The Washington times., 1915-06-19
HOLD LEMBERG At
ANY COST, IS ORDER
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
treated eight miles beyond the frontier.
behind the river Tanef.
The Teuton forces advancing In two
divisions. one due east from Przemysl
under command of Gen. Won Mackensen
and the other southeast from Jaworow,
have TONED at Grodek and the conflict
Ia on.
Dispatches from Copenhagen announce
that heavy detachments of Russian
troops are being withdrawn from Odessa
and sent to Galicia to re-enforce the
lines at Grodek. The same dispatch
SAYS the Austrian and German heavy
field guns are within range OF the for,
tress at Lemberg and that. the Grand
Duke Nicholas has telegraphed to Pet
rograd that Lemberg will be defended
at any cost. .-.
Military observers In London believe
the battle will eclipse In severity any
battle of the present Teuton drive. Al
though Grodek. with 1900 Inhabitants.
is not fortified city the Russians have
had time to strengthen its natural de-
fences immeasurably. according to dis
patches fro mthe eastern front 1t lies
in low ground between two lakes and Is
surrounded by marshes and swamps
difficult to cross. To the east toward
LemberR are dense woods, affording
natural protection, SO that the advanc-
ing forces can advance only on certain
concentrated lines. which will afford the
Russian artillery full opportunity to do
effective execution.
The situation is viewed with calm con-
tidence in official quarters here where
It Is contended that nothwithsta nding
the retreat of the Russians the siuation
of the Austro-German army is daily be-
coming more and more difficult as 1t
moves further from its bases of supply.
In addition it Is said the Teutons can
not afford to lose men at the rate they
nave been losing. Although they have
been victorious their losses have been
much greater than the Russians and
they have not the men to stand It much
longer The latest official statement
says:
In the Shawl region and west of
the middle Niemen there has been no
essential change. Ali German attacks
were repulsed during the 18th, and
the engagements continue.
On the Narew front there were no
engagements during the day.
On the Bzura above Sochaczew we
repulsed on the 10th attacks by small
German forces. The battle continues.
flerce engagements took place on
the 18th between the town OF Luba-
Cow and the San, and in the region
OF the village of Krakowiec
On the Dniester front on the night
OF the 10th in the sector between the
lismenitza and the Strayj rivers the
enemy was thrown back in disorder
Our notable captures on the
Dniester above Zurawno in the
course OF the 18th and 18th included
292 officers and S,544 men. six guns,
twenty-one machine guns, caissons,
and other booty.
On the 18th the enemy crossed the
Dniester above and below Nizniow.
! The forces which crossed above we're
destroyed, and those which crossed
below were checked. The fighting
| continues
In the direction of Chotin between
the Pruth and the Dniester we
| pressed the enemy the 18th
| PETROGRAD, une 19.-The war of Ice
| admitted In an official statement here
| today that the Russians have fallen
back several miles on a fifty-mile front
| west and northwest of Lemberg.
Russian troops who evacuated Pre-
mysl have withdrawn to the Grodek
lakes region for a defense of I.embers
| The Russian right wing has retreated
eight miles beyond the Russian frontier
| be bind the river Tanef.
| Though enemy forces have approa ched
to within scarcely more than sixteen
miles of Lemberg. the war office took
an optimistic view of the situation In
Galicia today. The country around Gro
dek. II was pointed out. offers a natural
defense against the Austro-Germans
who must waste great supplies of am
muntion and thousands of men II they
are to succeed in breaking through.
, 1t was stated today that should the
| Austro-German drive make II advisa BILE
for the Slavs to evacuate Lemberg, II
should not be accepted as serious re.
verse. The whole scheme of the Grand
Dukes defensive campaign in the Ga.
lician fighting Is to compel General
Mackensen to make progress only a.
tremendous loss of life and heavy cos
In ammunition.
Todays official statement had littl.
to report from other battle grounds
| Near Gouimine. the enemy used ga
along a four-mile front, but failed L
gain ground" said the official state
ment. I'm the Rawka region. artiller.
duels have occurred
I'm the extreme southeast, Austrian
detachments that crossed the Russian
frontier into Bessarabia have beeI
thrown back on Austrian territory"