Evening star., 1914-12-28
ion of British observers, to have
been generally unsuccessful.
Allies Attack Nieuport.


The German official statement giver
out in Berlin today reports that the
allies yesterday made an attack By
land and sea on the town Of Nieuport
at the extreme right OF the German
line in Belgium, but that no serious
damage resulted.
The Germans also announce the cap.
ture Of several trenches and Of a num-
Der Of prisoners to the south OF Ypres
and the repulse Of French attacks ir
the regions Of Arras, Nerdun and SEN
helm.
Plan to Defend Antwerp.
The Antwerp correspondent Of the
Amsts rdam Handelsblad states on the
authority Of German officers that there
are 100000 German troops in the Ant
werp district, and that they have been
ordered to defend the position II be-
sieged by the allies.
"The plan Of campaign" says the
correspondent. els to defend strongly
the retreat from Reulers to Client. but
to evacuate Client If necessary and de-
fond An: -erp to the last. The inhabi-
tants will be warned and given an Cd.
portunity to quit town.
Men are employed day and night
Strengthening the defenses and fortt-
ncations, which have been completely
altered"
Town Taken by Germans.
North of the River vistula, In Russian
Poland, the Germans, again reinforced.
have retaken the town Of Mlawa, but
south of the river they still stand on
their old ground In southern Poland,
where the German right joints the Aus
trian left, there has been some fierce
lighting. with slight gains for the
Austro-German allies judging from
the reports coming from Berlin and
Vienna.
trians have been compelled to give
ground, according to an ofhcial state
ment issued in Vienna, AID Es.rogrxd
declares, also officially. that Russian
forces are pursuing the Austrians into
the Carpathiap mountains, after taking
many thouc.nds prisoners.
A Long Way to Warsaw.
The Morning Posts Petrograd corre-
spondent, declaring that 1t is still a
long way 10 Warsaw, even should the
Germans succeed in forcing the pas
sage of the rivers in Poland, says the
Germans have taken nothing by as
.,Ault-neither towns nor positions
since Russia decided to reconstruct her
strategic frontier.
"Tactically." the correspondent con;
tinues, Germany is attacking with all
attendant disadvantages. while Grand
Duke Nicholas still holds the strategic
initiative. / have heard an interesting
explanation from an official IN high po.
sition as to why Russia is doing all
the work at present. He declares that
the French and English could turn the
Germans out of their present position
in Belgium and in France at any mo-
ment, but that they have not sufhc1ent
forces to do anything more at present,
and, supposing the Germans were beat
en- back to the Rhine, their position
would become infinitely stronger. while
the allies would be not whit nearer
to defeating the German army, which
the allied commanders fully realize
will require millions of men,"
Austrians in Hard Struggle.
BERLIN, December % (by Wireless).
Among the items given out for publ
cation by the official press bureau are
the following:
while the Germans on the Bzura and
along the Pilica rivers are reported to
be advancing, the Austrians appear to
be having hard struggle to maintain
their positions east Of the Dunajec
river, although they seem to be holding
their own on its lower reaches and also
to be gaining ground steadily in the
CarpathianS.
says the authorities at Warsaw have
moved from that city to Wilma.
THE Servians again are back at the
border along the Drina and Save riv-
ers. but probably are not in consider
able force.
'.The Secolo Of Milan says servia is
refusing transit to Bulgarian ammuni-
tion steamers on the Danube and that
TINS action Is exasperating Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian papers, according to the
Secolo. are demanding the enforcement
of transit regulations
Weather Becomes Paramount,
PETROGRAD, via London, December
2s.-The belated cold spell reported in
Poland Is expected to precipitate a def
mite result in the German Polish cam
paign, which is now practically at a
standstill, despite daily predictions Of
an impending crisis and decisive battle
The weather factor, always important,
has become paramount in this theater
OF war. since the whole German inva-
sion of Poland is predicated on the
freezing of the soft. miry ground.
which impedes the transport Of heavy
guns and favors Russian trench dig
ging. The ground usually freezes by
the middle of September.
Thus thwarted by mild weather, the
activities around Mlawa have reached
a complete lull, and after unsuccessful
attempts to cross the Bzura river the
Germans are still resting on the left
bank of the river near Sochaczew.
They have in the meantime shifted their
attack southwark, toward the River
Pilica, near Rawa, where the ground is
not marshy.
Expect Renewed Attacks.
The Austrian activity in the Kiel re-
gion and along the rivers Nida, Dona-
jec and both sides of the upper vistula
continues.
If the cold which has now set in
lasts, freezing the vistula, Bzura and
Pilica rivers. the German attacks in
the neighborhood of Sochaczew, How
and Bolimow will, in the opinion of
Russian military authorities. imme.
diateIy recommenee, and the Austrians
again will attempt to cross the upper
Nistula, where the river narrows and
is shallow.
The New Year, 1t is expected here,
Will thus usher in the long-awaited
definite clash between the Russian and
German armies, upon the result Of
which may hinge the outcome Of the
whole war.
In contradiction to report that Ger
many has seventy-nine army corps, of
ty,,e