The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-23
Long Investment Ends

London, Marcn Z2.-tlV.z0 D. m. )--Ine long investment of the mid -Galician fortress of Przemysl has ended. De- pleted by disease, subsisting on horse flesh and surrounded by superior force of Russians, the garrison has surren- dered to the besieging army after a de- fense lasting many months, which up to the present is recorded Austria s most noteworthy contribution to the war.
 Petrograd, London and Paris are cele- brating the event tonight-Petrograd and Paris in the spontaneous manner characteristic of those cities-London with silent and grim satisfaction, which is the British way.
 The newspapers assert that the fall of the fortress marks the most impor- tant capture of the war not excepting Antwerp, ill that 1t not only releases considerable Russian forces which can be thrown into the fluctuating struggle in the Carpathians, but opens the door to Cracow and the plains of Hungary.
 It Is argued too, that the moral ef- feet of the surrender will be tremend. ous, the allies declaring it will stimu- late feeling in their favor both in Rou- mania and Bulgaria just as the opera tions in the Dardanelles are causing an agitation in Greece and Italy
 The Italian situation is receiving re- newed attention though rumors, rather than facts, seem to be the basis of most of the news dispatches. The Italian em- bassy at London had no confirmation tonight of the report that freight traf- flc between Italy and Germany by way Of Switzerland, had been stopped, nor was there confirmation of the reported massing of Austrian and German troops along the Austrian littoral, or the as sembling of artillery at Arieste
 Fell With Honor
 Przemsyl fell with honor, the British press comedies, for 1t withstood the on- slaughts longer than any place during the war, the investment having begun about September 16, something more than six months ago. The duration of the siege compared with the length of time it took the Germans to capture such strongholds as Liege, Namur and Antwerp, was due to two causes, one being the desire of the Russians to keep the loss of life among the besieging army at a minimum. the other to the lack of great guns, which the Germans had in Belgium.
 The investment was not closN one. the garrison having had up until re- gently a radius of about 12 miles in which to move about. and some dis patches told of shooting expeditions indulged in by the officers of the gar rison. An aeroplane post was main- tained almost up to the last, and 1t is is said that even some food was carried in this way.
 The Prezmysl garrison was estimated at S0,000 men last September and last week 1t was reported that 1t had dimin- ished to 25,O00. There have been secur- rent reports of cholera and other dis eases.
 Nothing of great importance has been recorded over night in the west In the east. aside from the fall on Przemysl the situation around the German port of Memel is the most interesting. From this town the Germans maintain they have driven the Russians, while con- troversy is being waged by the press Of the two countries as to the merits of the Russian contention that civilians fired on them in this latest incursion in East Prussia-an act which demanded reprisals.
 There Is no late news from the Dar~ danelles and the belief in England seems to be that the operations per- haps would be more protracted than at first expected.