The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-04

mans down the Vistula toward Thorn
md across the plains of Poland toward
he Wharf.-The River. A despatch from
Lembcrg to the MessoDero OF Rome
lays that the retreat OF the Germans
toward Posen continues.
Tho correspondent Of the Tribund or
Rome teiegraphs from Petrograd that
tremendous efforts by the Germans to
break the Russian centre failed signally
and that the Germans have been com
PEELED to retreat in order to avoid being
surrounded once more.
After being surrounded near LODI,
the TribUrd correspondent says, tho
Germans declined to consider the pos
siblity of surrender, and with the most
desperate courage ever seen in any war
threw themselves time after tlme
against walls of Russian bayonets until
they finally hewed through. only the
unexplainable dilatoriness OF an aole
and trusted Russian General ropoeu
the Grand Duke Nicholas Of victory
far greater than Eylau or Leipslc or
Waterloo.
On November 30 the Germans followed
up their successful efforts Tor seH-pres-
,rvatlon by repeated and determined ei-
forts TO break the Russian centre. -FOUR
were too exhausted and depleted ny losses
IN cut through. Meanwhile the Russian
right wing had reached Gombin and hnllly
plock, on the Nistula, Il d had placed
itself on the flank OF the German army
at Lodz
In this circumstance there was only one
possible course for Lieut. Gen. Won Mack
ensen, withdrawal toward the Wharf.-The in
order to prevent the main line OF COM
munications from kaliscz being cut. n.
I.ask the German withdrawal stopped
for a time. reenforcements having arrived
from Posen and from northern Silesia by
means OF the splendid railway system at
the disposal of the Germans. The Rus
slams forced an attack at Lask. and again
the Germans retired slowly. The news
received by the TribWHd Is that the battle
IL flowing back toward the River WARTIME,
the Germans hghting u stubborn rear
guard action. the Russians attempting to
outnank them north and south.
Correspondents In petrograd estimate
from sem!-oiiicial Information that The Ger
mans los; 10000 men in killed. wounded
and prisoners between November Is and
December .. The Russian losses also have
been very heavy. The series of battles be-
tween Plock and Petrokow have been the
most sanguinary and costly OF the war.
SO far as East Prussia Is concerned :he
news is plain. The Russians have never
halted their advance toward lnsterburg
and Koenigsberg and have continued To
overflow a large area. The invasion Of
Poland utterly failed as a means Of
creating diversion. II is confidently
believed here that few days more Will
see Russian amy holding 1ns'erbgrg
and thereby commanding the network OF
strategic railways In East Prussia.
within Eight Miles OF Crncow.
The situation around Cracow has been
more or less overshadowsd 10y the in
tensely dramatic operations in western
Poland, but here again the Russians have
pressed forward and are IN better
position to capture the gateway 10 Siles.a
than ever before At the northeast OF
the city a Russian column is reported
TO be within eleven miles of the city. At
the southeast column has Occupied
Wieliczka about eight miles from era
COW. Official announcements Justify the
surmise that Cracow is already under fire.
The NesSd1cro Of Rome has received
news that the Russians have mounted
heavy batteries on the heights near
Wleliczka and are bombard.ng Cracow.
Details received to-day OF the battle in
the region of LODI indicate that the
Russians have regained possession Of the
LodZ-Warsaw railway.