The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-20
THE GERMANS TAKE
FORTRESS OF KOVNO
PLACES GRAND DUKES ARMY IN
PERILOUS POSITION.
Road to Wilma, Warsaw and PetrOgrad
Railroad Now Thrown Open
to TeutOns.

London, Aug. 18.-Kovno, one Of the
crucial points in the Russian defensive
in the nort:, was captured by the
Germans last night, and the road to
Wilma, Warsaw and Petrograd railroad
is now open to Emperor Williams
troops. The capture Of the fortress
was another triumph for the German
16-inch guns, which f.ave been brought
against no Notifications they can not
subdue.
With the fortress of Kovno the Ger
mans have taken more than 400 guns,
and, according to their account, an
enormous quantity of war material.
This, rowever, is not the most seri-
Gus part of the matter to the Rus
sions. Besides opening the way to
Wilma, which is an open town, from
which most of the inhabitants have
departed and from witch everything
that might be of use to the invaders
has been removed, the fall OF the for
tress takes away the last protection,
except the Russian field army, to tie
main lline railway to Petrograd, and
also places the Germans in a position
to threaten the flanks of the Russian
armies retiring to the Brest-Litovsk
line and those operating in Southern
Courland.
Expected Fall of KOTnO.
Grand Duke Nicholas apparently ex-
pected the fall of Kovno, for his armies
are nastening their retirement in Po-
land eastward. They still hold their
own from Kovno to south of Ossowetz,
but south of there they are being
pressed from the northeast by Gems.
Won Scholz and Won Gallwith, and
from the west by Archduke Leopold,
who has crossed tie Big river and is
approaching the Best-Litvosk and
Bialystock railway.
It is the same in the south, where
Gen. Won Mackensen, after many re-
buffs,, finally has driven the Musco-
yites into tneir outer positions of tie
fortress of Brest-Litovsk.
For the first time since he began to
retire from Western Galicia in May
Grand Duke Nicholas, in the opinion
Of military observers, finds part of his
army in serious danger of envelop-
ment. The Russian commander con-
tinues an orderly retreat as shown by
the fact that outside of the guns taken
with the fortress of Korno or captured
in the forts of NovogeorgieVsk, two
more of which have fallen, the Ger
mans claim ne capture of artillery. 1t
would appear also Itat few prisoners
have been taken, which doubtless
means that considerable part of the
Austro-Germans in their most recent
advance Iaave not met with serious
fighting.
Only Safe Plan.
With Kovno in German hands and
another German army across the Bug
south of Brest-Litovsk, a speedy exit,
according to military observers, is the
only safe one for the Russians if they
are to escape before the second set of
pincers prepared for them are closed.
Willie fighting to crush the Russian
army the Germans are finding time for
minor activities in other fields. Last
night they carried out their 18th air
raid on England, visiting eastern coun-
ties, where they dropped bombs, which
according to the official communication
killed 10 and injured 36 civilians. In
the last raid the admiralty reports that
it believes one Zeppelin was damaged.
"a dispatch from Holland today re-
ported that another quarter of dirigi-
bles was on their way over to Eng
land, but nothing further has been
heardCof item. Tonight it was clear,
and it is probable that the airship
commanders, believing it likely that
their craft would be discovered by the
British air patrol, have turned back.
Last night was dark and misty.
Submarines Busy.
German submarines have been busy
and during tee day the sinking of three
British and three neutral steamers and
a trawler has been reported.
AS an Offset to the German successes
in the east the French official COM
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