New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-13
Austrians North of Car
pathians Are Threat
ened with Destruction.
CARS MEN FAIL
TO TAKE HILL 992
Defenders Still Hold Important
Position as Invaders Advance
on 120-Mile Front.
IBy Cable 10 The Tribun. ]


Petrograd, April 12.-While the Rus
slams, now masters Of the Carpathian
passes for a distance of l20 miles west
Of the Uzsok, are pouring down the
southern slopes to the Hungarian
plains by railways and along the roads
and banks Of rivers, the Austro-Ger-
man armies on the Galician side of the
mountain range east Of the Uzsok en-
trance, according to indications in un-
official dispatches and the opinion OF
military experts, are preparing for
general retiring movement.
The further southwark advance OF
the Russians, which seems practically
assured since their capture of one OF
the principal remaining obstacles in
their path on the Uzsok- -Bartfeld front,
Hill 9O9 will seriously endanger the
Austrians north of the Carpathians all
the way through Eastern Galicia and
Bukowina Army officers insist that
retreat will be the only means OF saw
ing the Austrian force from being cut
of from their base.
The onward sweep Of the Cars
troops is also a direct menace to Buda-
pest, the immediate objective Of their
forward movement across the fiat land
OF Northern Hungary.
Austrians Hold Hill 992.
The Auatrans are still holding by
desperate resistance the position known
as Hill 992, which has been the scene
Of much hard fighting. The official
report tonight admits the failure Of
the Russians to capture this place.
The battle for the Uzsok Pass con-
tinues with undiminished violence,
while the rear of the Austro- German
armies in this section is daily more
seriously threatened by the Russian
advance further to the east.
The Russian armies have made their
creates. gain in the direction of Gum
memo. A. this point they descended
the southern slope, forcing the Aus
TRANS back with heavy losses to the
line between Mezolaborcz and Smolnik.
At the same time the Cars columns
advanced along the line between Dukla
and Svednik, where the Austrlans, un-
able 10 make serious defence, aban-
doned their stores and transports in
their retreat.
The battle, which has just been sue
cessfully conducted by the Russians
lasted eighty days, and was, from all
accounts, one of the tiercest of the war.
The manner in which the Russians over
came the difficulties of mountain fight
ing in midwinter has been tie b. ct
of praise by those who witnessed the
operations vr are acquainted with -..e
country traversed. The most deter
mined opposition on this whole line OF
battle was on the part of the Hun
garians, whose fighting qualities IRE
also being highly complimented by K =
sian officers The calamity for Ausrro-
German strategy is held to be immedi-
ately due to the energy and tactical
ability of the Russian brigade leaders
under General Broussiloff.
New Kind of Warfare.
The fighting which has brought the
Russians upon the southern slopes OF
the Carpathians is generally admitted
10 have been of character unprece-
dented in history. The three months
of desperate conflict in midwinter
across several parallel mountain ranges
furnish an entirely new chapter to
military history. Cavalry has been al
most useless, and big guns have been
available only occasionally and in very
restricted numbers.
The most important part of the work
has been done with the bayonet, but
tho Russians have not been slow at in
venting various unconventional devices
to suit the special circumstances. Snow
is undoubtedly the easiest material to
handle in constructing shelters from
rifle fire, and the Russians are quite at
Nome with it. Also, they know how to
keep comfortably warm in these snow
shelters.
Much of the fighting of the last win
ter has been done during the frequent
Continued on page 2. column