Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-21
PRESS
ON LAST LINE OF
RUSS DEFENSE
Proposition to Remove the Seat Of
Government Back to Moscow
is Being Considered at
Petrograd,
KovNo IS IN GERMAN HANDS
Fierce Battle Continues on Line
from Brest.Litovst to 0sowetx,
+. with Teutons Gaining.
GERMANS AGAIN MENACE RIGA

LONDON. Aug. 2O.-As the Aus
trians and Germans press onto the
last of the outlying fortrosses stand
ing between the Russian capital and
the invaders. Petrograd Is discussing
the advisability of removing the gov
ernment TO its ancient seat at Mos
COW, always considered the heart Of
the nation. Kovno is now definitely
in the hands OF the Germans. The
thanking movement Of Field Marshal
Won Mackensen grows more threaten
ing hourly, and it would not be sur
prising IL Grand Duke Nicholas
should abandon all efforts to form a
new line with Brest-Litovsk as the
pivot
From Brest-Litovsk TO ossowetz, which
seems TO be withstandlng the assaults OF
tho heavy German guns better than any
other fortress. fierce fighting continues.
with tho advantage I'm favor of the in
vaders. Riga has again become the CEN
ter OF struggle on land and sea.
Petrograd states that the Russian war
ships protecting the Cult of Riga were
compelled TO draw In closer owing to
the superiority of the German squadron.
Turks Check Britons.
The landing OF British troops at suvla
bay, Gallipoli peninsula, is regarded here
as partial disappointment. The Turks
had concentrated their forces in the
Anzac zone. a little TO the south, but
were able to send troops north in time
to prevent any important advance by
the landing forces. II Is beNeved here
that no forward movement of conse.
quence 10 likely unless the British are
reinforced considerably
Italy and Turkey appear on the brink
OF an open rupture. The Italian public
expects war. which would give their
army and navy an opportunity to CO.
operate with the allies in the Dardanelles
movement
On the western front the French now
hold the cross roads between Lena and
Arraa, which was in Possession Of the
uermann. and formed wedse in the
allied line.
The capture OF Novogeorsievsk had
been foreseen since the fall OF warsaw.
When tho general Russian retreat was
made from the Warsaw salient, Grand
Duke Nicholas. the Russian commander
in-chief. elected to leave a garrison In
the fortress rather than evaeuate this
position, as II was recognized that the
only question was how long the defend
ers would be able to hold out
The grand dukes decision apparently
waS due TO the strategical position OF
the fortress. So long as the Russians
retained It they were able to stop COM
munication on the Vistula river. Novo-
georsievsk is nineteen miles northwest
OF Warsaw and Is situated at the juno
tion OF the Vistula. Narew and wkra
rivers. On account Of its position IL was
described by an Associated Press corre-
spondent. who visited It yesterday. as
second Vicksburg.
For nearly ewo weeks the fortress had
been completely invested by the Germans
and several Of the outlying forts were
captured earlier in the week. Nyoo-
georgievsk was strongly defended and
was said to have been equipped with
sufficient ammunition and food supplies
for long period.
Its speedy capture doubtless represents
another triumph for the great German
and Austrian siege guns. Pieces Of the
heaviest caliber were brought up for the
attack
French official Report.
PARIS. Aug. 20.-rhe French war Of
flee this morning gave out a statement
on the progress of hostiities which reads:
There has been continued activity on
the part OF our artillery along the banks
Of the Disc. TO the north OF the Aisne In
the Champaign district. along the front
at Lasille.
I'm the Argonne there was fighting
with the mines 1 nthe region OF vIenne-
le-Chateau and fighting at close range
with bombs and hand grenades In the
sector OF st. Hubert and near Marie
Therese.
ION the heights OF the Linge and Of
schratzmannele. the German losses have
been very heavy. We found a large num-
Der of dead German soldiers In the
trenches $50 yards long which we occu-
pied"