The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-08-25
Big GUNS BATTER FORTRESSES
TO PIECES
ARMY Still In DANGER
Swift Advance CT Germans Render
Brest-Htovsk Line Untenable
Way to Wilma is Open and Commn-
nications to the Cars Armies Is.
Threatened.

hoVno, Cne OF the crucial points IN
the Russian defensive in the north,
was captured by the Germans Tues
day 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
sixteen-inca guns, which have been
brought against no fortifcations they
could not subdue.
With the fortress Of Kovno the
Germans have taken more than four
hundred guns, and, according to their
account, :Gn enormous quantity Of
war material. This, however, is not
the most serious part Of the matter
to the Russians. Besides opening the
way to wilma, which is an open town,
from which most Of the inhabitants
have departed AID from which eFery-
thing that might be Of use to the IN
yaders mas been removed, the fab OF
the fortress takes away the last pro-
lection, except the Russian feld
army, to the main line raiIway 50
Petrograd, and also places the Gers
mans in q. position to threaten the
flanks Of the Russian armies retiring
to the Brest-LitoVsk line and those
operating in Southern Ccurland.
Grand Duke Nicholas apparently
expected the fall OF Kovno, for his
armies are Fastening their retirement
in Poland eastward. They still hold
their own from Koyno 10 south OF
Ossowetz, but south Of there they are
being pressed from the northeast by
Gems. Won Scholz and Won Gallwitz,
and from the west by Archduke Leo
pold, who has crossed the Bug river
and is approaching the Brest-Litoysk
and Bialystock railway.
It is the same in the south, Whece
Gen. Won Mackensen, after many re-
buffs, finally has driven the Musco-
vites into their outer positions Of the
fortress Of Brest-Litoysk.
For the first time since ne 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
development. The Russian command
er continues an orderly retreat as
shown by the fact that outside Of the
guns taken with the fortress CT Koy-
no or captured in the forts of novo-S
georgieVsk, two more Of which have
fallen, the Germans claim no capture
Of artillery. It would aeaear also
that few prisoners have been takeE,
which doubtless means that a consid-s
cradle part Of the Arstro-Germans
in their most advance have not met
with seroious fighting.
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.
Berlin repeats on Thursday the
claim that the fortress Of Koyno has
fallen, compelling the Russians in the9
Kalwarya and Suwclki districts to
fall back.
? In fact, the Russians appear able
to hold their own only in the Baltic
provinces, where they are preventing
the Germans from advancing.
Besides the capture Of KoVno, the
Germans have taken additional NoYo-s
georgievsk forts, and, according to
their account, have penetrated the,
outer positions Of Brest-Iitoysk, the
great fortress, the mainstay Of what
was expected to be the new defence
line.
There is no evidence yet OF Grind
Duke Nicholas intentions, but mile
tary writer's believe the swiftness OF
the German advance has rendered it
impossible for him to make stand
on the Brest-Lltovsk line. s