The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-23
RUSSIAN VICTORY
MAY Be TURNING
POINT IN WAR
Number of Prisoners Captured
Said to Be More Than 81, 900,
Releasing Large Army
Zeppelins Again
Threaten Paris
Italy Doubtful of Austria s Good
Faith, I a k Precautions
Which Amounts Virtually
to State Of War

London. March 80. -- oificiat
announcement comes from Pctro-
grad that Przemysi, regarded a.
one of the most powerful fort
rcsse<s In the world. has surrten-
dered. The caIdtulation came this
morning when Generals Pttik Won
Ruben commander Of the infan-
try force, and General Hermann
Won Kusmanek. commander OF
the artillery and the forts.
signifisSi through messengers
through the lines that they had
exhausted their means of defense.
The terms Of the surrender have
not yet been arranged, but II
goes without saying that the gar
rison and the artilIerymen will
be accorded fun honors of war.
-p Officially Il aat-statea- haIF- f4afis
Austrian soldiers Will become prtsouv
ers to Russia but military observers.
considering that the Twenty fourth
Infantry Division and the Twenty.
eighth Hunved Division OF Infantry.
formed part of the infantry defenses,
while the artillery was separate, be-
lieye that they will amount to about
SIS n09 men. This allows for 10000
killed and lncapacitated or taken
prisoners.
TIE fall of the fortress was re-
cetyed in Petrograd with great rejoic-
ing. according 10 the dispatches A
te sle1m WAS sung, which was attend
Cd by the Czar and the Grand Duke
Nicholas, with n brilliant royal and
military staff There is nearly As
much juhilatson in London. Tho ser
timent has only been exceeded once
in this war, and that was over the
result of the battle Of the Marine.
OF Great Importance.
The fall of Przemysl Is regarded rs
the most important incident Of the
Eastern campaign. A high official of
the war Office is reported 10 have said
that il was the turning point OF the
war. It's effect upon the morale OF
the Austrian troops will be intense,
because they have been taught To be-
lieve the place impregnahle. 1t now
lays Cracow open, and when the Bull
garian general, Won Dilnitrien, throws
his $50. 600 trained besiegers on To
the ancient Galicisn capital many be-
Ileve that Austria will sue for peace to
save the dual country.
Whether that Ia to be the case or
not II is known that Russia now has
10000 more men To throw anywhere
she may desire against the enemy.
These may he the Germans in the
North. the acknowledgements in the
middle. or The Austrians in the South.
The men are all highly trained and
have escaped the rigors OF a winter
campaign in the field. In addition
their general. although a foreigner,
has the prestige of two wars behind
him. the Bulgaria -Ssrvian war and
the Balkans, where he was uicknamed
ma poieon." He may lead bis forces
Horth into Poland. where tire enemy
is trying TO drive towards Warsaw.
II could speedily reach the BzEra d.
ike Pilitza River regions. where the
forces are daily enga sed in artillery
duels. The general belief, however,
is that he VIII proceed towards Cra-
cow,
Prisoners Tell story.
rhe fall OF Prxamysl has been ex-
peeted for long time. and after the
failure OF the last sortie on Friday
it was believed that the end was In
sight. The prisoners taken told the
story. Az it was the siege lasted
longer than that of Port Arthur. and
its outcome Will so far towards wiping
out thar defeat for the RUSSIANS