Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-25
GERMANS PRESS
THE ALLIES BACK
Titanic Struggle, with Namur as
Center, Taxes the Strength Of
French and British.
GERMAN FORCES ARE MAsSED
French Find Themselves Opposed by
Stronger Resistance Than Was
nj the start Expected
Reverses In Lorraine,

! Copyright, 1914, Press Publishing Co.
LONDON, Aug "a Especial Ca
blegram to New York World and
Omaha Bee)-Official announcement
Of the wars developments tonigh
made It certain that a great battle Il
going on between the allies and tn,
Germans in Belgium, along a from
that extends almost from the ole
fortified town OF Mons, close to the
French frontier in Hainault, to the
frontier OF the Duchy Of Luxembourg
passing through Charleroi anC
Namur on the Sembre and Meusc
| rivers.
This front is about 100 miles Ions
on the map, the main fighting, how.
ever, the dispatches indicate, is be
tween Charleroi and Namur, twenty
miles apart. though the winding OF
the Sembre makes the distance by
road twice as far.
strength OF Germans.
The German army, sweeping
through Belgium, is fully 100000
strong, according to estimates made
by correspondents, and is preceded
by a great screen of cavalry, reported
to number 10000.
There are divergent reports OF
movements of this great force, some
correspondents saying that the Ger
mans are marching straight to Lille
and others that the objective Il,
Valenciennes. another fortified
French city, thirty miles southeast Of
Lille. But apart from these guesses,
there are indications that the Ger
mans are converging towards the
southeast to the position occupied by
the allies.
Allies Take Offensive,
Namur Is being shelled by the Ger
mans artillery, and word comes iron
Paris OF sharp fighting at Luttre.
village north of Chartered. It is also
announced that the British and
French troops are taking the often
sive and attacking the advancing
Germans, and reports are current o.
plan by which the Belgian army
at Antwerp will combine with their
allies at Namur and cut the German
forces in two.
II may be several days before the
full story of operations will be
known. for the Paris authorities an
nounce that the public must wait
until decisive result has taken
place.
Reverse I'm Lorraine.
In Lorraine It is evident that the
French have suffered severe defeat
at the hands OF the Germans, for IL
is admitted that Luneville, a fortified
place ten miles inside the French
border. is now occupied by the Ger
mans, while the French, presumably
under General Joffre. the comman-
der-in-chief have fallen back on the
ring OF forts surrounding Nancy.
This is serious reverse. for the Ger
mans at no time before had obtained
such strong footing in French terri
tory. Luneviile is town OF 10000 in
habitants. Details OF the fighting, IN
which General Joffre was forced 10 re-
tire. are still awaited with anxiety In
Paris and here. The progress OF the
French troops into Lorraine had been 40
swift and easy that the news OF this re-
Verse has come as a great shock 20
France.
Holding own I'm AIaaee.
IN Alsace there is no news OF any
fnrther Fighting; presumably the French
are holding their own there.
From Russia and Servia comes news
OF success for tho allied arms. The
Russians have occupied Insterberg, a
town on the way to the fortress of Koe-
nigberg In eastern Prussia, and an
important railroad center. St. Petersburg
reports that the Germans were over
wheimed at Gumbinnen by the Russian
forces, which captured many guns and
prisoners.
One report tonight says that the Ger
mans have decided to retire across the
Vistula, thus abandoning all Of eastern
q W NAN NheslAuos Inc NlsLuld
flows fully 100 miles from the furthest
Russian frontier.
Russian Invasion Imminent.
The Russians are said TO have an i'm
mense army concentrated ON the invasion
OF Prussia, and the reports OF initial sue
cess OF their arms has caused great ex-
element in the Russian capital. The
German forces in east Prussia are said
70 consist OF not more than 10000 men
at the outside.
The servian defeat OF the Austrians on
the Drina is confirmed, and II Is said
that the Austrian army, consisting of
nine divisions. was practically anni-
Inflated. The Montenegrins have also ad-
ministered a severe defeat to the Aus
TRANS, according to St. Petersburg