The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-05
RUSSIANS ADVANCE
IN EAST PRUSSIA
Invaders Cross River Angerapp
and Take Gross Mcdunish-
ken, Says Berlin.
SKEMPE ALSO OCCUPIED
sp.ctni cabie D,spatch 10 rnn srx.


River Angerapp and has driven the
Germans from the town cf Gross Me-
dunishken on the west bank. The an
nouncement ny the General stan Of
the passage OF the Angcrapp and the
occupation OF Gross Medunishken Is the
received from East Prussia since the
revelation that T!sit was menaced by
the second army Of invasion.
The Anserapp was strong natural
defence OF which the Germans made
effective use In blocking the Russian
march toward lnsterburg For many
weeks German batteries posted on the
west bank OF the river defeated every
effort by the Russians TO force a cross
ing. Now that II is officially an
nounced that the Germans have boen
driven from the west bank. rapid
/ advance by the Russian forces may be
expected They have occupied forty
miles Of East Pruss'an territory ard
have conquered the region north Of the
Ma2urian Lakes.
simultaneously The Russian drive
toward West Prussia gained momen-
tum with the capture Of Skempe, a
town near the border and about thirty
two miles southeast of Thorn The
Russian line runs from the north bank
Of the Nistula to the region Of Mlava
and Is operative within twenty miles Of
the West Pruss,an frontier The main
fighting Is on toe front 81 Lpno and
B'ozur. and the official report Indicates
! that German resistance In this region
Is weakening.
Germans Attack FiercrIy.
These successes ~ the Russian mr.
niles In the north come at time when
they are vitality needed. as II is plainly
apparent from the General Stairs an
nounCement that the Germans are at
lacking more herCely west of Warsaw
than at any time since the occupation
OF LodZ In early Decer her Military
critics here believe that the renewal
Of the German offensive along tho
Ravka and Bzura rivers is a Anal des-
perate effort made necessary by the
Russian advances in the north.
The defeat OF German armies IN East
Prussia and along the border of West
Prussia put the Germans west OF War
saw in peril Inaction on the Ravka
/ and Bzura fronts is no longer possible.
The Germans must advance and capture
Warsaw or accept the alternative Of
being cut of by the victorious Russian
forces In the north.
How determinedly the new offensive
against Warsaw is being pressed Is APP
parent from the official reports. which
say that the Germans are using four
teen regiments, probably more than 5O-
600 men, and are bringing fresh troops
to the front The town of Goumine Is
the centre of the hardest fighting and
the Russian and German infantry clash
I'm hand to hand conflict night and day.
I oh hat
teries of heavy artillery and never cease
pounding the Russian positions.
Unqucstionably the Warsaw campaign
has developed into a serious situation.
hut II is confidently believed here that
the Germans cannot break the Russian
front. They are compelled to use such
vast numbers Of troops on other fronts
and in regions where the Russians main
tain the offensive that II Is impossible
TO see how they can find enough corps
to crush the Russians west OF Warsaw.
More Aid for Austrians.
It is now revealed that the Germans
have continued TO send large reinforce
. ments to the Austrian armies in the
Carpathians The German official re-
ports mention the presence of German
corps In the Carpathian passes and II
is reported to-day that 100000 German
areas to assist the Austrians. The re-
port Is that the Governor OF Cracow
/ has been notified to prepare for the
| reception of 200 900 German troops
A general review OF the situation was
/ issued to-day by the General Stan and
| is as follows:
In East Prussia our troops have
strengthened their positions near the
village OF Gross Medunischken, on
the left bank of the Angerapp,
on the right bank Of the Nistula
our encounters with the enemy have
become more frequent. Engage
ments of considerable importance
have taken place on tho front be-
tween Lipno and Bejune. our troops
took by assault the town of Skempe,
to the east OF Lipno, and repused
an attack of the enemy on the vii
lage of Blino, infiicting heavy losses
on him. In this lighting we cap
tured the commanding officer of tho
battalion three other officers and 100
soldiers
On the left bank of the Vistu'a the
fighting on the front between Borji-
NOV, Goumine and VIOLA Czosnoska
continued February with the
same energy. The enemy brought
into this engagement fourteen regi-
ments OF FIRST line troops and guam
titles of artillery. including their
heavy pieces The artillery fire was
continued day and night. An en-
gagement of particular severity took
place at the village of Goumine,
where, after sangunary hand to
hand ighting, we repulsed the furi-
Gus attacks OF the enemy The Ger
mans here sustained immense losses,
but they continue to bring fresh
troops forward 20 the fight.
A demonstration OF the enemy
along the Nida River did not result
successfully.
The nghting in the Carpathians
is continuing, and the engagements
are becoming more and more tena-
cious in character. II Is apparent
that considerable forces Of Germans
are engaged.
The report gives no fresh news OF tn
progress OF Russian troops down tn
southern slopes of the Carpathians I
the Hungarian plains. There Is only
general statement that the lighting 1
the Carpathians progresses and that tn
, Germans have received reinforcement
, In this region. For the time being tn
campaigns I'm East Prussia, in mort
Poland and before Warsaw overshado'
3 the fighting In the south.
Gar on for the Front.
purpOppAn Eab A-Epnaror Nicho