Evening star., 1915-06-21
GENERAL RETREAT BEGUN,
is VIENNA DECLARATION
London Expects Galician Capital to
Fall Into Hands of
the Enemy.
STILL HOPEFUL
Awaits Outcome of Strategic Moves
of Grand Duke-Reports Re
pulse of Foes in Lake
Region.

| Region.
| BERLIN, June Fl, via Lon.
don, I:4o p.m.-Emperor Viii
liam, it was officially announced
by the German war department
today, was present at the battle
of Beskid for possession of the
Grodek line to the west of Lem
berg, the Galician capital.
The armies under Gen. Won
Mackensen are continuing their
advance upon Lemberg after cap
turing Grodek, and have taken
Russian trenches, one after an
other, along a front of almost
twenty-four miles to the north
west of the city. where the Mus
covites are making desperate
stand.
A further success in the Austro-
German drive at the Galician
capital OF l,emberg was an
nounced today by the war office.
The statement says that the town
Of Rawa Ruska. thirty-two miles
northwest OF Lemberg, had been
captured from the Russians.
A Vienna dispatch announces
that the Russians have been in
general retreat since ; O'Clock this
morning along their entire front,
after having been forced out OF
their position on Wereszyca river,
a short distance to the west of
Lemberg.
Indicates Fall of Lemberg.
LONDON, June 2l. 1858 pm-The
announcement that Emperor William
has assumed supreme command of the
operations in Galtcia Is interpreted
here as an indication of complete Ger
man confidence in the final victory Of
the assault on Lemberg. now regarded
as so near at hand that the generals
who during the last two months have
battered their way across the province
wish the emperor to participate per
sonally in the expected triumph.
There is no question that the Aus
trians and Germans have won new vic
tories both west and north of the Ga
lician capital The Austro-German ad
vance is still progressing through the
Grodek lines west of Lemberg.
The failure of the Russians to hold
these positions has been a keen disap-
pointment to the British, who hoped
that this strong and selected position
might fErnish another example of the
resiliency of Emperor Nicholas forces,
which has been one of the marked fea-
lures Of the war in the east. Neverthe-
less, it is questioned here that any
thing SO vital as the flight of the Rus
sian army as indicated by Vienna re-
ports. perilous break~in the Rus
sian front has occurred.
Rear Guard Actions.
Some British experts are of the
| opinion that the Russians are fighting
| rear guard actions while withdrawing
their armies practically intact They
| suggest that either the Russians have
no intention of defending Lemberg to
| the last. or have prepared their main
| defensive lines on positions not yet
reached by the Germanic forces With
less than a score of miles separating
| the Austro- German lines from Lem
berg. these points must soon be eluci-
dated
It is pointed out further by British
observers that the latest Russian
communication hardly indicates such
an overwhelming success as their op-
ponents claim. although it is admitted
that the batteries of the Teutonic pha-
lanxes have won further ground
Russian Idea of Battle.
A Reuter- dispatch from Petrograd
says:
Russian military critics point out
that the Austro Germans in forcing
their way through the passages of the
lakes to the north and south of Gro
dek, apparently hoped to find the Rus
slams demoralized after their rapid re-
tirement. However, both on this front
and on the Tarnow line the regrouping
was accomplished with equal efficiency
and celerity.
The Austro-German advance west
ward and to the southwest of Rawa
turning movement to the north OF Gro
dek and Lemberg"
Russians Steadily Losing Ground.
AUSTRIAN HEADQUARTERS, June
| 20, via London, June 21. 5:O3 ANA
| feeling of dis met optimism prevails
| here regarding the outlook for the
| Austro German allies in the forthcom-
| ing third battle of Lembere." The
Russians have been losing ground
steadily in the campaign across Cali
| ella, which has lasted nearly seven
| weeks. and in spite of the repeated ar
rivals of reinforcements have been un-
able to hold any of the various posi-
tions taken.
The Russians chances of making a
| stand seemed best when they reached
| the San, with Przemysl as the point of
| support, but the battered and half.rs.
! paired fortress was reduced and re-