Evening star., 1915-06-22
they regard this port to be the key to
the Baltic.
Tremendous Artillery
Blasts Crush Russians,
SAYS Austrian Report

USTRO-HUNGARIAN HEADQUAR-
TERS, June 22.-Overwhelming supe-
riority of artillery again was chiefly
responsible for Saturdays quick and
decisive defeat of the Russian army in
the new lines protecting Lemberg. An
immense amount of heavy and middle
caliber artillery was massed against
the heights of Magierow, northwest OF
Lemberg, which is admirably adapted
by nature for defense and fortified
with triple series of intrenchments.
considered the strongest part of the
Russian battle front.
At a given signal the artillery opened
fire against the Russian Positions. The
effect of the bombardmeht was crush
ing. A shower of high explosive shells
such as broke the Russian defense
along the Dunajec in May and in the
battles on the San at the beginning OF
June fell into the Russian trenches.
Shaken by Attack.
The Russian troops were shaken. by
the artillery attack, and when the Aus
tro-German infantry was ordered to
Sharge they were able to sweep
through and over all three lines of de-
fense. not pausing until they reached
the other side of the ridges overlook
1nR tne N2fleN through WHICH eiC
railroad and the highway from Lem
berg to Zolikiew and Rawaruska.
Rawaruska is now captured. the rail-
road and highway are in Austro-Ger-
man hands. and a wedge or the allied
troops seems to cut straight through
the Russian right wing. parts of which
are retreating northward. while the
rest are being driven in on the main
Russian force around Lemberg.
Fall Is Expected Soon.
The battle now is raging for the pos
session of the Galician metropolis and
its fall is expected within a day or two
at the latest. Gen. Won Mackensen's
army, barely twelve miles away, is
knocking at the gates from the north,
while Gen. Won Boehm- -Ermolli is north
of the Grodek lakes. A further advance
from the south would have been delayed
by the rolling. wooded country between
The Dniester and Lemberg and this
blow would not have menaced the Rus-
sian lines of retreat so seriously; fielo
Marshal Conrad Won Hoetzendorf, chief
of stan decided for that reason to at
tack from the north, placing the utmost
confidence in the effect of the artillery
Preparations upon the strong Russian
His calcula tion did not go
astray. The allies victory caused the
retirement of the Russians along the
entire line through Grodek to the
'Dniester marshes and thence eastward
along the Dniester.
Fierce Russian Attacks.
: While decisive blows were being de-
livered on this battle front. the army in
-Bukowina under Gems. Pfanzer and
3Baltin were forced to Withstand a
berries of extremely violent attacks from
fresh Russian forces. These assaults
were designed to relieve pressure on
sLemberg by breaking through the
sAustro- Hungarian right flank: -.
: It Is believed here the Russians will
not attempt to hold Lemberg. but mere
ay to fight rearguard actions in an at
'tempt to get away safely the remnants
of their armies. They have availa Bile
for retreat only the double-track rail-
road running east from Lemberg
Krasne to the Russian from
tier, and q single-track line from Lem |
berg southeastward through Brzezany
toward Bessarabia.
: The allies troops Saturday were only
two days march from krasne, an i'm |
portant railroad junction. the capture
OF which would spell disaster for the
Russians.