West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-11-04
GERMANS ADVANCING ON THE
SERv|ANS DESPITE BIG LOSSES
The Mighty Forces of the Temons
Slowly Closing in on the Armies
of the Serbs but arc Meeting with
Desperate Resistance - Situation
in Scrvia Critical

LONDON. Nov. 1.-The Germans
have occupied Graguyexatz. the arse.
nal town of Servia, while their Bull
garian allies are pushing their way
through the mountains To Nish. Ser
Was war capital.
From all sides the Germans, Aus
trians and Bulgarians are slowly clos
ing in on the Servian armies, the po-
sition OF which grows graver daily.
They are lighting fiercely. however, TO
save their country. and have inflicted
such losses on Field Marshal Won
Mackensen's force that he has been
compelled TO send for reinforcements
and leave the more serious work of
invading the eastern and southern
part OF the country to the Bulgar-
ians, who have had more experience
In mountain warfare such as the Ser
vians are waging.
From the junction OF the Danube
and Timok rivers. In the northeast, to
Uskup, I'm the south. the Bulgarians
are moving westward. driving the Ser
vians out of the towns into the noun
tains. but from Uskup southwark they
have been checked, as the Servians
In that territory have been reinforced
by the French and British with mod
ern guns, and with gunners who gain
Gallipoli.
Beyond the forces landed at Salon
Xxi, which German estimates placed
at 10000 men, there is no news OF
further assistance being sent by the
allies to Servia.
Russian transports have been re-
ported at Varna. but the report lacks
confirmation. There Is evidence.
however, from Bucharest that the peo-
pie OF Rumania desire intervention.
and that pressure is being brought on
the king and cabinet TO induce them
to join the allies and permit a RUS
sian force to pass through Rumanian
territory, to attack Bulgaria from the
east. Greece continues her friendly
neutrality.
The Germans, having failed in two
months OF almost incessant attacks to
reach Riga and Dvinsk by various
routes, are now trying along the rail-
way which skirts the shores of the
gulf OF Riga from Tukum and have,
according to reports, reached a point
west OF Schlock. This is a very slight
advance and much low ground. over
which II Is difficult to move, lies be-
tween them and their objective.
In the Dvinsk section, both to the
west and southwest OF that city, the
Russians have begun an offensive, ap-
parently in anticipation OF renewed
attacks by the Germans. and they are
also on the move in tho lake district
east Of the Dvinsk-Vilna railway and
Volhynia and Galicia. The result OF
these various Attles has not been dis
closed IL indeed. they are concluded.
Those at the southern end OF the line
are doubtless designed to prevent the
Germans and Austrians from sending
reinforcements to Servia.
In France the battle for tho Butte
de Tahure, which the Germans re-
captured from the French, is still In
progress, without changing the POSI-
tions Of the two armies. There has
been some fghting at other points
In the west. What the attacks on this
front have cost is shown by a report
issued by Field Marshal Sir John
French tonight. He says that the pub
lished lists OF the German casualties
disclose that seven German batallions
which took part in the Loos fighting-
presumably a German counter attack
lost eighty per cent OF their strength
PARIS, Nov. Fighting continued
last night In the vicinity OF Butte dc
Tahure without any material change
in the relative positions Of the COM
batants. according to the announce
ment given out this afternoon by the
French war Office. The French troops
took 100 more prisoners.
The text OF the communications fol-
lows:
'In the Champagne district the
fighting continued last night I'm the
region OF Butte de Tahure, but with
out any change in the respective com
batants We took 100 more unwound-
ed prisoners; this In addition to tho
number previously announced No
other action Of Importance occurred
last night"