The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19
Special cutie De,pqtch to Tur srS.


LONDON. Sept. lS.-Wilna. one of the
tres, is expected to fall into the hands
OF the Austro-Germans at any moment.
The city is under day and night bonn
bardment from several sides, while the
investment operations are proceeding
apace. Bombs are rained on the be-
leagured tow by the German fitrs.
petrograd asserts that the city has been
Invested Of everything that might be of
use to the invaders.
The railroad. the prize that goes with
wilma. will. however, be Of immense
value to the Teutons. 1t will enable
them to move rapidly northward to
Dwinsk, already encircled by strong
forces. cut off Riga. and move their
front eastward up to or beyond the
GrOdno-Wilna-Dw insk road.
The Germans are astride the wilma
Petrograd line and their southern wing
apparently is not far distant from the
other Russian line of retreat, which
leads southwest Of wilma to Rovno.
To-day's official Russian statement
speaks of fghting east Of wilma" and
II has been already admitted that the
Teutons have reached the wilma Moio-
detlno-M insk road. Aside from the
armies Immediately closing In on wilma
Field Marshal Won M~ackensen's forces
are thirty-siX miles southeast OF the
city. The German statement asserts
thai between wilma and the Niemen the
Russian line has been broken at sew
eral points. II adds that since early
this morning the Russians have been
retreating."
Petrograd claims successes at several
points In the central and southwestern
parts Of the front.
The German army headquarters
statement, which vas telegraphed here
today. says:
Near Szhick Russian attacks were
repulsed. our attack on the Dwinsk
bridgehead continues. A portion OF
the Russian advanced positions has
been taken. Our troops continue TO
advance near wilma.
Between wilma and the Niemen the
Russian front has been broker
through at several points, Since
early this morning the Russians have
been retreating. We have taken 26
officers and $3.50 men, besides l6
machine guns.
The army group OF Prince Leopold
Of Bavaria has sent strong forces
across the Szczara.
The army group OF Field Marshal
Won Mackensen has driven the Rus
slams back further in the region OF
Telechany-I.ogischin. to the south Of
Pinsk. South OF Pinsk the number OF
prisoners captured has been increased
to u officers and $500 men. We
also have captured nine machine guns,
The Russians are In retreat before
the German troops in the southeast.
The official statement issued last nigh,
al Petrograd says:
Near the village of Jakoubovzi.
between the village OF Novyidvor and
Ida Cat the junction OF the wilma
Rovno and Sledlce- Polotsk railroad
lines) all the German attacks were
repulsed. The enemy reached the
River Szczara. attacked us near the
village of the same name and crossed
to the right bank
During the enemy offensive along
the railway from Kobrin to Minsk en-
gagements occurred near Noloko-
vitchni station west Of Pinsk. In
the course OF a fight for the pos
session OF Derashno VI again had a
great success. Dur troops precipi-
tated themselves on the town and
drove the enemy headlong toward the
village OF Roudakrasnovie, having
taken the latter place by assault. We
took 1000 prisoners and four ma
chine guns.
Our counter attack on the frontier
village of Gontova, southwest OF the
town Of Vishnivets. although 1t did
not result in the capture OF the vii
lage. enabled US to take prisoner
twelve officers and $40 men. with
three machine guns
In engagements in the region east
of the village OF Baboulinze. on the
Stripa, and toward the north OF Bout
chany. we took prisoner fourteen Of
ficers and 500 men. We occupied the
villages OF Yanovka and Pzlawa,
northeast OF Boutchany. the enemy
having abandoned them. r%etreating
in disorder.
BY bold actions on the whole front
toward the south OF the region OF
Kovno our troops continue success
fully to check he development OF
local counter attacks, which in sew
eral sections are made by formidable
enemy forces.
In the region OF Riga there were
engagements OF small d~etachments
on the River Ekau and at some places
on the western bank OF the Dwina
between J~acobstadt and Dwinsk. En-
envy attacks west and southwest Of
Dwinsk continue. The enemy often
sive between the Dwinsk road and
lake Samava was repulsed by our ar
tillery fire. In n skirmish north OF
Svientsyany. near the village OF
Davgelischki. the latter village re-
manned In the possession OF the en-
envy.
, In the region of wilma and east OF
that point there was stubborn fight
ing which already had taken some
time in developing. To the left Of
the Viliya between the branch railway
lines from wilma to Novo Svients-