The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-04-03
FORTRESS A MIGHTY ONE.
i~'rzenhysi Comprised Up-to-Datc Forts
and 10 Field Notifications.

York Times.)
a Russian correspondent Of the
Morning Post writes:
The capture of Przemysl is with
out doubt one OF the most splendid
feats Of the Russian army which has
been accomplished during the present
war. Six months is also a COMPARE
lively short period for it to have
taken place, if we take into consider
alton the size and strength of the for
tifications.
"Przemysl lies on the line of rail-
way and on the River San, and is sur
rounded by nine large forts, 10 small
er forts and 16 field Notifications. 1t
was also the centre where were kept
all the supplies for the Austro-Ger-
mar armies operating in Galicia dur
ing the Balkan wars. When Austria
seemed likely to be dragged into the
war the forts were remodeled and
provided with the most modern guns
and all the most up-to-date munitions
OF a Thirteen and 14-inchs guns
were mounted in armored towers op-
Grated by electricity and disappearing
automatically after the gun discharg-
ed its shot. The smaller forts were
furnished with mortar batteries.
armored machine guns and a great
number Of quick firers. These forts
were of the strongest concrete, with
special devices. to conceal them from
the enemy.
In addition to the Is permanent.
Held Notifications mentioned above
numerous temporary Notifications
were added after the war began. These
were constructed with trench and wire
entanglements and s~ubterranean
mines. worked from the forts by
means OF electricity. The German en-
gineers who helped in the construc-
tion said CONTEMPORARY that if Rus
sia were to attempt to take the po-
sition she would smash her army
against It's wall in vain.
Against all this Russia had the dis
advantage of inferior artillery. The
Russian siege guns being Of much
smaller calibre than those of the
fortress. the Russians did not dream
of having the smallest chance of over
coming the armored forts, as the Ger
mans did at Liege. They had to re-
~ upon the logged perseverance Of
the troops and the skill and initiative
of their officers.
What the excellence of their artil-
lery and tho ~undaunted courage of
their troops could accomplish was
done quickly. After a few weeks of
siege the outer forts and the field
Notifications fell into the hands of
Russians, all the skillfully arranged
devices giving way before the un-
daunted will and sslfsacrifce Of the
besiegers. The Russians were able
to push forward with their trenches
so near as to bring the churches and
roofs Of the houses In the main for
tress actually into view; but a fur
Their advance was not practicable.
THE Russian commander did not
think 1t advisable to take the risks or
run the chance Of sacrificing his men.
He therefore surrounded the fortress
with a ring Of iron and took care to
cut it off completely from commune
cation with the outer world. He also
placed artillery in such a way as to
prevent the garrison from scoring
any success from whatever side they
might attempt a sortie. The Russian
trenches were built by special devices
perfected by the Russians during the
progress Of the present war, devices
which effectually protected them even
from the weighty Austrian projectiles.
Having done all this, nothing re-
manned but to wait patiently, and,
while waiting, to draw the ring clos
er and closer. Owing to the inferior
ity of the Russian siege artillery these
were the only possible tactics.
This is not the first time Przemysl
has been taken by a Russian force. 1t
was captured for the first time by the
Russian Duke Oleg the Wise in the
year 9O7 on his way to Constantinople.
The town was abandoned later, but
was again besieged and retaken in
1881 by Grand Duke Jaroslau the
Wise.
From that date for 800 years on
ward Przemysl was held by the Rus
slams, but in l349. after a long strug-
gle, 1t came into the hands of the
Polish King Kasim{r a,d an 20 ,bo