Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22
GERMANS CLOSE IN
| ON BREST-uTOvSK;;
WOULD CUT OFF FOE
Russians Evacuate Their Posi-
ton on Gesia River in Vicin-
of K0vn0.
BREAK BEFORE ATTACK
OF PRINCE LEOPOLD
Gen. Won Gallwitz Takes Bielsk and
Drives Cars Forces
to South.
SLAVS RETREAT ORDERLY
Large Captures by Teutons Made in
Fortresses Alone-Evacuation
of Riga Close at
Hand.
sLAvs RETREAT ORDERLY

LONDON, August 2l.-Field
Marshal Won Mackensen's troops
have made further progress in
closing in on the Brest Litovsk
stronghold.
Petrograd observers point to
the Teutonic concentration on
Brest Litovsk as indicating that
fortress to be the goal of all
Austro-Gernan efforts in the CEN
trail field of war and to the APP
parent attempts of the Germans
to cut off the Russian armies
whose base is Brest Litovsk from
those whose operations are based
on Ossowetz, the Russian stronr-
hold in the west, which is still
holding out.
Near Kovno the Russian forces
have evacuated their position to
the south on the Jesia river and
retreated toward the east.
A late report from German
army headquarters recorded the
capture of Bielsk, on the Brest
Litovsk-Bialystok line, by Gen.
Won Gallwitz's troops and the
driving of the Russians south of
Bielsk over the Biala river.
The Russians made a stand be-
fore the advance of the army of
Prince Leopold of Bavaria, but
broke under the German attack
and continued their retreat, Ber-
lin announces.
The Russians generally still
are making an orderly retreat,
doing all the damage they can
and, except for the guns and men
taken in fortresses, the ,Austro-
Germans do not claim any large
captures.
Minimize Fall Of Fortresses.
PETROGRAD, August 21.-Russian
military observers in their comment
on the recent operations in the east
minimize the Importance Of the fall
OF the fortresses of Kovno and Novo
Georgievsk. which for days had been
gr< vrvifh 10,
ton to the heroic defense of the
fortresses by the Russian garrisp1s
The military writer's declare that ~
Litovsk is the goal Of all Gernaar
forts in the central theater ar
where in the near future tn 4
will be forced to contend agaiIS'
approaching armies for the r..
of this most important base.
Nearly Entire Garrison Killcd
Referring to the evacuation of
it is said that almost the entire -
rison gave up their lives before sur
rendering the position.
Today's official statement of the Rus
sian war Office indicates that the AUS
|tro-Germans are pressing toward
-Litovsk from the northwest and
south, with the evident intention to ex-
ecute if possible a flank movement to
the southeastward, where they have
already crossed the important north
and south railway and pushed their
forces well toward Pisha, twelve miles
east of ylodava. The Russian defense
in this region is aided by swamps.
which extend far to the east Of the
River Bug.
See Plan to Cut Off Russians.
Russian military men see in the de-
termined German efforts to push across
the railway north of BrestLitovsk a
plan to cut off the Russian armies
based on that fortress from those
operating at Ossowetz. and thus enable
the Germans to approach Ossowetz
from the south. According to today's
communication the Bialystok-Brest
railway is still in Russian hands, al
though vicious battles are in progress
in various sections.
How German Lines Bun.
The German lines now run approxi-
mately as follows:
Beginning at the Gulf of Riga i'm
mediately to the east of Riga they
extend along the river IA to Poneviezh.
thence to a point east of Vilkomir and
southwest 10 JdHoN, tHIoush oSoo" co.
bending westward to Strekovah-Gura,
nea rthe intersection of the Bobr and
Narew; eastward and southwark along
the line of the upper Narew to Stra-
blia at the crossing of the Bialystok-
Brest- Litovsk railway, directly south
to LipnitZa, twelve miles north or
est-Litoysk, swinging westward
around that fortress. touching the river
Bug near Vlodava and extending
toward Pisha.
The presence Of a German fleet in
the Gulf Of Riga, where ii is co-operat-
..,;th Ia forces brings the