The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-25
RIVER DUG ARTERY
OF COMMERCE
Country Trayersed BY IT offefs Many
Advantages For An Obstinate De-
tense Says Geographic Society.

Washington. d. c.. July 21.-"The
line OF the Bug pronounced boog).
toward which the Russians some days
ago were said to be retreating and
which they were determined to hold
against the invading Teutonic forces,
IL a dividing line between what is now
known as Russian Poland and the
provinces Of Russia proper" saws the
latest statement issued by the National
Geographic Society upon the war
geography of Europe. The country
fraversed by the River Bug offers
many advantages for obstinate de-
tense. Along much OF its course, the
rivers banks are very difficult. and the
country besides for long stretches Is
heavily wooded. Extremely bad roads.
and lake, pond and marsh by the
way add to labors OF military adj
vances here.
A Strong Line of Defense.
This river forms one Of the strong
est lines of defense in the west OF the
Russian Empire. A network OF feed
ing railways are laid to pour men and
munitions into any sector of this line
from any interior point in the Empire.
From Petrograd TO Odessa. railways
converge upon the River Bug.
Furthermore. the river line is par
alleled along Its entire Russian Po-
land course--just as Germany's east
ern frontier is paralleled--by n rail-
road, passing from the fortress in the
north. Osowiec. through Bielostok,
Bjelsk, the fortress Brest Latovsk,
Kovel: to Vladimir yoiynsk. In the
south. Just beyond the Galician from
tier. Another branch of this railway
runs. from Brest IAtovsk, close beside
the river, finally crossing the Bug and
Terminating at Kholm.
Rises In GAlicia
The Bug rises in Gaiicia. about so
miles east OF Lemberg: flows west to
Kamionka Busk. about twenty-eight
miles east-northeast OF Lemberg. and
then turns north northwest to the
Russian border. In Russia for a
great part OF its course. IL flows north
along the eastern borders of Poland.
Northeast of Warsaw. IL leaves the
Polish border, turns west, and pofns
the vistula River, twenty-five miles
northwest OF Warsaw. at the power
fal fortress Of Sovo GeorgfevsS To
it's junction with the vistuls.. the Bug
travels $50 miles, more than 500 miles
of which are nayiga BILE. From Brest
Litovsk. IL is navigable for larger river
boats. while above the fortress II In
navigated by barves and RATS.
In peace times, considerable traf-
fic liz carried on upon the Bug. II
IL very important factor in the Rus
sian lumber trade, great RATS of logs
being ffoated down its course from
the rich forests thar line It's upper
reaches. Grain. INDEPENDENTLY
geese. for the quality of which the
Polish peasant lis widely noted--and
cattle are also transported on the
river. The Bug is connected by water
ways with the interior OF Russia, and
it's born freight can be sent into
Southern or Northern Russia. az well
as into Germany Canals connect the
Bug with the Pripet. and. thus with
the Dnieper River and Crimean land.
and with the Niemen River.
THE Bug River offers ore OF the
beet lines in the west for the quick and
uninterrupted concentration of Rus
sian armies and their supplies. II also
reduces the amount OF frontier TO be
held by a great number of miles--ar
advantage, however. shared In by
friend and foe Still. falling back
upon this line would necessitate the
surrender OF Warsaw, one of the rich
est manufacturing cities of Russia. of
innumerah bile Industrial towns and viii
lagos and of tens OF thousands Of
acres of richly productive farmla nds
Russian Poland. beyond the Bug. is an
Industrial center OF the Muscovite
Empire, great granary and an i'm
portant source OF leather and beef"