Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-17
OFFENSIVE OF GERMANS
IS PUSHED WITH v|GOR
Russians Evacuate East Prussia, Ex
cept for Small Area Near
Lyck.
FALL BACK IN NORTH PoLANI
Kaiser's Forces Announce Occupa-
ton Of Flock and Rielsk-Petro-
grad Refcrs to Muscovite Move
ment as Strateglcal Retirement.

| LONDON, February 16 U0:20 Mo.-
from the two European battle fronts.
public attention in England to-day was
centred on the threatened blockade OF
the British Isles by German submarines
and mines In retaliation for Great Brit
aims act in prohibiting the carrying Of
| food to Germany.
| Great Britain received to-day through
Am bassador Page, Germany's offer to
withdraw her threat OF blockade IL
the British navy will permit the FREQ
movement OF foodstufrs to the civil
population OF Germany.
1t is not believed here the offer will
he accepted. In fact, Great Britain
already is preparing to retaliate against
Germany by plncing under more strin-
gent control ships destined to German
ports, and a proclamation monentartly
| Is expected declaring n blockade OF the
German coast. or. at any rate, the pro-
hibition OF foodsturs destined for Ger
many. Tho Cabinet considered this
question to-day, and It Ia understood
the decision Is awaiting formal con-
frmation Of the Privy Council
VESSELS ARE MOVING
AS FREELY As USUAL
In tho meantime British and neutral
vessels arc moving as freely ns usual,
except those belonging to a few Dutch
! lines. which have reduced their number
| OF saillrgs Norwegian and Danish
insurance companies have given in
structions that steamers insured by
them shall have their national colors.
the names OF the ships and the country
Of their origin painted conspicuously on
the sides OF all vessels. Holland and
Italy. like the United States. have rro-
tested to Germany against her sea war
zone threat, and have asked Great Brit
ain not TO make free use OF neutral
| flags. Similar representations are ex-
pected to be made to the two countries
Tomorrow in joint note by Norway.
Sweden and Denmark.
| On the oattlefields OF Europe military
movements OF the first Importance arc
taking place. especially in the east Tho
German offensive, strongly supported
| ny fresh troops, Is being pushed with
great vigor both along the East Prus-
sian frontier and In Poland north of
the lower Vistula. The Russians haye
evacuated East Prussia, except for a
, small area near Lyck. and also arc an
parently falling back in North Poland,
for the Germans to-day announced the
occupation of Plock and Bielsk, which
the Russians recaptured from them a
short time ago.
sTRATEGICAL RETIREMENT
TO FORTIFIED LINE
While the Germans seem to have In
! fiicted heavy losses on the retiring Rus
sian armies. military men here and the
newspaper correspondents in Pctrograd
| continue to refer to the Muscovite
| movement as strategical retirement to
the fortified line along the Niemen
River. which runs through Kovno.
Grodno and Lomza and thence south
west TO the fortress OF Novoe
Georgiewsk.
Heavy fighting continues in the Car
pathians and Bukowina In Bukowina
the Russians also are falling back, but
they continue TO hold the Carpathian
passes farther west. and are Offering
stubborn resistance to the Austro Ger
man offensive in that region. Here
the armies are fighting In deep snow,
and both sides are suffering severely.
The large number of troops the Ger
mans arc using In the east. military
observers here believe, will prevent for
some time any attempt by the Germans
to break the western deadlock.
Although there have been no events
OF outstanding importance on this front,
a long official report OF the British
operations from November to the be-
ginning OF February. issued to-day,
| shows that there Is more or less activ-
ity there. The report says there has
been lot OF trench fghting. in which
the Indians and British territoriaIs
have distinguished themselves Cen
eral French, in the report. pays high
tribute to the Indians. He says the
territorials have far more than justi-
fed the most sanguine hopes enter
tanned Of their value in the field. The
report adds that endorsements are ar
| irving regularly.
FIRST OF PROMISED
BIWEEKI.Y REPORTS
The first OF the promised biweekly
! reports or the doings OF the British
army In france also was issued to-day.