The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-22
GRAND K STRATEGY
MISSED BY THE RUSSIANS
Col. Repington Says Cars Armies Seem to Be in Dan
gerous Position-Fate of Wilna's Defenders Un-
certain, Say English Military Observers.

It's own The importance of Ida, on
the railroad further south. he points out.
Is enhanced bv the Russian success at
Molodecnna, whence the German cavalry
has been driven off and the line TO
polotzk restored. clearing the alternative
route leading from Ida through those
places to petrograd.
The most dra matte development of the
entire German plan. the correspondent
contends. Is the task allotted to Prince
Leopold Of Bavaria to pierce the Russian
centre at Slonim. The Russian rear
guards are ut the latter place, where the
f~iercest pressure Is being exerted. and
have been able to check the enemy's
advance beyond the Shara.
Russian Task Com IicRted.
with reference to the general situa-
tion, the correspondent continues. the
Russian line OF retreat Is daily growing
more narrow despite the gallantry OF
the Russian western armies, and the
interval between the Teutonic columns
and the Poliesie marshes is gradually
growing smaller.
W must not blind ourselves to the
fact that this greatly conplicates the
task of the Russian General Stan in
| connection with the retreat continues
wv "'FlfhANhs oAfh INV 'N'h
plains the slowness Of the Prussian
movements. ON the other hand. II Ia
evident that the Germans are unable to
| push forward their advance In the most
profitable sequence. which Is doubtless
due to the Immense difficulties they are
~encountering In provisioning their re-
| spective armies.
1T has been noticeable ever since the
beginning of the operations between the
Dwina and Siemen that each army has
restricted its output OF energy to a
comparatively short period of time. And
this probably explains why the piercing
Of the railway at Svyentsiany was II o
Immediately followed up by an advancs
In force from this quarter. and only
now. more than a week after that event,
is Won Bellows infantry beginning to
cross the Viliya. north OF wilma, In small
detachments.
"A well Informed military observer
said this morning that two facts are
noteworthy First. that the Russian
armies on the march carry the largest
possible quantity of munitions. and Sec
ond. that the ground over which our
retreat Is at present moving is an open
and sandy expanse. neither heavily tim
bered nor broken by natural obstacles
These facts. the military expert
pointed out 10 me. explain the confidence
OF the Russian high command in the
! Russian armies ability to withdraw &c
their appointed positions in spite of the
efforts OF the enemy to Intercept them
SO far as raj he inferred from tht
fastest reports. the enemy appears to be
transferring his main energies to the
south of wilma. II may be expected
that the fighting west OF Lids will as
sumo an extremely violent character.
Here the army OF Won Elchhorn Il
trying to cut the last remaining railway
line OF the wilma group and at the same
time to pin some OF the Russian Niemer
armies, while Prince Leopold, swing.
ing his right flank beyond Slonim. en-.
deavors to envelop them from beyont
the Shara and simultaneously seize Ba.
ronowitsch, thereby closing all railway
outlets from wilma and Slonim."