The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-28
GEAR GAINS GROUND
IN EAST PRUSSIA
Desperate Fighting Between In
yaders and Gcrmens in Prog
ress at Gumbinnen.
WIN TRENCHES IN POLAND

LONDON, Jan. 27.-The official news
from Petrograd lays stress on the Russian
offensive in East Prussia. -Four months
Of violent effort by the Germans in Poland
has not served to weaken the Russian grip
on the most northerly district OF the
operations in eastern Europe, and the
Russian General Stan now makes public
some details of an offensive movement
which has taken on new strength.
Very hard fighting is going on along a
battle front which stretches from the
region of Pilkallen. thirty miles north Of
Gumbinnen, to Lasdehnen. twenty miles
south Of Gumbinnen. The Russians ad-
vanced on the line of Malviscnken-Las-
dehen. attacking with the bayonet and
capturing many of the field works and
trenches held by the Germans. Gumbinnen
Is on the railway line which runs TO In
sterburg and Koenlgsberg.
The Russians have held solidly about
twenty-five miles OF East Prussisn ter
, ritory and appear to be slowly increase g
their scope of operations They are more
favorably situated, Petrograd dispatches
assert. than at any time since Gen Won
Rennenkampfs advance in August was
thrown back by the strategy OF Won
Hindenburg. While the movement Is slow,
the strategical gain is important. as Rus
sian occupation OF the East Prussian
frontier effectively protects their forces
In north Poland from thanking opera
lions and may be useful At any time IN
supplying cooperation for general In
vasion Of German territory.
| Fighting I'm Poland.
From the report transmitted to Petro.
grad by the Russian General Staff 1t
seems evident that the Russian offensive
in northwest Poland is continuing "a
make Roadway. There have been nc
pitched battles. The Russian advance
guards have been in contact with Ger
man rear guards and the fghting has
been a series of small engagements. The
Russian left wing. resting on the right
bank OF the Vistula. Is cannonading Ger
man positions on tho left bank OF the
rver as 1t advances. on Monday a
German position at Vyochprov was de-
stroyed
On their front, west OF Warsaw, the
/ Germans continue to attack. but the on.
! Cial report from the Russian General
| stan says that all attacks were repulsed
| with heavy losses TO the Germans. The
| villages OF Borjimow and Goumine con
| tinue to be the centre OF operations or
\
| artillery engagements northeast of Skier
/ niewice.
! In this area the Russians appear Il
/ be content TO hold the Germans at bay
while developing campaigns in East Prus-
STA and northwest Poland. There ha,
been no important movement in GaliciG
or Bukowina although reports state thai
tho Austro-German force is preparing tC
| take the offensive The text of the Off
cial report issued to-day was az follows
German Positions Taken.
In the PiIkallen region our troops
took the offensive January 25 and
drove all the detachments of the
enemy who opposed them back
toward the line from Malvischken to
Lasdehnen. During this operation
we dislodged them from many OF
thcIr positions after fighting at the
point OF the bayonet.
On the right bank OF the River
VIstula there have been advance
guard engagements OF minor impor-
lance. a fusillade was reported
January - In this locality, and IN
the vicinity OF Vyochprov the fire of
our artillery has demolished a look
out post on the left bank of the
river.
To the left OF the Vistuia the Ger
mans made several fresh efforts to
assume the offensive, particularly
near the villages Of 3orjimow and
Goumine, during the evening OF jan
uary "a and the afternoon OF Janu-
airy 25, but each time they were
driven back with serious losses. In
the vicinity of the villages OF Grab
skieboudy aud Rouda, to the north
east of Skiernewice, our fire re-
duced two German batteries to
silence.
In Galicis the activity OF the en-
envy has increased on the front be-
tween Casdisk, Quick. NiJneveretsk
and Maidanka, where the enemy, In
addition to his artillery fire, made
other endeavors TO operate on the Of
fensive. He was. however, every
where driven back. We took pris-
oner three officers and about 800
soldiers.
Petrograd Is awaiting snxiously fur
Their news OF the offensive movement he
gun In southwest Poland by tho arm
J under Gen. Ruzsky. The latest news iron
tho region was that the Russians ha
retaken Klelce and OpocZno.
The report that Rumania Ia about {
occupy Transylvania continues to clrcu
late. Unofficial reports hre that tn
) Rumanlan Government has been niue
impressed with tho Russian conquest q
Bukowna and the advance to the Tran
| arl.rayn fpVa