repulsed. In Poland the pursuit or the enemy continues." A dispatch to the London Chronicle from Its correspondent in northern France says: "A week of successes for the allies has followed the resumption of hostilities in France and Flanders. Ronlers has been captured after four fierce assaults of the German trenches outside of the town, and the inundation between Dixmude and Nieuport have been surrounded by the allied troops, who have pushed northwards from Dixnmde and southwards from Nieuport and joined forces on the northeastern side of the Hoods. Bepeated bayonet attacks have been pushed home at Lomliaertzyde. with the result that our patrols have advanced at Middlekerke, a few kilometers from Ostend." What is regarded at Washington as evidence that Roumania has decided to throw itself into the European conflict against Austria and Germany was given by the arrival of a royal commission from that country to purchase munitions of war, especially arms and ammunitions, from American manufacturers. Besides arms and ammunition they probably Will place contracts for horses, foodstuffs, clothing-and other munitions which American manufacturers could ship with the guaranty of British naval protection to Roumania. Paris reiorts that British warships have bombarded Middlekerke, on the North Sea, inflicting severe damage upon the German position there. A successful aerial reconnaissance lias been made over Ostend by the allies aerial scouts, who report tiio arrival of fresh German formations at that point. The Germans are working night and day to strengthen their positions around Middlekerke and Ostend to stem the advance of the Franco-Belgian forces to Lombartzyd. The Germans have mounted some of their forty-two-centlmeter howitzers at Ostend. Tlie Italian senate adjourned after a unanimous manifestation in favor of peace. Premier Salandra expressed the hope that as 1S15 had marked the conclusion of iieace after the Napoleonic wars, so 1015 would be marked by a lasting peace in which Italy would acquire more glory and greatness. The premier also declared absolutely false any announcement of Italys mobilization. A dispatch to the London Chronicle trom its correspondent in northern France says: "The Germans are doing their utmost to force upon the Belgians the conviction that their country is definitely conquered and will become a German state afto,r the fashion of Bavaria, and Saxony." t An official statement was given out in Berlin as follows: "Friday there took place a series of hostile attacks in the western arena of the war. The lighting continues at Nieuport, Bixschooto and La Bassee. We repulsed attacks of the enemy west of Lens, east of Alliert and west of Noyon." German mines- claimed two more vessels off the British coast yesterday. Two British mino-swoeiiers endeavoriug to remove the mines left by the German warships were blown up and sunk, and another damaged. Loudon hears that by order of Emperor Francis Joseph, General Potiorck has been relieved of command of the Austrian army recently defeated in Servla and will be tried by court martial. The British have appointed Prince Hussein Kemal sultan of Egypt and he has accepted that position. He is an uncle of Abbas Hilmi, until now khedive. Tlie German losses along the Yser are put at 30,000 by official reports.


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