Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-08-19
RUSS FALLING BACK
GERMANS ADVANCE
Zeppelins Renewing Activity Near London
Kovno, Russian Stronghold, Captured by
Germans Pessimistic.

NDS4 &1AS&1A~ &A~&ANA0Rl
A Zeppelin raid on London was
the feature of the past week, aside
from the rapid advance made by the
German forces into Russia.
A Petrograd dispatch says that
German aeroplanes are persistently
bombarding the city of yrilna, about
fifty miles east Of Kovno, which the
German army, under Won Hindenburg
is reported to have captured. Kovno
is one of the Russian strongholds
and its capture is said to threaten
seriously a large part of the Russian
army.
Germany is still advancing in Rus
sia, driving the Russian forces before
them, although the latter are making
desperate efforts to check the onrush
of Germans.
Notwithstanding the fact in cap
turing Warsaw the German objective
was not attained, the hope being that
the bulk of the Russian army would
be annihilated as a fighting force, the
German success has created doubt in
the Balkan states concerning the
eventual outcome of the war; and as
a result there is more disposition to
remain neutral than was evinced ten
days ago.
Zeppeins Sighted.
London.A Central News dispatch
from Amsterdam says four Zeppelins
were sighted passing over the islands
of Vlieland and Wieringer, off the
Netherlands coast. The dsrigibles
were sailing in the direction of the
English coast The hour of their APP
pearance is not stated.
First Raid Made on May 81.
London has been visited previous
ly by German dirigibles during the
war On the night Of May 81 zeppe-
Inns made an attack on a district de-
scribed in the official communication
merely as Sin the metropolitan area"
On that occasion about ninety bombs
Were dropped. Four persons were
killed and a few others injured
The latest raid is the third of the
series of aerial attacks, which after
a lapse of several weeks. began on
Monday of last week. On the two
previous occasions twenty persons
We're killed and thirty-seven injured.
Atmosphere Hampers Defenders.
The statement given out by the Of
fetal press bureau said:
"zeppelins visited the eastern coun
ties last night and dropped bombs.
3 Anti-aircraft guns were in action, and
it is believed that one Zeppelin was
hit.
Air patrols were active, but ow-
ing to the difficult atmospheric con-
dition the Leppelins were able to es-
cape.
Buildings Are Damaged.
Some houses and other buildings,
including church, were damaged.
The following casualties have been
Recorded: Kll1ed-men seven, two-
men, two, children one. injured men
fifteen, women eighteen, children
three. All the above were civilians
kovno Falls.
Berlin. Aug. Is (by wireless to Say
vigle) The following announcement
was made here officially today:
The fortress of Koyno, together
with all the forts and an amount of
war material, which has not been de-
termined, has been in German hands |
since last night. More than 400 can
non were taken. The fortress has
captured by storm in spite of the
most tenacious resistance by the Rus
sians."
Serious Blow to Russians.
Military experts have agreed that
the loss Of the fortress of Kovno |
would be serious blow to the Rus
SLAMS. The critic of the London Times !
in an article published this morning
says: If the enemy succeeds in re-
ducing Kovno and is thereby able to
cross the Nier1en he will be in the
rear of the Russian line north Of the I
Sventa, and with the junction OF the
two wings of Field Marshal Won Him I
denburg's army, the position Of the
Russian right flank viii be very diff
ficult. =
Falls Sooner Than Expected
The official German statement of {
yesterday announced the capture OF
the forts on the southwest front OIL
Kovno, together with 1850 prisoners
and 240 guns This was interpretedI
as foreshadowing the fall Of the fort
ress proper, but its accomplis ishMant g
SO speedily was hardly expected. The Ii
famous German general, Field Mar
shall von Hindenburg, personally took
command OF the army attacking Koy- j
no.
q Koyno, capital Of the Russian proyslt
ince OF that name, is on the right
bank of the Miemen It is a fortress
Of the first class. The civilian popuSl 4
Iation of the city is more than 900. is
10 Weld GERMAN Forces
The capture Of Koynn probably VIII B
result in weIding he rthern and u T