New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-08
ARTILLERY HOLDS
RIVER ATWARSAW
Won BuelOw Thrown Back
to Mitau by Cars
Flank Movement.
ATTACKING KOVNO
Petrograd Says Gas Was Used
in Assault on Fortress
and OSSoWetz.


London, Aug. THE German
official report tonight says the re-
sistance of the Russians has been
broken between Lomza and the
mouth of the Bug River, along what
is known as "the Narew front"
Thus, whether the Russians have
been defeated or whether they have
fallen back voluntarily to a new po-
sition, one of the bitterest battles Of
the war is ended.
For just three weeks the Ger
mans, under Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg, have been trying to
force this front and to cut off the
Russian armies in their retreat
from Warsaw. As this line has
held three days after the evacuation
of Warsaw, British critics believe
the Russian withdrawal was volun-
tary and that Grand Duke Nicholas
has made certain of the safety Of
his Warsaw army before he aban-
doned his struggle on the Narew.
Attacks on the fortresses Of Koy-
no and Ossowetz by the German
forces have begun, according 10 an
official statement tonight from the
Russian War Office. The works OF
Sosn4, part of the Ossowetz for
tress, were stormed Friday under
cover of a gas attack, but the Ger
mans were dislodged by counter at
tacks, the statement says.
Unofficial reports that kovno was
being evacuated by the Russians
reached London to-day. The city is
the capital of the government of
KoVno. a fortress Of the first class.
Ossowetz, also strongly fortified, is
about fifty miles northeast Of War
saw on the Narew River and about
the same distance southwest of Kov-
no.
After evacuating Warsaw the
Russians. it is stated, stationed ar
tillery on the right bank Of the Wis
tula and made earnest efforts TO
prevent the rebuilding of the Wis
tula bridges by the Germans, and
this is borne out by the Berlin Of
fetal communication, which declares
that the Russians continue to bom-
bard Warsaw from Praga, on the
eastern bank of the river.
Mackenseu Unable to Advance.
There is little change in the other
sections of the Polish salient. In the
southeast neither General Won Macken-
sen nor Archduke Joseph Ferdinand
has made much progress, being still lit
tie more than twenty miles north Of the
Lublin- -Cholm Railway, which they
crossed a week ago The resistance OF
the Russians here and that delaying
General Won Hindenburg in the north,
has kept the roads clear for the escape
of the Russians from the inner encirc-
ling operation.
In Courland and Koyno General Won
Bulow. with 100000 men, is carrying
out sweeping flank movements much on
the same lines as those with which Cen
eral Won Kluck opened the campaign in
the west, though in different circum-
stances and in a much more difficult
country General Won Bdlow's left wing,
which joins up with the separate army
operating south of Riga. has made
further advance toward Dyinsk, the
Russians retreating across the Jara
River, while his right is approaching
kovno.
Flanking Move Threatens Germans.
The Germans have received check
TO their enyeloping movement in the
region of Riga, the Baltic capital.
where the Russians say the invaders
have been driven back on Mitau. Pc
trograd also intimates that the Teutons
for the time being have abandoned their
efforts in the direction of Riga and are
turning their attention 70 stem a Rus
sian fanking movement from the direc-
tion of Ponlewesch.
Hereafter General Won Bdlow's prog
ress is likely to be slower. Between the
Jara and the Dvinsk there are great
swamps, while between Kovno and Viii
ma, his second objective, lies the Me
ID a. - ~
and many other streams 70 the north
and east, all OF which lend themselves
20 defence.
The besieged fortress OF Novo
Georgievsk, at the junction Of the Wis
tula and Nsrew rivers, the most west
ernly place retained by the Russians,
still holds out, although the Germans
claim 20 have captured one fort
According 10 the Official statement
given out in Berlin by the Army Head
quarters Staff to-day, Fort Dembs,
eon, N ~ aino mart Of tha WarasU fart,-