Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-14
GERMAN DRIVE ON RIGA
STRIKES IRON DEFENSE
Russians Brace Vigorously. and
Invaders Recoil Across
River IA.
SEVERAL SUCCESSES CLAIMED
haiser's Forces Capture Siedlce and
sokoiow, and Are Rapidly Closing
Up Gap Through Which Retreatinp
Army Had Hoped to Escape.

Especial Cable 10 The Times D;r,,
LYNDON. August l3.-while tho cor.
mans continue to make rapid nrorros
warsaw. their Ranking move
Son,h .ne Baltic provinces and
southern Poland are meeting Viii,
stuoporn resistance, and in places ,he,
"ane oeeh forced TO give ground
me Importance attached nv Ro
IN 70 the operations in the nortberr
Wines is indicated BY the fact that
ua'shai Won H!ndenburg himself is IN
| Grect command. The German dr;ra -, ~,
i.'Sa mas struck an iron defense ,ni
mas recoilcd across the "A accorai. IT,
70 an official statement issnod ~
! tioSrao Tonight. The Russians also
claim TO have forced back tho Car,
IN the region of Jacobstadt IN ,,a
'Nina. and in the direction NJ r,,;n,.
! ana Nitkomir. This statement w,, ,ln
nfst indication that the Germans bad
Succeeded In pressing so close IN tho
80. 80" as 'acoostadi. an important
iMPERILS RUSSIAN ARMY
RETREATING FROM BrG
0uick progress by Prince Leopold's
army has resulted in the capture by.
the Germans of Siedlce and SoLo1o.
east Of Warsaw. Sokolozy Re ~ al.
ROAD center on which the Russians fell
oacK when they were forced 10 give
up the Polish capital, and they had
neeh expected TO make a stand there
Inc. nc occupation of Sokolow. north of
SicoIce. imperils the Russian army re-
treating from the Bug, along which
they held the Germans for some DAYS
after tho fall Of Warsaw Ger
man force already has occupied Rusk.
north OF Sokolow. and the two forces
are advancing to meet each other and
close the last path Of escape 70 the
Russians. The number OF the Cars
troops which face the danger Of being
surrounded are variously estimated at
from 10000 to- 100, 900 men
Rival claims are received from Rcr-
lin and PetroCrad regarding the fight
ing before kovno, the fortress which
bars the German advance on Wilma AVID
guards the northern wing % tho Rus
sian second line of defense. Tho Ger
man War Office. in an official state
ment. reports progress for Won Hin
/ dcnburG's operations against the
stronghold, but PetroErad says that
; tho Germans have temporarily aband-
J oned their infantry attacks. although
! "a violent bombardmcnt Of the works
I PREPARING FOR ATTACK
FOR SEVERAL. WEEKS
! Private dispatches received here re-
! late the great pains which the Ger
/ mans took in their preparations to
! crush kovno. vital point to the sue
+ cess OF their campaign For several
/ weeks they have been preparing for
AN attack on the fortress. according
4 10 inc stories OF refugees. They first
| brought M great quantity Of struc-
! tural material. building paved roads
, Tor long distance 10 the west 10 en-
pcditc tho work. They then dug
I foundations fifteen feet dccp for NOR
tars. taking elaborate pains with the
/ concrete Foundations. Then tho big
\ guns were brought up and the ham
| mcrinc began. The principal German
| operations arc being conducted from
tho village Of riplc. across tho Nicmcn.
! six miles from the inner works OF
/ German batteries.
! II is believed In military circles that
! kovno cannot hold out much LONGER.
| The attack has cost the Germans
! enormous losses. and il Is believed they
arc awaiting rcinforccincntH hciorc
| launching the final attack
! Won Mackcnscn IL meeting strong
resistance in his drive nor,hward on
| Hrcat- I.itovak. and his progress Is
being measured In feet and inches He
! is about thirty miles from IN" for
trcsS on a front extending from Il point
north of Wladowa to north of parzc.w
| Russians heavy losses. but appear to
be cncctinG their object In delaying
| MHckcnson until the main Russian
! forces are Withdrawn safely behind
their forts.
| German progress between tho Narcw
and the Bug is described hE Berlin
as steady breaking down. section by
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