New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-27
Retiring Column in the
Przasnysz Region Aban-
dOns Men and Guns.
SECOND is FORCED
ACROSS NIEMEN
Cars Troops Contest Advance
in Other Northern Sections
Hold Own in South.
IRr cnhlo to The Tribune.

Petrograd, Feb. 26.-lhe Russians
have broken the onrush OF the Ter
mans in the region of PrZasnysz,
Polish town Of much strategic import
ance, about fifty miles north OF war
saw. and the invaders are retiring
along the whole front in that section
abandoning, as to-night's ofhclal report
says, prisoners, cannon, machine guns
and commissariat."
Armed motor cars in the Pryasnysz
district crowded on the retreatlng Ger
mans heels. pouring into their ranks
a deadly machine gun fire.
At the same time the German IN
fantry column which had crossed the
Nicmen near Sventoyansk was forced
back across the river.
South of the lower Nistula, in the
Borjimow region, another German at
tack was repulsed.
Altogether, it appears that the Rus
slams are more than holding their own
in North and Central Poland, and that
in the Carpathians they are making
such a steady advance that not only
the Hungarian, but Austrian armies
fighting IN Pukowina are threatened.
Fighting Over go Miles.
Fighting is now progressing over
front of 260 miles, reaching from the
Vistula's lower reaches near Bodza-
now through Przanyz, Edvano, Ossoetz,
Shabin and away to Olyta and kovno.
This front is already referred to as
the cleft bank Of the Niemen River
and the right bank of the Bobr and
Narew," and the fighting, with one
small exception, is all west of the line
al ,-ss.n
of this section the Germans are acting
with a deliberation and an apparent
hesitation in strong contrast to the
headlong character of their advance on
other sections, where they apparently
hoped t. carry everything before them
in one magnificent dash. They marched
in the lightest possible order, and, eX-
cept near the Vistula, without supports
or organized rear.
Members of the staff of the Russian
army, commenting on the recent mill
tarv deycsbpments in Northern Poland.
all agree that from Przasnysz and
Novogcro1 the Germans hoped to de-
velop a movement upon Warsaw.
(PrzasnySz is the torn north
of WarsalO and about fifteen
miles south of the East Prus-
sian frontier, Which has been
the scene of heduy fighting re-
cently and lChich Berlin de-
clared yesterday had been capt
mred By German troops, iOith a
Russian loss Of 10000 men in
priSOnerS.)
This movement was being assisted, in
their opinion, by the commencement
of an energetic offensive in the vicinity
of Moghely.
Russians Hold Three Lines.
Against the German advance in Rus
sian Poland, evidently of larger pro-
portions than any previous movement
in that country, the Russians had three
strong lines of defence The first runs
from Kovno to 0lita, the latter town
being on the Niemen River, thirty miles
south of Kovno. The second runs from
Olita TO Grodno, and the third line is
known as the Bobr-Nsrew line.
At the points where the Germans are
advancing against these defending
| lines their movements are proceeding
slowly on account of the marshy coun-
try and the precautions necessary to
take in order TO keep open communlca-
| tion with the German bases.
There have been attacks in the neigh
! borhood of Sabine conducted with
great energy and daring. This fighting
| has consisted of series of virtually
uninterrupted bayonet engagements, in
which the Russians have become very
skilful. There has been increased ac-
tivity, apparently, in Eastern Galicia,
where the Germans have been checked
in their efforts to reach Halicz, an i'm
portant strategic point on the Dniester
River.
According TO information reaching
the Russian General Staff from the
front, certain German commanding Of
ficers are declaring to their men that
the Russians will continue retreating;
that the Austrian occupation OF Gallcia
has not been interrupted, and that
peace soon will follow the success OF
/ German arms.