The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-20
Captnred Town Goal of the
Teutons Since Capture
Of GrOdnO.
CAR MAY BE OBLIGED
To REVISE CAMPAIGN
Possibility That Galician
Offensive May Have to
BE Abandoned.
Sp,c,oj cob,e D,spo,c1 10 Tur srx

Npef'di nOc DcNDdtch 10 lHE Sun
I,NpoN. Sept. 19.--Wilna, the fortl-
hed city and important railroad centre
which has been the goal of the Austro-
German armies even since they took tn.
last stronghold of the Russian line OF
defence IN Poland, fell into their hands
to-day according to the German army
headquarters report.
The fall OF Dwinsk, northwest o,
wilma. is expected soon, and with IL the
TcutOns Will be in control of the rail.
road which runs all the way from the
Austro-German border line to Petro.
grad. Riga will be completely cut of
from possible Russian reenforcements
by land that might stem the drive OF
the extreme northern German army
toward the big Baltic port. The Rus.
sian capital will be open to the menacs
Of LOrthern advance OF the Teutonic
invaders.
The German War Office in announcing
the fan of wilma. which it call strongly
fortified asserts that the encircline
movement has forced the Russians &c
retreat "as quickly as possible along tn,
entire front"
Russia May Revise Prorra me.
The official Russian statement claim.
successes of the southern and south
EASTERN Russian armies. No mention IL
made of wilma or Dwinsk. but it may b,
sdiely assumed that the car will b,
compelled by the concerted advance o.
the Austro-German armies against tn,
mUSt important Russian railway line tt
revise his entire programme and posi-
0ly TO give up the so far successful of
fensive in Galicia to rush the bulk o
MS forces northward for "A supreme eff
Tort to stem the tide of invasion
The predominant question conseuuen
10 the reported fall of wilma is whether
there was "A force of any extensive nu
mericai strength left for the city's de
fence after Petrograd realized its i'm
pending capture. The daily reports II
the last few weeks told of violent fight.
ne around the city, especially on tn,
Viliya. The Germans admitted repeat.
tdly that their operations which fnallN
effected the closing of the iron ring
were continually hampered by extremely
stubborn counter attacks on the par
Of the defenders. II has not been mad,
clear, however. whether these attacks
were those OF the Russian rear guard
screening the retreat of the bulk Of tn,
troops that were originally massed foI
Wilnas defence.
Whatever Is the numerical strength
OF the Russians east of wilma, theii
escape appears TO be cut Off. To-day.
Gyrman official report says that Molo
dechnO, Smorgon and Worjany hav,
been reached by the Austro-Germar
left wing. Molodechno is southeast oi
wilma and is the junction OF the War,
ssw-Polozk and the Wilna-M -Minsk rail
roads. Smorgon lies on the latter rail
way, and Worjany on the former This
laas
Rovuo line as the sole road of escape
This line, however. is threatened b,
Aus,ro-German forces around Ida.
Ninsk Now the Teuton Goal.
Miusk. the junction of the Brest-L.it
ovsk-Smolensk- Moscow and wilma
Gomel railway lines. is expected to b,
the immediate goal of the Austro- Ger
man left wing
The official German War Office repor
follows:
Army group of Field Marshal Won
hlndenhurg-The extensive attack by
Ten Won Eichhorn against wilma has
been crowned with complete success.
our left wing has reached Molo-
dechno, Smorgon and Worjany.
Attempts by the enemy to break
AhSchalischk with strong forces hur-
Nedly collected failed completely.
Because Of the uninterrupted prog
IeoS Of our encircling movement and
s'multtneous strong attacks by the
Uopps Of Gems. Won ScholZ and Won
IaHWlz upon the enemy's front. the
forces opposing us have been forced
since yesterday TO retreat as quickly
as possible along the entire front.
The strongly fortified city of wilma
tel into our hands, The enemy is
being pursued along the entire line.
Army group of Prince Leopold of
hdNdrla--This army group is also
occupied in pursuing the retreating
enemy and has reached the line rum
ming through Nierdowioze, Derewnoje
ana l'ohromyal. Enemy rear guards
were defeated
a supplementary statement ISSUED
hIci hy the War Office says:
The German official statement re
sard'nS booty reported in the Russian
'ofnmun,qu6 OF September s is, accord
ing 10 the later reports, to be recognized
"H conforming to the reality. The gun!
%IH prisoners reported taken in tn.
huSSiah report were, with few excep
"onS, ho' German, but Austrian"
III" Russian War Office tonight gave
Out IA" following official statement
tn" lighting from the west of
p"inSk continues with the same te-
Nartv
Fernan units which attacked GER
IAN districts between Lakes Oville
"hd Halntva were repulsed by our
"I"I'Iy fir" and were driven back to
h"lr trenches, During attacks on our
po~lNohs In the region of the lakes
SolhW"St and south of Dwinsk the
We 'n 'ns were forced to resort to
s"Ipns owing to our deadly fire. OBJ
suH"'' enemy attacks at this point
ar" uuocasing
''t nan detachments have appeared
SUN "r Dwnsk. In the region OF
hiH'r pi-cnka the enemy occupied the
NN'ds" Of Vldsy, and his advance
xu''ls seized the station at Vileika.
". lp" left of the Viliya. west OF
VIZ "a, desperate fighting Is proceed
hs at several fords. The same inten-
80 marks the lighting Oh the Middle
.'a river near the town OF wilma.
'" enemy IL obstinately trying to
otr'N .nto the town.
'h '1" front OF the River Stchara
-