The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-02
SPECIAL CaJle Despa,ch TO THx STU.

ress Of LUX, thirty-ive miles east of
the Galiclan border, "A modern strong
hold erected within recent years TO
ward or possible Austrian aggression,
was captured by Austro-Hungarian and
German troops to-day.
Zborow, on the Strtpa River, In Gal
icia. where for t~wenty-four hours the
retreating Russians held up the Aus
trlan advance by furious counter at
tacks. was turned literally into a mass
OF wreckage last night by the Austrian
siege pieces, this morning the Rus
slams gave way and began a nasty
~retiren en from the narrow strip or
Gallcian territory still within their hands.
The German victories. however. have
been won at a very costly price. accord
ing to the official Petrograd statement
to-day. In the region of Lusk, 1000
German soldiers were made prisoners
with more than a hundred officers. In
Guiding some stan officers. In Galicia
yesterday. the Russians inflicted enor-
nous losses on the A~ustrians. while at
the northern end Of the line In the Nicin-
ity of Friedrlchstadt, they have held the
attacking Germans at a standstill.
Grodno, far to the north. IL making
lts last stand. Last night the forces
Of Field Marshal Won Hlndenburg drew
their heavy artillery to the western
front of the fortress and began to hurl
into the stronghold the huge shells which
no fertilization has yet been able 20
withstand. The position is practically
invested, according to the Berlin des-
patches. and the fear Ia felt here to-
night that at Grodn the are
on the verge OF trapping and capturing
a large number OF men. The more OPP
timistic observers. however, do not neg
lect to recall that the same danger has
been imminent before and that the strat-
esy OF the Grand Duke Nicholas has IN
each case succeeded In saving his men.
Probably Empty victory.
The fall of Luck is II anything more
OF a surprise than was the speedy capit-
ulation OF Brest-Iitovsk. 1t was a
fortress of considerable strength and
was In every respect modern. The Ger
man advance upon this position was ore
Of the speediest of the war. which leads
TO the conclusion that the Russians prob
ably |dis:nounted the guns and prepared
for retreat long before the Austro-C;er-
man guns were within range. II this
was the case the victory was an empty
one for the Teutons. though It would pc
useless to minimize the importance II the
stronghold as a strategical position and
the degree Ia which its loss emphasizes
the impotence OF Russian arms at this
time.
LUX is a town OF little commercial
or artistic Importance. At one time II
was a thriving centre with a population
OF about 40. 600. bu, since the Polish
wars OF the last half OF the sixteenth
century II has steadily declined.
TIL fall OF Luck and Iborcw was am
nounced at Vienna in tho following brief
statement
The fail o, LUX and the breaking OF
the Russian resistance on the Stripa
River was told in the following official
statement from Vienna:
The Fifty-fourth Infantry Regiment
drove th- Russians with the bayonet
out OF their first station and stimuli
taneously pressed on into LUX. which
vas cleared OF the enemy yesterday
evening.
Near Bald ard KaEuniec, north
east Of Galicil, the army under Gen.
Boshm t,rmolli broke through the en-
emy's lines over a length OF twenty
kilometels twelve n a half miles,.
This double defeat obliged the Rus
slams lighting west OF the Styr to re-
treat across the river.
Fighting continues on the Stripa. \
counter attack north Of Buczacz wa
repulsed,
Describe
Inc oHlCldl petnldn statement Was
as follows:
Army group of Field Marshal Won
H!ndenburg Battles east OF the Me
men River are taking their course,
on the western front of Grudno our
troops are in front of the outer line Of
forts.
Between Odelsk. east OF Shkolka
and the forest OF Bielowieska, the en-
envy is being further pursued.
Army group Of princ Leopold OF
Bavaria The upper Narew has been
crossed. North OF Grozana the enemy
has been forced back across the
marsh district,
Army group OF Field Marshal Won
M~ackensen: our pursuit continues.
Wherever the enemy has made u
stand he has been defeated.
Southeastern theatre OF war: The
troops of Gen. Count Won Bothmer, in
the face OF stubborn resistance by the
enemy, stormed heights on the banks
OF the Stripa, north OF Zborow. over
coming a temporary delay after a re-
pulse Of the enemy's resistance.
The fall OF LUX and the collapse OF
the Russian resistance on the Str.pa
In Galacia only accentuate the character
Of the Russian situation. That situ-
alton Is generally and openly REGARDED
as the darkest since the war began.
The ease with which the Austro-Ger-
mans ook LUX forebodes. in the minds
OF military critics. a quick successive
capitulatIon Of Dubno and Rowno, two
fortresses built In upp IT OF LUX. the
first situated thirty miles to the south
east and the second thirty miles east, o
Drive Likely to COntiuue.