The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-12-05
Russians Capture Passes.

The Russian troops after fight
lasting ten days. captured, November
2S, the Austrian positions which pro
tected the passes in the CarpathiaDs,
extending fifty yersts tabout thirty
three miles) from konecZna, which Is
situated north of Bartfeld as far as
Schuzko. situated south of Mezo La.
borez. The Russians in this district
captured cannons. machine guns and
many prisoners.
In the first half of November, they
claim. they captured fifty thousand
Austro- Hungarian soldiers and six
hundred officers At Plock the Rus
sian forces seized four ships laden
with machine guns and munitions.
German Defeat in Poland.
Russia and Germany each claim
great victory In Poland The Russian
claim is supported. however. by re-
ports from neutral countries and from
neutral correspondents. 1t is said
that the Slavs have virtually crushed
one of Germany's finest armies in an
engagement staged between the Wis
tula and Warta rivers in Poland and
have taken about 10000 prisoners.
When the fun details OF the Russian
victory are known. declares Lord
Kitchener. commander-in-chief of all
the British forces, they will furnish a
story that will astonish the world
describing blow such as has not
been dealt since the days OF Napoleon
Abandon Guns and Transports.
The Germans have begun retreat
along the entire front, and in many
marked by the abandonment Of artil.
lery, maxims and transports. Berlin
| meanwhile is beginning to talk about
repulsing Russian attacks, which is a
subtle method Of announcing that the
German troops are on the defensive.
The main Russian force is exclu
sively engaged against the Plocl
group, whose front is cut in halves
Its right half is surrounded on all
sides and is vainly struggling as in an
iron wise and striving to break through
to the left wing at Lowicz, which in
turn is battling nnsuccessfully.
A Second Battle Probable.
The same dispatches that tell OF
Won Hindenburg's reverses, however
say that the German reinforcements
were being brought up SO that another
great battle is likely to develop on a
line nearer to the frontier of Posen,
| where the Germans will have the
same chances of renewing a vigorous
Offensive as had the Russians in the
present instance.
General Won Hindenburg has about
400 900 men. but If the Petrograd re.
| port can be accepted. they have been
separated, badly cut up and thousands
| taken prisoner. SO these German forces
will require reformation and rest.
Another Russian army is operating
along the border Of East Prussia. and
third one is pursuing a vigorous
campaign in northern Austria. 1t
was said by military experts that the
purpose of the Austro-German attack
and pursuit OF the Russian center was
to draw Off the second and third
armies from East Prussia and Galicia
What these lesser Slav forces are do
ing has not been revealed.
Russian Navy Blocked?
The Russian navy Is useless for the
present This is the gist of an official
declaration made by the German war
office. The Turkish navy dominates
the Black Sea and the Sea of AZov,
according to the declaration. bonn
bardment of Odessa is feared and Rus
sian shipping companies have removed
their ships from these bodies of water.
A blockade of the harbor of Libau
places the control Of the Black Sea
in the hands of the Germans. while
the freezing OF the harbor of Archan-
gel. in the White Sea. sewers Russian
communication with the outside world