Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-08-26

The Russian fortress of Brest
Litovsk, which has just capitulated
to the Austro- German forces. had
been considered one of the strongest
fortresses in Europe and was the
southern base of the second Russian
line of defenses to which the armies
of Grand Duke Nicholas retreated
after the fall of Warsaw. The citadel
| is situated on the Bug river and at
the junction of several railways, 1sl
miles south of Grodno and 12O miles
due east of the Polish capital
by the United Press.
IMPORTANT supply Depot
The storming of Brest Litovsk by
! the Teutonic forces Is probably the
most important military achievement
since the fall of Warsaw three weeks
ago today. The town, which had a
population of about $1,000. was one OF
the most important depots for and the
distribution points of military sup
plies near the western fr,ptiers of
Russia proper. The fortress was rnfcd
by military critics as much mora
important strategic point than was
Warsaw.
Brest Litovsk Is situated at the
Junction. OF riie Bug AMI Mukhovet 5
rivers, and the fortress of the civ
was built at the point of confluence.
1t lies upon the right bank of the Bug
where the river turns from the north
to the northeast. Intersectins here
are railroads from Odessa, Kiev. Mos
COW, Warsaw, Wilma and East Prus-
sia.
x,lf TO- 10. f<>sA-
nation compiled by the National Geo
graphic Society, contained one of the
Oldest important fortresses in north
ern Europe. The older fortihcations
| were erected about one mile east CT
Brest Litovsk and had circumfer-
ence of four miles. The lield works
were kept up TO date aad everything
possible had been done by Russia, 1t
was said, to make them un conqucra-
BILE. Brest Litovsk was generally RS
garded in Russia as the most pow
erfuI individual stronghold In the EN-
pire.
The capitulation of Brest Litovsk
means, in the opinion of military OBJ
servers, that the Russians viii be
forced to abandon their second de-
fense line which extended from
Brest Litovsk northward to the Bal
tic base of Riga The fall of the
fortress appeared inevitable several
days ago, when the Austro- German
forces succeeded in throwing troops
from the left to the right bank OF
tho River Bug. just northwest Of
Brest Litovsk, following which five
separate Teutonic armies began a
terrific onslaught on the Russian de-
lenses On Tuesday, the army on ths
southwestern front succeeded in
breaking through the advanced pos
| sltions of the fortress.
The third Russian line OF defense,
upon which the defenders of Brest
Litovsk, Warsaw. Ivangorod, NoNo-
georgievsk and Grodno are coR-
PEELED to retreat, runs through the
middle OF the country known as
White Russia. The line begins on
the north at Riga, on the Baltic, and
follows the Dvina river to Duena-
burg, then turns south and follows
the railroad, through Wilma, Ida.
Baranovichi. The line then runs
through tractless swamps of Pinsk
and the Pripet river to Rovno,
which lies 100 miles northeast of ths
Galican capital, Lemberg
! BERLIN. via Amsterdam, Aug. 26.
Capture of the fortified Russian
city OF Bielostok is expected within
few hours.
General Won Galwitz was within
eight miles of BielostolS early yester-
day. His troops fought their way
over the Narew on the preceding dav
and reached the Warsaw Petrogra1
railway southwest of Bielostok The
Russians were making a stubborn
resistance when the last official dis
patches were filed but we're retreating
slowly eastward, instead of falling
back on the city itself indicating
that preparations for Bielostok's
evacuation have been made.
With the Russians driven back
from Bielostok, the Germans VIII
hold the entire 40 miles of the War
saw-Petrograd railway from Warsaw
to Bielostok Part of the railway
from Bielostok TO Brest Litovsk al
ready is in German hands.
General Won Eichorn Is making sat
isfactory progress toward Wilma, the
war office reported today. but officia!
dispatches do not indicate exactly
what distance the Germans must
traverse before they reach Wilma
BY the Associated Press.
PETROGRAD Cvia London) Aug.
26, $3.50 o. m.-The Austro- German
! aim appears to be TO cut off Brest
Litovsl1 by moving to the rear of the
fortress and force its evacuation
without an assault by the Teutonic
armies.
The army of Prince Leopold OF
, Bavaria is approaching the strong
! hold from the southeast and from the
direction of Bielsk. That Of Field
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