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I 1 EUROPEAN AVAR DEVELOPMENTS. Petrcgrnd advicas are to the effect that grenr Lirce.? of Russians are being lioured into Poland between Kielec and Uadom, as well as to the south. In an effort to check the German advance, which has forced a retirement from Cracow. The success of the Austro-German movement from the region of Pietrkow, it is now admitted, resulted in threatening the communications of the army about Cracow. This was followed by a retirement of the Russians in the south thirty miles to the east of Cracov.. The advance of the Germans was directed toward the main railroad line from Ivangorod, running southwestward to Mieehow. along which the Russian movement upon Cracow was conducted. Tne general withdrawal of the Russians from the Vistula to Galicia had now placed their main line of defense within twenty miles of Warsaw on their right wing. The retirement to the south straight eued the lttisslau line, which now presents an unbroken front extending over 1G0 miles. German attempts to force a passage of the Bzura auJ Uawka rivers in their main attack upon Warsaw have been repulsed. The Russian artillery has swept all points at which a crossing might be made for three days. Skierniewice has been reached by the Germany, but the Russians have taken up stroug positions east of that paint. Westward from th-j Bonajee valley the battle against the Austrian line is gradually developing into ail engagement of great proportions. A statement issued by the Russian ollicial press bureau regarding the lighting along tho Russian front says: "On the left bank of the Pilicn obstlnnte lighting continues in the region if the villages of Jeseszee and Rojkowawolia. about six miles west of Nowemiasto. On the right hank of the Pilica we have made progress In the vicinitv of Opcczno and Tomaszow. In Galicia our success continues. South of the Vistula we captured, during tl:e 20th and 21st. sixty-six ofticers and 5, 500 men, three cannon and ten mitrailleuses. In tlw Carpathians, while pursuing the retreating Aus-trians, we ciptiircd on Dee. 22 thirty ollicers and about 1,300 men. Near Przemysl the Austrians it-tempted a new sortie, during which several it their advance companies were completely annihilated. Other advance companies were made prison ers. In this affair we -seized about a mile of railway leading into the city." The oflleial communication issued by the German general headquarters staff relative to operations in France and Belgium says: "The enemy did not renew his attacks !n the nelghborl ojd of Nieuvort Wednesday. At Bixsclioote we took 230 prisoners December 22. The enemy was active again In the neighborhood of Chalons. Infantry attack followed a fierce artillery assault made by the enemy in the regions of Soualn and Berths. These were repulsed. A trench kept under continuous artillery lire by the enemy was lost by us, but was recaptured in the evening. The position was abandoned after this successful counter attack because parts of the trenches had been almost leveled by the .enemys tire. More than 100 prisoners were left in our hands." The ollicial German statement says: "In the east we have assumed the offensive and arc advancing from Neidenburg and Soldau in East Prussia. We j have repulsed the Russians after several days lighting at Mlnwn northern Poland and the enemys positions at Mlawa again are, in our hands. More than 1,000 prisoners were taken in these battles. At tlie continence of the- Bzura and Rawka rivers tierce bayonet attacks took place at many places. The artillery could do little because of the misty weather. The Russians suffered heavy Iossess on the right bank of the Illleia river, in the district southeast of Tomaszow. The Russians attacked llercely several times, hut were repulsed by the Aus-tro German armies with heavy losses." .Telegraphing from Petrpgnid. the London Morning Posts correspondent says: "The Germans in Poland brought up vast forces and reorganized in a -manner highly creditable to the recuperative powers of tlie formidable enemy. Emperor William ha promised his troops rest and reward at Warsaw, which lie lias ordered to be taken by Christmas. Grand Duke Nicholas again has been compelled to draw his armies together to hold the inner lines 0 his whole strategic front, but as nothing is known of the disposition of the troops occupying new positions it Is impossible to form an opinion where the decisive battle will be fought." Although the nllies have scored some successes in the battles in the west, they are meeting with stubborn resistance, and British military men warn the public that heavy casualty lists must be expected before any serious impression can be made 011 tlie German intrencliments. Activity seems U have been resumed along the Belgian coast, for it is announced that slight progress has been made by the allies between the sea and the road from Nicuport to Westende. At other points similar lighting is proceeding with here success and theie reverse or failure of attack. The victory of the Austro-Germaii forces at Cra cow, where the Russians have been driven back ami the siege raised, brought another outburst of re-: juicing at Berlin. Dispatches from Thorn received, at Berlin, say: "Tlie Russians have been forced, back across the Nida river, thirty miles from Cra-, cow, and Grand Duke Nicholas has suffered another defeat. The Austro-German armies around Craco.v are pursuing the Russians and are threatening tlie lines of communication which supply the Russian forces .operating in Galicia." - --The following statement of the general staff -of ; Hie Russian army hi the Caucasus has been issued -"On tlie J2d the Turks again showed evidence of great activity in the direction of Olti. They mad. .a -surie of attacks in the dlrectiyu of Sary-Kaniysh. but these failed, The Turkish offensive in the direc tion of Van was turned into a defensive movement which, however, our troops succeeded in breaking after stubixirn resistance. We captured a number of prisoners with their arms." Tlie following ollicial communication was issued at Paris: "Tlie progress made through our attack- between the Meuse and the forest 01 the Argonne has been almost entirely maintained. According to tlie latest news, our front in this region has reached the barbed wire entanglements of the enemy and the salient angle southwest of the woods of Forgeu east of Ouisy and lined tlie road leading to the forest of Boureuilles." An official statement given out in Paris says that an Austrian submarine torpedoed a French armored cruiser in the Gulf of Otranto. The- battleship was damaged only slightly, and no one was injure;!. TTle , Gulf of Otranto is ia the Adriatic, at the southern , end of Italy. Queen Wilhelmina. in signing a bill for a Dutch 1 war loan of 10,000,000. informed the finance minister that she would personally underwrite ,000,-000 of the amount. Austrian coast batteries have succeeded in sinking a submarine of tlie allied fleet, according to claims made in German newspapers. A German aeroplane dropped a bomb 011 Dover yesterday according to an announcement by the British ofticfal press bureau.
