The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-22
FORTRESS
is CAPTURED
Tcontinued from page one.J

| 2 -
Continued from Page One.l
We're infrequent and the defenders had
crepancy between Russian and Aus
trian estimates of the length of time it
would be able to hold out. There
have been indications recently that
hunger was an effective ally of the
Russians, for it was reported that
aeroplanes were making daily flights
to Przemys1 with cargoes of pro-
visions.
Provisions by AeropIane.
Last week the Russians brought
down an Austrian aeroplane said to
have been laden with timed beef for
the Przemysl garrison. The fall of
dispatch of last Wednesday which said
that the capitulation of the fortress
was matter of only a few days. Aus
tram soldiers captured by the Rus
slams during unsuccessful sortieS said
that the garrison was existing on fam
inc rations and that the hospitals were
crowded. The outer defenses of the
city were said to have been put out of
commission.
Przemysl has been described as the
key to the Austrian empire. The opin-
ION has been expressed by Russian
commentators that it's occupation
would facilitate operations against the
interior of Austria, which hitherto
been attended by only insignificant
Beyond Przemysl lies the great and
prosperous wheat country of Austria
The city lies sixty miles west OF Lem
berg, which the Russians captured
several months ago. 1t is a thriving
place of about $4,000 inhabitants, the
large majority of whom are Poles. 1t
is situated on the San river and is the
seat of a Roman Catholic bishop and
a Greek Catholic bishop. 1t was found
ed in the eighth century, and in the
seventeenth century was invaded by
Tartars, Cossacks and Swedes, and
was virtually destroyed. 1t was soon
rebuilt, and became an important
commercial and military center.
Its chief articlessof trade are grain
and lumber. Milling and the refining
of petroleum are carried on there ex-
tensively. THE cityAswas defended
strongly by outer and Inner forts, we'll
equipped with modern artillery.
Officially Confirmed
Petrograd, March 22.-It was an
nounced officially this morning that
the Galician fortress of PrzemysI sur
rendered to the Russians today.
On the whole Galician front from |
Gorlitze almost to the Rumanian |
frontier, there has been for the last
four days virtually a continuance of |
during which trenches and small viii |
lagos have changed hands as many as |
four times.
Although this continued activity has |
brought about no change of real i'm |
portance in the Galician situation, it is |
interesting as evidence that the Aus |
t. ian artillery is still capable of real |
resistance against the Russian cam !
paign in eastern Galicia.
The Austrian attacks continued |
with violence and persistence and this |
emily have lost the security of their |
foothold at Stanislau and in the Stry |
region.
A study of the daily records of this |
f1rrI1 i
shows that despite their aggressive |
activity the Austrians are being forced |
to the south and closer to the Car |
pathian mountains through the passes
Of which two months ago they began |
an invasion, the purpose of which was
to relieve the garrison at Przemysl |
and to recapture the territory lost at
the outset of the war.
The effectiveness of the Russian ar |
tillery apparently has played a con- |
siderable part in the checking of the |
austrian drives in the direction of
Repeated Austrian attacks on |
wide front near Gorlitz have been
stopped by the Russian fire. After |
cess in this region the Austrians I'M
expectedly brought up reinforcements
and delivered three fresh attacks in |
quick succession. Each resulted in
failure. At the same time Russian
advance in the direction of Svonik |
resulted in the Russian occupation of
a row of villages extending to the |
south from this town. Attack after
attack by the Austrians to the south /
of Kosiovka ended in failure, with /
considerable losses.
How PrzemysI Fell
London, March 22.-The great Ga |
lician fortress of Przemysl, which the
Austrians had so staunchly defended
since the early days of the war, fell
into the hands Of the Russian besieg
ers this morning. The last of the inn
tured some days ago and the final act
of the drama began toward the close
of the week when the commandant
deliberately expended his reserve am
munition and sent the bulk of the gar
rison out on the forlorn hope of cut
ting it's way eastward through the be-
siegers.
With the strong Russian line tight
Iy drawn around the fortress, the eff
fort apparently was hopeless from the
start and 5000 Austrian prisoners fell
as many more fell, dead or wounded.
The shattered remnants of the force
fed back to the fortress and they have
now fallen into the hands of the Rus
slams
The garrison of Przemys1 originally
numbered 10000 or $4,000 men but
sorties and shells must have cut
considerable number of thousands
from that total.
The besieging army. is understood to
number about 40, 600 officers and
the strong fortress of CF3cow. 125 /
miles to the east of Przefnysl, it be-
ing the announced determination of
the Russian c0rnmauder-in-chief to |