Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-07
People Expected Seizure Of
Many Prisoners and Guns
at Warsaw.
FORTS OF THE CAPITAL
VIRTUALLY UNDAMAGED
Military Writers of Berlin Point
Out Precarious Position of
Russian Forces.

BERLIN. August The forts of
Warsaw have fallen virtually undam-
aged into the hands of the Germans.
according to information reaching here.
The defenses of Ivangorod, however.
were destroyed by the Russians before
their retirement. The garrisons of the
two fortresses appear to have complet-
ed the evacuation without material loss
and to have carried away large part
of the stores and munitions of war
accumulated in Warsaw for the armies
in Poland
Gen. Won Kessel, military commander
of Berlin, ordered a salute of sixty
victory shots fred at noon in honor
of the taking of Warsaw.
Disappointment Voiced.
Some disappointment is expressed
among the German people at the fall
ure of the Teutonic forces to make an
imposing capture of prisoners and guns
in Warsaw, but military experts here
do not share this feeling.
They point out as the real Significance
of the capture of the two fortresses
that the Russians thereby have lost the
fortified base of operations which gave
them such immense advantage in the
earlier movements in Poland, and that
this advantage now has been transfer
red to the Germans, who can utilize 1t
either for defensive strategy or to
facilitate a further offensive campaign
against the Russian army.
Still Chance Of Big Captures.
If prisoners and guns are desired
there is still a chance of making a
considerable capture. the military writ
ers say. for the Russians crowded
within the long salient running out to
the fortress Of Novo Georgievsk are in a
precarious position. With German armies
on three sides the mouth of the Sack,
from which they must escape is dozen
miles wide and from the north Gen.
Won Gallwitz's army has broken
through the defensive lines and is
pressing irresistibly down toward the
Narew river.
No indications of an evacuation Of
Novo Georgievsk by the Russians have
been received here. and Grand Duke
Nicholas, commander-in-chief of the
Russian armies, perhaps may intend to
leave the garrison in this fortress
which is really stronger and more i'm
portant than Warsaw, to stand siege
Hold East Bank of Vistula.
bank of the VistuIa at Warsaw and
command the crossing here. which is
so important in facilitating the orderly
retreat by the railroads and chaussees
which converge at this point.
No details Of the capture of Warsaw
beyond the meager official reports have
been received here. A number OF Ger
man war correspondents arrived in the
vicinity of the Polish capital few
days ago, but have not yet been able
to send and dispatches.
storming Of Warsaw.
The Overseas News Agency has given
out for transmission abroad the &C
Bavarian troops:
"Bavarian troops under command of
Prince Leopold Of Bavaria, the seventy
year-old veteran of 1856 and 1901.
stormed the outer and inner forts of
the Russian stronghold on both banks
of the Vistula river and reduced War
saw yesterday. AS soon as the rumor
of the great event was circulated
through the city .he telephone wires
were bent down with eager inquiries
addressed to the government authori-
ties.
Immediately after the news was
confirmed the Berlin streets resembled
an ocean Will lhCIi Justly NAa6
flags Church bells furnished a bass
voice in the great chorus Of joy. and
gratitude for the unparalleled achieve
ments of the brave armies who had
been chasing the Russians from posi-
ton to position since last May.
Announced in Few Words.
The reduction of Warsaw was an
nounced by an official of the general
staff in a few sober words. The VIC
torious prince telegraphed his official
report to his royal brother at Munich,
who conferred upon him the highest
Ravarian order the Grand Gordon of
Max Joseph.
"Ivangorods fall after the capitula-
ton of Warsaw was expected, and the
former fortress was taken by the
Austro- Hungarian troops.
Correspondents at the front report
that Cen Won Woyrsch massed troops,
bridge material and pontoons on trains
opposite Nowo Alexandria. which
caused the Russians to throw their best
troops and reserves toward that town.
At night twenty pontoon trains. hidden
under straw, moved the troops down
the stream. The engineers quickly
threw four bridges across the many
ranches of the Vistula, anu within a
few hours the troops had crossed the
river and surprised the Russians on the
gorod from the north and cut the con-
Meeting lines to Warsaw"
nrrnrnTEC TN VIENNA