New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-21
RUSSIAN FORCES
BATTLE FIERCELY
ESCAPE TRAP
Armies Grapple Around
Wilma as Germans Loop
Tightens.

London, Sept. 20.-Of the many big
battles fought on the eastern front
during the last Ave months, few, II any,
have been fraught with such impor-
tance for the opposing armies as that
now In progress to the east and south
of wilma, where Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg Is trying to cut off the retreat
and destroy the Russian army which
defended that city.
Concern Is expressed In London for
the safety Of the Russian forces, esti-
mated at from 250,000 to 100000. The
Russian line of retreat from the Wilma
region has been limited because OF the
German encircling movement to SIN
gle railroad route, through Ida, to the
southeast. Foreign military observers
mention the probability that one of the
greatest battles of the war in the east
will develop from the efforts OF the
Russians to extricate themselves from
the loop.
The German official report issued to-
day throws little light on the progress
of the operations, simply stating tha'
"the attack against the enemy retreat
ing from wilma is proceeding"
Petrograd is Confident.
Petrograd continues to express con-
fdence in the ability of the Russians
70 extricate themselves from the net
thrown around them. In the opinion OF
military writers, they are in danger
ous position. It is quite likely, how
ever. that they got their artillery away
before the Germans moved across the
RAILWAYS. as the evacuation or Ellna
was decided on weeks ago.
Prince Leopold of Bavaria is also ap-
proaching the railway to the southeast
of Ida. having reached the district OF
Dworzec, which is Immediately west OF
the road skirting the Pripet marshes
and running TO Rovno. South OF the
Pripet the Russians still control the
situation and keep on harasslng the
Au,tro- German armies in Volhynla and
Galicia.
A dispatch TO a Petrograd newspaper
from Kiev contains statement that
the evacuation Of this important city
of Southwestern Russia is proceeding
normally"
In Courland Won Hindenburg has
made further advances toward Dvlnsk.
The Russians have retreated from
Noyo Alexandrovsk, twenty miles south
west of Dvinsk, and attempts TO break
the invaders front failed.
See Hope for Russians.
Undiminished confidence in high
military circles that the Russians will
make a successful retreat from Wilma
is reported by the Petrograd corre-
spondent OF "The Times" The Ger
mans, he says, are making desperate
efforts TO bag some OF the remaining
Russian armies, but the heaviest trans
port trains and impedimenta are al
ready beyond the danger zone and
there is hope that the Russian forces
will extricate themselves.
IL is important to bear in mind, the
correspondent wires, that many meshes
in the German net are composed not Of
cavalry units which will be swamped
unless quickly withdrawn.
Viewing the situation in the north
ern sector OF operations as a whole,
the correspondent says: at is note
worthy that German cavalry seized
and cut the Vilna-Dvinsk line on the
18th, but though a whole week elapsed
we are still awaiting a decision, and
though communications are cut TO the
wilma group Of forces the latter are
able 10 conduct operations without any
app.eciable lack Of munitions, thanks 70
the enormous reserves carried by the
Russian army"
German army headquarters gave out
this statement:
Army group Of Field Marshal ron
Hindenburg: In the vicinity of the
bridgehead at Dvinsk the enemy
was forced 20 retreat from Novo
Alexandrovsk (about twenty miles
southwest of Dvinsk) to a position
further 10 the rear. We took $50
prisoners. The enemy attempted to
break through our lines at 0rgon.
The attempt was repulsed.
The attack on the opposing forces
which are retreating from the dis
trict of wilma is proceeding further
10 the south. Our troops are follow
ing the retreating enemy. We
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