The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-21
'CZAR'S TROOPS NEAR
WILMA NOT CUT OFF
Germans Progress in Drive OH
Dwinsk. but Do Not En-
circle Russians.
TEUTON CHECK CLAIMED
Onslaughts Near Ida Road Re-
pulsed, Petrograd Ad-
vices Say.

SPECIAL Gable Despatch to Tar srS.
LONDON, Sept. 20.-The Germans to-
day report headway toward Dwinsk and
progress In the encircllng movement
around wilma. This latter movement Is
designed to cut OF the escape OF the Rus
sian troops. whose numerical strength is
estimated by some at a half million, and
force them into open battle.
Up to a late hour tonight the Teutons
had not yet succeeded in surrounding the
Russians by cutting their last line OF
retreat. the wilma Ida -Baranowitsch
road. However. Petrograd reports fight-
ing on the section of that road between
Biyankoni and Ida. which shows that
the Germans have reached the road The
Russian statement says the German at
tacks there were repulsed.
Petrosrad reports In to-night's official
statement a serious attempt by the Ger
mans To cross the Dwina northwest OF
Mitau In the move to cut OF RlSa.
Further south the Russians admit a re-
tirement over the Niliya close to wilma,
now in German hands. Further east on
the BANKS OF the same river IO"'N'i'
and northwest OF Molodechno, the Rus
slams are stlll continuing their attempts
to hold up the German advance.
To-day's official statement, telegraphed
from Berlin, is as follows:
Army group Of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg: In the vicinity Of the
bridgehcad at Dwinsk the en- my was
forced To retreat from Novo Alexan-
drovsk ,about twenty miles south
west OF Dwinsk) to a position fuither
to the rear We took $50 prisoners.
The enemy attempted TO break through
our lines at Orgon. The attempt was
repulsed.
The attack on the opposing forces
which are retreatirg from the district
Of wilma is proceeding further TO the
south our troops are following the
retreating enemy. We reached line
on the Niemen. The enemy offered
| temporary resistance at few points
only
The army group Of Prince leopold
has reached the iOlozadz district at
Dworzec and the region southeast
thereof, while its left wing is ap-
proacaing the Myschiaka district.
Amy group Of Field Marshal Won
Mackeusen. The enemy has been
forced further back everywhere
/ Southca stern theatre Of war Dur
! ing engagements OF minor Importance
! German troops took 100 prisoners.
| stumbling Hooks for Teut"ns.
Won Hndenhurs has before him
three essential stumbling blocks The
J Russian army. g''l intact and orderly,
/ its spirit. according tu All advI,'S, uu-
3 broken. is Vet to H.. couLicd with Then.
| rs the Austro-,;ernans advance west
ward. To- gain fun control uf the wilma
1 pCtrograd road and later ~ IN. Br St
, Minsk -Orscha line. they VIII have to
overcome natural difficulties in tn"
/ form of marshes and forests such a
| they have not had to- contend with thus
far. excepting at the Mnsuriau Lakes
and conditions AT thu lakes are SIM
pie as compared with those along the
| ground of the future advance The third
! great hamperiug object is IN" approach
, OF the cold season.
The fall Of bwinsk now - looked for.
This important railway junction, dou-
| bly, significant for the Germans because
of its direct connection with Riga y the
centre OF an cnveloping movement such
as that which Yesterday brought the
Teutons tn. heart of the ailway system
in western Russia, wilma.
Times correspondent on saturday
sent "A despatch from Dwiusk IN which
fl.aas "A H1NFa1t
i,,., l,, nu,i,ut, FROM, ir nm .xcoIIcu, lin.
80, ,ra,,hos ,hra. daan and have held
~, a,,,r,,. orf thus f,r" Th. natura of
,ha ,s,inu ,hara 10 "excelIent fnr dc.
,.uc {" he adds I'm, admits thar "If
,hn ,;.rmans nro willing TO nay the
price they possibly can tak" tt
'rhis ia Tho first statement referring
IA treucb wnrfure in the north IL il.
ustr,t.s the stuhhornness with which
IN. Russians have been defending that
front and gives an idea Of the losses
the Germans must have suffered there
ON the other hand, II emphasizes the
! improhability Of "A clean cut Russian
escape once the + utnns are able IL
make "A concentrated dash.
The Russian Army headquarters is
(. sued the following official statement II
, Petrograd tonight;
In the Riga region there have been
further encounters on Eckau with in
creased fire of the enemy's artillery.
A bridge made by the Germans north
west OF Mitau was blown up by the
Russians
In the region southwest OF lllutsk
stubborn fighting occurred. The Rus
: slams reoccupied the trenches they
; formerly held and seized a quantity
, Of rifles, cartridges and war supplies
found IN them. ON the road south
west of Dwinsk there have been vio-
| lent ENGAGEMENTS in the lake detlle.