Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-12-23
GREATEST BATTLE
WORLDS HISTORY
BERLIN SENDS OFFICIAL WORD
OF DEFEAT TO ENEMY BY
AUSTRo-GERMANS.
TEUTONS IN HOT PURSUIT
City Goes Wild With Joy as War Of
flee Tells of Disaster to
Enemy, All Schools
Closing.

Berlin, Dec. 1S.-Wireless via Lon
don't is officially announced that
the Russian armies in Poland are in
full retreat, pursued by the German
and Hungarian armies along
the whole front
Berlin, Dec. 1S-The people of Ber
lin were aroused to enthusiasm today
by great Austro-German victory over
the Russians in Poland. An official
bulletin was issued shortly after noon
and within half an hour extra editions
of the papers appeared and the whole
city literally flashed into bunting. Am
erican visitors who a few days ago
commented upon the obscure display
of flags. scarcely recognized the
streets which everywhere were gay
with the German black, white and red,
and the Austrian orange and black, at
many places intertwined.
Wars Biggest Victory.
At the reichstag, where Red Cross
meeting was in session, word was re-
ceived from the palace that the great
est victory of the war had been won
The schools will close tomorrow so
that the children may assemble to eel
citrate the event
The first intimation of the nature
and extent of he Russian defeat was
received last evening, but circulated
only in official quarters Later tidings
fn 1GV,I,
News was then given out and Berlin
went wild with joy.
Russians Pushed Back.
1t is understood the Russians are in
a precarious position, but it is not
claimed that decisive battle has been
fought. The Russian army center has
been pushed back, but not crushed or
pierced
The Lokal Anzeiger commenting on
the news of a German victory in Po-
land, says:
Never since this old earth has had
history has such gigantic battle
been fought Seldom in centuries has
there been such an event of such de-
cisive Importance
''T'he battle of Poland will be class
ed in history among the victories of
the first rank. 1t viii be mentioned
in the same breath with the battles of
Salamis and Leipsic.
Russia Taxed Power
The Tageblatt says: "This victory.
with the defeat of the Russians, is
particularly significant because the
Russians threw all their forces into
the scale. From the most distant por-
tons of the empire, Siberia and the
Caucasus, the last reinforcements
We're brought up.
"The victory will have widespread
Importance especially with the Bal
kan states.
with this victory in the West Po-
land theater, the campaign in the
eastern theater of the war is for the
greater part decided"
Three British Ships Sunk.
London, Dec. 1S.-The steamer FL
terwater struck mine and was sunk
on Thursday off Marlborough Head.
Six of the vessels crew are missing
Two other vessels, as yet unidentified,
also struck mine and went down
nearby. The passengers and crews
escaped.
Marlborough Head is fifteen miles
south of Scarborough, one of the Eng
fish coast towns bombarded by the
Germans on Wednesday. The freight
steamer Princess Olga was sunk dur
ing the night after striking a mine six
miles off Hartlepool. Members of the
crew of this vessel, who were res
cued, reported that they saw Ger
man steamer laying mines near the
point where the Princess Olga went
down.,
Admiralty Issues Warning.
The admiralty has issued warn
ing that traffic between Marlborough
Head and Newcastle was now endan-
gered by mines and all traffic has been
abandoned until further notice
A vigorous search is being made in
Scarborough for spies. Reports of
mysterious f1ash1ight signalling seen
Tuesday night before the lombard
ment by the German warships have
reached the authorities. 1t is believed
the German cruisers may have been
aided in directing their fire on the
town by spies who signalled the posi-
ION of the railroad station and other
buildings on which the shell fire was
centered.