The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-22
The Irish COasting Steamer DOwnshire Also Meets Fate-Germans Use Bomb Instead of Torpedo
LITTLE IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM
 BATTLES ON LAND
Big Battles in Progress on
 East Prussian Frontier. Russians Claim to Have Stopped German Advance

London. February st-de:45 D. m) X German submarine described by some as the U-l2, and by others as the U-21. operating in the Irish sea yesterday. found another victim in the little Irish eoasting steamer Downshire. The Down shire was sunk not far from the spot where the British steamer Gambank was torpedoed few hours earlier. The Downshires crew, however, were given time to escape in their boats and in- stead of wasting a torpedo the Ger mans used bomb.
 On the other side of the British Isles. in the North Sea near the Island of cotton laden. struck a mine She sank. but her crew was saved
 This makes up the total of steam CTS destroyed by submarines and mines during the past 24 hours as far as is known. The submarines up to now have demonstrated their ability only to at tack slow steamers or those anchored.
 
 and fro in the Irish Sea. where the German craft have been at work, with out being approached. In fact, with re- spect to Liverpool and other west coast ports the arrivals and departures have been above the Saturday and Sunday average, according to Lloyd's list
 Big Battles in Progress
 None of the official reports of the land fighting contains important information. although there are big battles in prog ress near the Cast Prussian frontier. where the Russians claim to have stemmed the German advance; in West ern Galicia, where the Russians have 'becanle more active; la-the t.arpathians and in Bukowina, where again the Rus. slams have beeen reinforced and are re- sisting the Austro-German advance.
 Petrograd dispatches say the Germans have met an impenetrabe barrier in the vicinity of Ossawetz and that their diff faculties have been increased by tho overfiowing of the Nelmen river. They are in great force. however and the battle. which is only beginning. prom ises to be a severe one.
 Llttle SnanRe Ill IT fOnt
 There seems to be little change in has been fought. If they gain the smaller and in the .carpathians the battle lines remaining about as they were. X big battle Is being fought north of the Nadworna K olomea line in southeastern Galicia and. according to German cor respondents the Russians have brought up large endorsements from Stanis- lau.
 The Russian and Turkish forces again have come into touch in the Caucasus. in the Trans-Tchoruk region, but the result is not given. There again has been a slackening In the activity in the west.
 No further word has been received of the attack on the Dardanelles forts by the British and French fleets
 A British military observer with the French army describes advantages the French have gained in the last few months in a statement given out today by the official inforamtion bureau as follows:
 Eyewitness" Talks
 since the repulse of the Germans in Flanders no battle of great importance has been fought. If the gain the smaller engagements is measured only by the amount of ground won, the results are indeed small. A few hundred yards north of Arras, a village or two between Arras and the corner of the line nearest Paris a belt varying from mile and d half to 200 yards in breadth east of Rheims and a few miles of what was German territory in Asace-these acres are all that have been gained. The ene- my's hold on Belgium and northeastern France Is as strong as ever"
 The British observer nevertheless con tends that the success of the French army has been very great and that its work is deserving of the gratitude and admiration of the allied powers It has kept the German army so busily en- gagged, he says. tlfht the Germans have been nuable to withdraw troops for decisive blow elsewhere.
 Paris, February 2l.--Via London, 12:04 a. mo The following official communi cation issued by the war office to- night:
 There has been intermittent can nonading from the sea to the Aisne with an effective fire by our artillery.
 Tn the Champagne region d counter attack by tie enemy, which was bril- liantly repulsed. was followed by wig
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