The Washington times., 1914-07-31
T LIGHTING BRISK IN
FIRST 8 BATTLES
sustrians and Serbs Lost Sew
eraI Hundred Men in Opening
Skirmishes of War.

LONDON. July 3l.-A Semlin dispatch
{, the Standard says:
The Austrians crossed the Danube
q rty miles to the east of Belgrade and
4 Save ten miles to the south. Bel
e de has been captured and is now Oc-
q ped by Austrian troops, and the
force which invaded Servia at Semen
dr. is advancing along the road which
le IDS to Palanka, and ultimately to
\ rsh. -.-... -.-
The occupation of Belgrade was
c. rried out without serious difficulty.
The invading troops crossed the river
ps rtly by means of the remnants of the
railway bridge, which was blown up by
tie Servians, and partly by pontoon
bridge constructed under its cover, and
approached the Servian capital from
the south The attacking forces ad-
" need by a steep hill. driving the Ser
Y ans before them. The Servians re-
Il eated, partly along the road leading
10 Groca and partly toward Popovatz.
The losses on both sides appeared to
have been comparatively light.
Built Pontoon Bridge.
The invasion of Servia at Semen
dria was a much more difficult task.
The Austrians built a pontoon bridge
under the cover of darkness from an
island in the middle of the Danube,
L.where the channel nsrrows to 200
Iys-ds and the current is swift The
| construction of the bridge was a haz-
g rdous operation. The work was per- |
| c. we'd from the ServIan shore and the |
z rkn aff iner
forces were aided by a~.iIlery and in
fsntry along the south shore of the |
Island. and succeeded in completing /
the bridge. over which they passed"
4 dispatch from another source says
& ancient Fortress OF Belgrade was
reduced by the Austrian artillery,
WHICH caused only slight damage to
other parts of the Servian capital. The
british legation was struck by al Aus
TRAN shell.
An Athens dispatch to the Daily Tele-
Trph says it is reported from Corfu
hat the Russian warship Tereto. in
o-t there, has received news by wire
j. IS that Belgrade was occupied by the
Austrians after heavy fighting. and that
% Austrians and 100 Servians were
killed
Earlier kilograms received by the
Austrians attempting to cross the DAN
ube twenty miles east of Belgrade, pre-
srr7rably, near Semendria, were repulsed
snd- that a big artillery engagement
-css in progress: also that the Servian
"roops successfully resisted the Aus
Ism advance at Losnitza, to the west
OF Belgrade.
The Austro-Hungarian invaders fol-
ed the valley of the River Marava
and first encountered body o. Servian
frnnnG q Spr106TdriQ 10 n
side of the Danube. southeast of Bel
grade. The Servians held thriI ground
tntfl nightfall. and then retired. Both |
ustrians and Servians suffered heavy
Killed in the engagement.
Austrian Check at Losnitza. Ii
N the western side of Servia an Aus
ran column came into contact with
SWAN force at Losnitza, which offered
, stubborn resistance and held, the fort
0ere until dark. inf1icting heavy losses !,
- the AustTians.
Cnconfirmed reports reached here
rom Berlin that the Ser-ians had been :
l"teated by the Aust-ians At Fccha. in
5osnia, losing 500 men. while the Aus
Ran casualties numbered ee0 Focha is
ar within the boundaries of Bosnia,
nd thus on Austrian territory. Il
Another unconf1rmed report said that !
he Austrian troops had attacked the
iontenegrins on Mount Lovtchen. | l.
e Athens dispatch TO the Daily
legraph referred to above, however. L.
Us that the Austrian seaport of Cat ii
70 In Dalmatia. has been occupied 81
the Montenegrins. Cattaro is dom II
ated by the guns of Mount Lovtchen n
IT 1t has Importance as the COM q
'erclal outlet of Montenegro.
semi-official dispatch received con- ri
'rning the movements of the Austrian
ops, however, says:
Inc covering line of our troops IN II
ne RIVER Drina has been pressed for
ara 10 the main arm of the river
lere was some fighting during this ad-
nee, but not of a serious character. n
ne man on the Austrian side and about
n SerVians were killed. Bands of
ervi ms vainly attempted to harass
Austrlans a Bejelina.'' n
BJelina is in the north corner NJ
osnia, between the river Save and
'Tina.
The Austro-HUngarian force invading
erVla totals 100000 men. OF these I507
are operating from Semlfn opposite
grade, the Servian capital; 100 900
ON S"ornik on the River Drina in
osnia. $4,000 from Sarajevo the CAPT
ID of Bosnia, and 10000 from Milan
a1Z the nan bo l