The Washington times., 1915-01-03
British Fleet Won Naval Battle
of Falkland Islands on De.
cember 9, Sinking -Four Of
Enemy's Ships. ..
Servians Lost Belgrade, But
Soon Retook It and Thus
Cleared Their Country Of
Austrians.

man drive toward Warsaw which
reached tho junction Of the Ravka ana
Bzura rivers and got within eighteen
miles from the Polish capital The
Germans succeeded in crossing at one
point, but were driven back with
enormour losses and now have been
held at this position for some days.
Petrograd aivices now say the Ger
mans are taking measures to forttfy
ana hold their positions on the Bzura
and middle vistula rivers.
Pertokow. held by the Germans. have
been strongly fortified. and. although
their advance. for the time being at
least. appears to have been checked
devoting their attention on this from
tier to holding the territory already
gained.
Russian Trap Failed.
Tho month began with UNOFFICIAL
Russian reports Of a trap which had
been set for the Germans and OF .
great impending victory. General
Rennekampf. however, failed to cloae
up his part Of the Russian line IN
time. and the Germans broke through
between Lodz and Lowiscz ct frtSsas ftss
same time the Russians occupying
Pic ok had cut of German communica.
tion with Thorn along the V!stula, but
evacuated Lodz and formed a new line
4" -Ncs to the eastward.
! In spite OF the critical situation in Po-
| land the Russians did not find 1t neces-
sary to interrupt their operation in East
ar as The cSfef cpeet of
German aggressive. Marshal Won Hin
dcnburg's army, having eluded the RUS
sian trap, took the offensive for another
desperate drive on Warsaw IN the then MID. q.
reach the goal or to relieve the pres
sure on cracow or East Prussia. In the
closing days OF the old year tho Rus
sans began pouring over the CArpA-
having the strategic object OF tncreas-
| ing the dissatisfaction already reported
| In that Kingdom over the dispositjous
made by the Austrian government for
its defense.
Servians Regain Belgrade.
Tho Servians. who had been hard
pressed at the opening OF December.
the Austrfans having finally forced
them out Of Belgrade. and whose resist
ance had been announced by the Aus
trians to have been completely crushed.
reformed their shattered regiments IN
the middle OF the month. obtained new
supplies OF ammunition and provisions.
and suddenly resumed the onensve
forces had been weakened to strengthen
the forces striving to hold back the
| Russians in Galicia.
Under the personal leadership Iof Kins
Peter. the Servians feli upon tns e;ny enemy
immense losses in Iuen and material and
practically clearing Servian soil OF IN
Iaders SO complete was the Servian
victory that the Austrtans have not ye.
AGAINST the Serbs. The Austrians had
taken Belgrade on December after q
siege lasting l26 days, and held 1t Just
twelve days
Fighting in the West.
In northern France and Belgium the
French and their British and Belgian
allies have begun what appears to be q
general offensive movement, and in a
series Of terrifcally fought engagements
at various points Of the line have &C.
complished some slight advance. par.
ticu)arly in the region from the Aisne
north to the North sea At no place
however. have these advances amounted
Germans arc strongly fortified along the
against them have been by dint OF
heavy artillery fire and the slow process
of moving trenches forward Inch oS
The Belgians, aided by British war.
sh' ps operating Off the coast, have been
able to advance north Of Nieuport tc
within a few miles Of Westende, direct
THEY also captured st. Georges
southeast Of Nieuport. and made ad'
vanccs south of Dixmude: Above all
the section held around Ypres. which
blocked the Germans In their drive to-
ward Calais, was widened towarc
Roulcrs and to the southeast in tho
direction of Menin >.
At Arras the French We're able t.
! tvnno act
and have captured some of the suburbs
of the city. Vermelles. east of Bethune
was taken by the French: as we'll a!
the railroad running north and soud
We're made after one Of the hardes'
struggles OF the war. The French alst
succeeded in making general advance
toward Bapaume and Peronne. ant
made marked gains on the plateau o.
was lttle change In the month be
tween Craonne and Perthes, or in thu
region Of Rheims.
Artillery Duels On.
Just west of the Argonne the month
was given up to artillery duels. Tn,
French gained ground north of PertheI
and Hesnils-ies Harlus in the same dis
trict. In La Gruris woods, the northern
part of the Argonne forest. which Il
extremely difficult ground, the French
and Germans advanced and fell bacl
alternately. with no change in the situa
Il ton at the end of the month.
" on the heights Of the Meuse tn
French advanced northeast Of Braban
and reached the suburbs of Varennee
west Of tho Meuse and northwest o
Verdun, accomplishing another step IL
the scheme of extending the circle abou
the fortress Of Verdun, as. further west
the circle was being extended abou
Ypres.
North Of ST. Mihiel. where the Frencl
have been trying to drive the German
southwark and eastward. there haN
been slight French advances. while tn
Germans have gained advantages soutl
of tile point of the German wedge
which has its point at St. Mihiel.
III Where the German line approache
the eastern frontier. at Pont-a-Mous
son, the French have approached Arna
willie, German border town. clos
enough to lombard It, and also hav
been able to lombard the fortress o
Metz by aeroplanc.
| French Gain in Alsace.
| In addition to the district in F1ander!
| the most appreciable allied advance
have been made in Haut Alsace. wher-
/ the French have extended their lin
within n short distance Of Altldrcb an
! lMuelhanscn. re The north af Thani