The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-16
Big BATTLE NEAR
FOR CONTROL OF
PETROGRAD LINE
Russians Prepare to Oppose
German Effort to Cut
wilma Dwinsk Road.
FIGHT FOR RIGA
SEES NO LETUP
Special Cable Despatch 10 THr srS

Npccidt 'dbt Despdfch 10 The Sun.
LoNpoN, Sept. 15.-After several days
o. comparative inactivity on the Russian
battle front n battle Of considerable i'm
portance Is developing north OF wilma
TO- the possession of the wilna-Dwinsk
railroad. This Is the main line connect
ing those cities with P~etrograd. This
battle, 1t is expected. will go far oward
settling the fate Of the seaport OF Riga.
rctrosrad reports that Russian forcts
are concentrated at Svyentsyany. pre-
pared to meet the Teutonlc army under
Gen. Won Buelow. which Russian f,iers
report to be advancing toward the line.
Svyontsyany is a few miles south OF
Novo Svyentsyany. half way between
wilma and Dwinsk. At his latter point
the railroad was reported cut by the
Germans two days ago Petrograd at
The time admitted that the railroad had
develops to-day. however, that these
forces consisted of a detachment Of
German cavalry which. re%connoitring
had reached but had by no means
taken the line. The Kaiser's horsemen
were compelled to retire shortly after
ward.
The impending battle is the one the
Russian Minister of War, NJ. P%olivanoff,
predicted a fortnight ago.
No Pause In Fight for Riga.
Meanwhile the fighting for Riga IL
raging without pause. thus far without
the Germans making any material head
way.
In the region around Dwinsk the
Germans assert to-day that they have
defeated Russian cavalry southwest of
the city. The Russians are counter at
lacking north of the Viliya River.
In Galicia the Russians continue to
be the aggressors. Russian military OBJ
servers warn against exaggerated opti-
mism with regard to the Russian offen-
sive In the south. saying that the public
must not expect great developments.
Sweeping southwark from Olita, where
they mades some Roadway during the last
two days. the Germans are pushing their
movement toward Orany. on the Grodno-
wilma railway line, with the object Of
gaining that section. The resistance of
the Russians there depends largely upon
the success or failure Of the German at
ten Ut to cut the railroad In the north.
thNF sANNNNt OF aNoNo Ill
syany or at Svyentsyany the Russians
are not expected to try to hold the
southern section. as their escape to the
north would then be cut on.
Thus the enveloping movement aimed
at wilma rests chiefly on the outcome of
the Teutons' endeavor to gain the rail-
road.
Field Marshal Won Mackensen Is re-
ported by Berlin to be making progress
toward pinsk.
The following official statement was
Issued by the German War ONCE this
afternoon:
German War me- Report.
Army group of Field Marshal Won
Hildenburg.- Fighting continues at
The bridge head west of Dwinsk. At
soloki, southwest OF Dwinsk. enemy
cavalry was defeated. Enemy counter
attacks on our positions north of the
Nillya were repulsed.
East Of Olita and Grodno our attack
Is making further progress. South of
the Niemen we have cache the SEQ
Zara River at a few points. About
800 prisoners were taken
Army group of Prime Leopold OF
Bavaria.-The enemy has been driven
back across the Szozara.
Army group of Field Marshal Won
Mackensen.-Our pursuit In the direc-
ton Of Pinsk is continuing. The num-
Der of prisoners taken has been in
creased to more than 700.
Southeastern theatre of war.-En-
envy attacks have been repulsed with
oauguinary losses.