New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-24

SuwalM, Russian Poland, Feb. 20
(via Berlin and London, Feb. 23).-The
German forces under Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg. by hard fighting and
extraordinary marches, inflicted such
striking defeat on the Russians OPP
posed to them in the recent battle oil
the Mazurian Lakes country, that the
Russian remnants are negligible
quantity in the operations now in prog
ress. The Russian killed and wounded
in the four days fighting are esti-
mated at 10000 men, while more than
$4,000 Russians, out of total Of l5O,-
600 engaged, are prisoners IN German
hands.
This fighting has been described as
the February campaign IN East PRUSSIA
and North Poland, and it is regarded
here as a second Tannenberg. 80,
The Russians, composing the lolh
Army, were under the command OF
General Sievers. This commander, by
a skilful use Of the railroads at his
disposal and by the sacrifice at times
of entire battalions in order to bring
v a
greater part of his artillery.
Ten Thousand Russians Surrounded.
On the streets of Suwalki there
could be heard yesterday and to-day
the sound of artillery from a swampy
region to the southeast, where an $50
lated Russian division, perhaps 10000
men strong, has been completely sur
rounded, but IS still offering resistance.
Several thousand more Russians prob
ABLY still remain in small scattered
bands or are wandering as stragglers
within the ring which the German
.troops have now closed around the
woods and swamps between Suwalki,
Augustowo and the German frontier,
but the capture of these wanderers and
the fated division is expected here and
is regarded as merely an incident IN
campaign to which this great success
is called only the prelude.
1t is not believed among German mil
itary men at Suwslki that General
Sievers will be able to bring one-tifth
CT his troops safely behind the fortress
at Grodno-a safety. which may not be
of long duration.
The above statement may seem to be
exaggerated but 8 correspondent OF
The Associated Press, motoring along
the line of the Russian retreat. over
roads deep in snow and through des-
olate and swampy country, gained an
impression of complete defeat and de-
moralization which scarcely can be con-
veyed in words.
Tenth Army Ruined.
Abandoned guns and automobiles,
wrecked and overturned wagons,
sledges and ammunition caissons en-
numbered the way. Rifles, blanke6,
knapsacks and other equipment had
been thrown away by the fleeing sol
diers. Dead horses and an occasional
fallen soldier were everywhere along
the roadside. These things showed the
conditions under which the hasty re-
treat had been accomplished.
At street corners in Suwalki, Au-
gustowo. Lyck and other towns are
great heaps of abandoned rifles and
bayonets. Large bands of Russian
prisoners, many of whom surrendered
without firing a shot, were encountered
along the way. The Russians il re-
treat seem to have had only time
enough to burn the houses on the Ger
man side of the frontier and destroy
the livestock which they were unable
to drive away. This they did so thor
oughly that in the seventeen mile ride
from Lyck to the frontier village Of
Prostken, for example, only one house
with a roof on it was seen.
The Russian part of Prostken and the
Russian villages beyond have not been