Evening star., 1915-05-17
Berlin Claims Reports Show
Russians Suffered Severely
in West GaIicia.
PETROGRAD GIVES VERSION
OF MUsCOVITEs' RETREAT
Declares Overwhelming German Aus.
trian Force Made Realignment
of Armies Necessary.

BERLIN. May Il. via wireless to say
VILE, n Y.-The Overseas News Agency
today gave out the publication of re-
port reading;
Unofficial reports from West Gslieia
confirm previous statements that the
Russians suffered very heavily during
their defeat. in spite of the Russian
attempts to deny these losses.
The 4sth Russian Division was totally
dispersed A Russian commander and
his staff were captured by baggage
escort behind the Austrian 'front.'
Russia Explains Retreat.
PETRoGRAp. Saturday. May *. via
London. Nav Il. 1242 pm. delayed by
storms).-The Russian general stat, ex-
planning the change in the Galician n
campaign from a successful advance to
3 retreat. gave out the following today;
From the middle Of April news be-
gan to reach US OF the transport or
great numbers of Germans from the
western front and their concentration
in Galicia. The state of affairs thus
created forced us to stop the develop
ment Of our advance In the direction
of Mezola borcz and Uszok. In order
to insure ourselves facilities for send
ing reserves to the threatened sec
tions of our front.
However, the forces which the enc
considerable that our ard Army was
unable to check the pressure on the
Conjnovitze- -Gerlitza sector
The result was desperate and unin-
terrupted fighting. with impetuous
counter attacks which prevented the
enemy from breaking our front The
enemy's action was reduced to frontal
attacks on the positions Of the Sd army,
which he occupied in succession.
Defeated Austrians.
The Austrian army defeated on the
Dniester on the 14th could not main
tain its position on the left bank OF
the PrIth except in the region OF kolo-
mea. with the assistance of reinforce
ments brought by train. bringing IN
the last reserves composed of sappers.
detachments still in course of forma-
ton. and the last available units.
"On the same day our troops carried
Nadworna after a great struggle On
the preceding evening our cavalry.
which forced a bridge head In one at
tack. occupied Sniatyn. We are con-
tinung an energetic pursuit.
I'm the region of Shawl UCourland)
the fighting is developing favorably.
We repuIsed several attacks west OF
Shawl and successfully attacked
strong column Of the enemy near the
village of Grodzi, which was endeav
oring to envelop Shawl from the north.
We threw 1t hack.
Deploys on River San.
The enthusiasm of our troops enabled
them to maintain perfect order. cope with
the dificult problems Of the battle and
infiict enormous losses on the enemy.
May 13 the whole Sd Army deployed
on the San. and in conformity with this
fact we were obliged to make rearrange
ments. which were already near compile
tion. to enable the adjacent armies to
unite their fronts.
although we were obliged to fall back
in the Carpathians. we simultaneously
made decisive offensive in eastern
Galicia. whereby We gained results essen
tial to our left wing, and inflicted a Sc
we're defeat on the Austrians on the
Dniester front Of over $50 versts tabou,
100 miles). Within Ave days. beginning
the 9th, We captured in this region about
80, 900 prisoners. and forced the enemy
to retreat in disorder across the Pruth-
May IA our long-range batteries at
Peremysl dispersed column Of the
enemy approaching from the west. in
1c,ing heavy losses. On the other sec
tors of the San and the eastern slopes of
the Carpathisns no actions are reported.