Evening star., 1915-05-13
VIENNA SAYS RETREAT
OF SLAVS is NEAR ROUT
Petrograd Avows Her Troops. in Ad.
vantageous Positions, Plan
to Take Revenge.
SLAvs REPORT BIG VICTORY
Cossacks Dislodge Austrians on Buk-
owina Frontier and Capture 1000.
German Defeat at Milan and
Rossiency Claimed.

admits that the Austro-German
offensive is still proceeding in
western Galicia. while Vienna
claims that the Russian retreat is
fast becoming rout, with the in
vaders suffering enormous losses.
A dispatch from Cracow to the
Journal de Geneve says that the
successful offensive movements
of the Austrians and Germans
since the first Of May have cost
165 900 officers and men. Losses
of the Russians in prisoners are
placed at 10000.
This dispatch says the Rus
slams are holding firmly the prin-
cipal strategic positions and that
both sides are receiving heavy re-
Inducements. The Russian war
Office also states that its troops,
strongly reinforced, are now oc
cupying advantageous positions
and are preparing to seek re-
venge.
Russians Claim Success.
On the Bukowina frontier Petrograd
reports a brilliant success won by the
Russian Cossack cavalry over the
Austrian infantry. The Russian horse
men, forcing their way through series
of barbed wire entanglements. dis
lodged the Austrians from three lines
Of trenches and captured 1000 prison
ers, a battery of quick firing guns,
several searchlights and whole
string of caissons.
Reuters Petrograd correspondent
sends an official communication issued
by the Russian war Office. which says:
LAS result of the German defeat In
the direction of Mitau and Rossiency.
our strategic position in Shawl is be-
coming more clearly defined.
Bavarians Put to Flight.
The Germans. being hard pressed in
the direction Of Mitau, Pomievege and
Covno. decided upon the desperate ex
pedient Of delivering a decisive often
simultaneously occupied the railway
station of Jeymy on the same day MAY
81, our cavalry came in contact with
Bavarian cavalry, which 1t put to dis
orderly flight. 1t came up with the
fleeing Bavarians at midday. the 9Th,
near krakinwve. after covering dis
tance exceeding SO versts IA verst is
two-thirds of a mile), and fighting
two engagements.
The defeat of the German raid on
our rear will necessarily affect the pro-
gram of the operations in the Shawl
district The enemy's defeat at Jeymy
encourages the belief that he will
shortly receive still further reinforce
ments in the Shawl district The pres
ence there of a regiment of the Prus-
a whole corps of the guard will be
transferred from Alsace to this front"
Germans Use Fine Troops.
Another Reuter- dispatch from Petro-
grad gives the following official state
ment regarding Russian military oper-
ations:
In the fighting between the Vistula
and the Carpathians May and the
Germans planned to break our front
by the lightning rapidity of the blow
directed at the neighborhood of krosno
by seven divisions or the flower Of the
German army after a heavy artillery
preparation.
ION a general front of forty miles
the enemy gathered ree-quarters of
the Austian army, one-ninth OF the
German army, the first reserve. half
the contingents of the second reserves
besides eight divisions from the Serbia
front, several new Austrian divisions
and twenty infantry divisions as well
as eight new divisions and nine cavalry
3,,fci
one of our armies participated in the
first attack.
Gain No Tactical Success
The Germans gained no tactical sue
cess. Our reserves, by flank blow, en-
abled our army to rearrange line of
positions eliminating all
fear of final retreat. Our army has
received strong reinforcements and is
ready to exact hearty revenge. Our
falling back was carried out methodi-
cally. The enemy's loss was heavy.
when our troops occupied the noun
famous sectors which the enemy hold
today the enemy's official communica-
tions declared these positions were of
no Importance"
Battle Near Decisive Phase.
TARNoW. Galicia, May IL, by
10. 2 p.m.-The struggle in the region
north Of the Vistula river and on the
borders Of Galicia, which well informed
persons here expect and hope will
bring a final decision in the battle
against the Russian armies, appears to
be approaching a conclusive phase.
Terrific engagements were fought to-
day at positions twenty-five miles to
the east of Tarnow. in the vicinity of
Debfca and Melee, where the Austrian |
army under Archduke Francis Joseph |
came into fierce conflict with Russian |
forces which were retreating eastward |
from the Dunajec river and Tarnow.
Many Burning Villages.
Airmen who few over the battlefield |
today reported that the entire front |
was marked by burning villages. most |
of which had been bombarded. They |
say it looks exactly like a gigantic |
prairie fire.
To the north of the Nistula river the |
Austrian corps commanded by Count !
has forced the Nida line. |
to information reaching |
here.
Today and yesterday the wind |
brought with II as far as Tarnow the |
incessant roar of gunfre. indicating
that Count kirchhach's forces are LIZ
ing to advance hand hand with 6s