The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-12
French War Office Report That Ger mans Are 'Retreating Generally Not Borne Out By Latest News From London-=Austrians Appear To Have Checked Russian Ad- vance

$ afternoon 0Pars time) that the Germans retreat ing generally and offering only feeble resistance
 A British official announcement says that the sh troops have crossed the river Ourcq and this (Sa urday) morning, pursuing the German right wing whose retreat is very rapid It is declared that the third French army had captured all the artillery German army corps.
 Up to early afternoon no statement had been is sued by the German office. The latest official German reports said that their forces captured fortress southwest of Verun and news despatches in dicate purpose on the part of the German general staff to surround and cut off from the line of the allies the strongly fortified city of Verdm.
 News despatches appear show that the Russians have not overwhelmed the AuStrians in Gacia claimed. stubborn fighting in that Aus trian province is reported and this has given rise the speculation that the German corps brought west may have been into Austria to support the Austrians instead of proceeding to East Prussia to reinforce the Germans already there
 The situation in East Prussia is in doubt but there nothing indicate that the Russians have any notable advance west since their reverse at Aensein They last reported attacking Koenigsberg while the German troops said to be moving in the direc tion of that stronghold.
 Advices received by the French embassy at Wash ngton tell of the retirement of the German center east Paris these obviously refer fighting of yes terday or earlier, the details of which made in official despatches from Paris last night,
 A despatch from Rome says that Pope Benedict KY has charged foreign Cardinals urge their gov ernments to cease hostites and convoke peace con ference.
 News despatches from Petrograd say that the Ser vians continuing successfully their offensive oper ations against Austria
 LONDON NOT so OPTOAnsTIG
 London, Sept. 12-2:O3 p. na-News of decisive character from the eastward Of VitFy-Ie-FrancOis the army SaxOny and parts of the armies cOn manded respectively by the Prince of WueFttemberg and Won Bueow fierceIy striving to break throuqh right and center still hangs fire anxiety of both forces grows keeneP it is oqnzed the result of the battle in this quarter IS likely to have decisive effect upon the whole line.
 Should the Germans smash through the center of the French district they would turn the line of French frontier forts and seriously endanger the rear of General CasteImans 9th army corps, already 0aqed up hiIt with corresponding host of Ger before Nancy.
 fully realized here that the driving back of the German right wing and right center in is the Franco British forces rallied af ter long may the Germans turn and trieve their present reserves. The public warned that the present situation merely first phase of great battle and that the battle itself only the first stage of titanic struggle between nations which will continue so long Che main remain intact as they are at present
 The latest unofficial reports from the Champagne considerably larger numbers of German guns and prisoners being captured than mentioned in the last official communication.
 BeIGian official reports speak of rOut Of the Ger by troops moving sOUthWard from Antwerp but while there is to doubt that the invaders are evacuatnq parts Belgian territory it probable that they purposely avoiding battle the main Ob feet of their sOhWard is to get in the fighting zone of the Marine and to relieve the pressure Gen eral Won Kluck's army.
 Wales relief fund has reached total of $125OO,000.
 London, Sept 12-3:5o p. m.-A Central News despa