New-York tribune., 1915-03-18
petrograd Expects Fall of
Galician Stronghold
in Few Days.
GERMANS HOLD FAST
ALONG ORZYC RIVER
r,sevhere In Poland Russians
Claim Suecesses-Austrians
Beaten Back In Passes.
rPv Cable 20 The Tribune J

retrosrad. March l7.-While sectional
.n..o,ses a, every point Of contact
,,o,, the Niemen TO Bukowins, are
h,inrlnc the Russians a great strategic
.aysn,ace FOR their spring campaign
c,srd Duke Nicholas is evidently pre-
.,~;,c for q final rush that will bring
:.,o Russian control the fortress OF
pr,emvsl. IN East Galicis. one Of the
,,,onsest Austrian positions,
ps,rocrsd expects 10 learn within q
r.,v few days Of the fall Of the garri-
,or which has been besieged for
-on.hs and is now, according TO pris-
o,ers in the grip OF famine. Its capture
would relieve = great force for another
advance into Bukowina.
TIE only point on the long front in
rolsrd where the Germans have at
,,rntsd q stubborn defence Of their
r,e. is across the River Orzyc, below
vho-;e,e. in North Poland. Elsewhere
,hsv sre resorting 10 artillery FIRE
.,oncb with an evident economy OF
,u-yn;t,on. as the only available
u.,hod of obstructing the Russian ad'
vance without risking their infantry.
Back in East Prussia.
The biggest German force in the
north has its reargusrd now pressed
b.vond is own frontier below the mid
die group Of lakes in East Prussia
Owing 10 the strength OF the Russian
offensive and the inadequate quality OF
his own new formations, the German
leader is unable TO deploy his troops
which probably number half million
3, the direction Of the Bobr and the
Nsrev
Moreover. the immediate approach OF
tho March thaw must shortly drive any
force larger than scouting parties from
.bs swampS I'm the broad valley OF the
Bobr. l. will. doubtless, also eXpel the
German column bombarding Ossowetz
Peports from the garrison there esu-
mate that the Germans have lost 10000
dead in their attempts TO storm the
outer sector. They have train and
motor traction engines ready to remove
me heavy artillery.
Austrians' Right Turned.
In the Carpathians the Russians ap-
rear 10 have been successful in turn
,ng the Austrian right flank. south 81
Stanislsu. IN a spectacular battle. Hail
buried IN snow. which IN places was
over the heads Of the combatants, the
Russians rushed the Austrian toruhca-
tions near the village Of TarnoWice.
Abandoning the customary military
formations. they scram bled as best they
could through tire G fits, sometime
strung out in Indian file, sometimes a.
most losing touch with each other. hey
succeeded. however. in reaching the for
,ifcations in sufficiently good order 10
lake the Austrians by surprise and
possess themselves OF the stronghold
ina short time. capturing a large mum
Der OF prisoners and guns.
This movement was followed by
general fankinC operation, which drove
the Austrians from the Dniester. inc
Russians now hope TO eXpel their op'
ponents from East Galicia.
An encounter Of equal strategic i'm
portsnce occurred between the Uzsob
Pass and Turka. in Galicia, to the nortf
fthe pass, in which the Russians
captured trenches and seized railroad
communications.
3ucharcs-. March 10 Sharp fghtinl
took place last night, the object Of the
Russians being to draw the Austrlans
in the direction of Bojan. The Rus
SANS made effective use OF their ar
,illery, including powerful mortars
which did terrible destruction in thC
ranks Of the enemy. 1t would appear
as Il the limit Of the Austrlans' resist.