The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-20
7EUTON ARMIES
CLOSING IN ON
BREST-LITOVSK
Stronghold on Russian Inner
Line of Defence and Large
Forces i'm Peril.
RIGA MENACED BY
BIG GERMAN FLEET
,o,,ia, cable n>.oc,c., TO Tur srx

-
>,,,fai cable NJ oc,c., 10 TuE suN.
yoSpoN, Aug. 1e.-At a late hour to-
,'sht all reports from the Russian thea
go Of war indicate that the fall OF the
fortress Of Drest-Litovsk. the most i'm
portant fortress on the Russian inner
line OF defence, IL imminent. The Ger
r,n official statement to-day asserts that
the fortress Is almost encircled by the
,ustro.German troops. The railway
leading from Bielostok to Brest-Litovsk
4. In German hands. 1900 Russians
having been made prisoners with its
capture,
Meanwhile. the surrender OF Novo
Georg1evsk, with It's garrison OF more
than $4,000 Russians. Is generally con-
coded to be a question OF but a few days.
II not hours. Two forts were stormed
Yesterday. the Germans taking 1000
prisoners and 1875 cannon
A new drive upon Riga and a forcing
OF the movement against wilma are ex-
pected as the immediate consequences of
the last twenty-four hours developments.
The fate OF the main Russian army,
thus far saved from the many traps
laid by the Teuton invaders. and still
intact and retreating In good order. Is
the centre of discussion by all the MILL
,ary experts. While the leading writ
,rs admit the situation to be grave. they
show no signs OF abandoning hope for
the ultimate escape Of the Russian main
1900 haginn THAR nnnAlanra nhi.1x
upon the oft tested strategy of the Grand
Duke Nicholas.
The location OF Brest-Litovsk, or the
edge of the marsh district that stretches
eastward for fifty miles and Is traversed
By but one railroad and il devoid o!
highways Of the least military value. Is
however. full OF danger to the army de
Tending the stronghold. Military oh.
servers recognize that the escape OF
these troops will be practically impos'
slb.e II the forts fall. The fortress Is
being bombarded from the northwest
west and southwest.
S.7OO Prisoners Taken.
The official statement issued In Ber'
I'm to-day gives the total number o'
prisoners taken in the last twenty-foui
fours as $500. The statement Is a'
follows:
Army group of Field Marshal Won
HnlenburI On the occasion Of cap
turing kovno an additional thirty Off
GERS and $500 men we're taken pris-
onors.
under pressure OF the loss of Kovno
The Russians were obliged to evacu-
tve their positions opposite kalwarya
sud Suwalki. our troops are pus-
suing them.
Further to the south German
troops crossed the Nlrew, west OF Ty-
loc'H. They captured 500 Russians.
TIE army of Gen. Won GallwItz has
MADE progress in an eas;erly direction.
Noith OF Bielsk our troops reached
the ra.iwdy from Bieiostock to Brcst-
l.:ovsk Three thousand Russians
Wele iafvn prisoners.
In the nos theastern section OF
NONo Geors'evsk our troops captured
the Wkri crossing. Two forts on the
north front were taken by storm. more
than 1000 prisoners and l25 cannon
falling into our hands.
Amy group of Prince Leopold OF
Bavaria: The left wing drove the
enemy, continuously fighting, before
T.. and in the evening reached the dis
trict west and southwest of Melee
Joyce. The right wing, breaking for
ward across the Bug at Melnik. drove
the enemy out of his strong positions
In the north of this section, and Is
progressing further.
Army group of Field Marshal Won
Mackeusen The crossing over the
Bug between Niemirow and Jarnow
has been taken possession OF by allied
troops. Before Brest-Litovsk German
troops penetrated into outer positions
OF the fortress near Rokitno. SOUTH
east OF Janow. South of Nladowa our
troops ale pursuing the defeated
Enemy. Under pressure OF our ad-
vance, the enemy the
eastern bank OF the Bug above and
Fleet Threatens Riga.
The official statement issued at Petr'
grad tonight was as follows.
Our warships protecting the en-
trance to the Gulf of Riga yesterday
drew in owing to the great superiority
OF the enemy's fleet.
On the Riga-Janovo-Wilna from
there is no essential change.
At koVno the enemy continues u
develop vigorously the success he at
t4incd. lie successfully establishe
Illil~'ll III ~ ahIoih'ht
which forms An isthmus wee TN
N.emen and wilma,
At Ossowiec during the night o
August l7-lS and in the course OF tn
following day German attacks on on
positions were repulsel by u fire
On the Ossowiec- Brest-Litovsk iron
and further south lighting continue
snd is characterized in certain sec
tuus by extreme tenacity.
The enemy displayed particular oh
sIuacy on August II and IS In hi
attacks on our troops on the lowe
Bohr, m the direction of Bielsk, alonI
the Tcheremkla Railway and nea
Nludawa,
Ca the Galician front there Is n
change.
Al Novo-Georgievsk the enemy l
attacking the Notifications on tn
right bank of the Vistula and on III
Narcw with increasing vigor. Tn
fighting is of a most determined char
actor. our wire entanglements ar
covered with heaps Of German deaf