The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-10-17
Having Crushed Rumania' .
Northern Army They Are
Now Hammering Russians
Won FALKENHAYN'S
BIG DRIVE STILL ON
Victorious Teutons Have Brok-
en- Through All Barriers and
Are Now But Eighty Miles
From Rumanian Capital

London. Oct i6.-with the defeat.
ed Rumanian army struggling des-
perately along their own frontier limo
in the Transylvanian Alps to stem the
thrush Of Germans and Austro- Hun
garians into their country. the central
powers have launched a new great
offensive far to the northeast. designed
to tighten the pressure Of the Russian
armies along their eastern front
The first blow of the offensive has
been struck south of Dorna wattra.
in the Eastern Carpathians, not far
from the triangular point where Ru-
mania, Bukowina and Transylxania-
join.
Official announcements from Petro-'
grad state that the Austro- Germans
are employing great forces in the
movement, which aims. apparently, at
outfianking the Russians. and thereby
Tightening the immense pressure they
r!ous German and Austro- Hungaria
army groups defending Lemberg
The first honors of the battle are
with the Teutons. An official state-
ment issued today in Berlin, and sup
ported by similar declaration from
Vienna, announces that the Russians
have been driven back across the wall
ley OF the Neagra River.
Aside from this new movement.
which is the outstanding war devel-
opment of the day. the battles In VOL
hynia and Galicia and Won Falken-
hayn's drive against the Ruu1an MS on
the Transylvanian line continue to be
marked by the fiercest fighting
The former chief OF the German
general staff is smashing without in
PERMISSION at the Rumanian armies
and at one point has crossed the from
tier. He has crossed the mountain
barrier and has opened the vast Ru-
manian plain as field Of operations
The Austro-Germans are battling to-
night less than eighty miles in an air
line from Bucharest.
Making Gallant Stand.
Heartened by endorsements hur-
riedly rushed to the front to stay the
retreat of their comrades, whose mo-
rale was shattered by their Kronstadt
and Hermannstadt experiences the
Rumanians are making a gallant bat
tie In the mountains. Their most de-
termined stand Is being taken at the
most vital point OF their front, where.
seven miles beyond their own FROM
tter, they are battling desperately to
hold UP Won Falkenhayn's advance
beyond Rocaru
Rocaru is In the Southern slopes Of
the Transylvanian Alps. Beyond II In
rolling country which, stretching
down to Campolung. ten miles to the
southwest, affords the last natural
| barrier to the Teuton advance From
Campolung the vast Rumanian plain
stretches fatty down to Bucharest.
about eighty miles away.
Official announcements tonight from
Bucharest are TO the effect that the
Rumanian line is holding firmly and
that al one place the Austro-Germans
have been driven back across the
Transylvanian border.
In the Oituz valley says this
statement the enemy violently at
tackled troops on the frontier, but
was driven back beyond the border"
Say Won Mackensen Has Reiterated.
Rumors of a sensational develops
ment in the Dobrudia reached hero
tonight in unofficial dispatches from
Petrograd. The reports were to the
effect that Marshal Won Machensen,
commander OF the -Bulgarian-
Turkish army holding the Dobrudja
line, has retreated to a front Of which
Dohritich is the base. This would
mean that the Invaders had fallen
back almost fifty miles.
There is no confirmation OF these
reports, which were received hers
with considerable reservation by mill
itary experts The only explanation
for such a movement on Won Mack
ensens part would be that Russia has
hurled great armies into the DobrudjA
TO relieve the Rumanians. II 20.
nothing has previously been heard Of
these armies. The Berlin oficiaI ~
port asserts there has been no change
in the situation on the front In ques-
ton. II Is known that Rumania has
transferred a large part OF her army.
which was cooperating with the Rus
sian troops which came to the
/ Dobrudja In the first weeks after Rue
mania's Intervention, to the menaced
lTransylvania line.
/ In Eolhynla and on the fronts
northeast and southeast of Iemberg
lighting of the utmost violence con-
tinues without intermisston. During
the last twenty-four hours the Teu-
tons have been counter-attacking. but
neither Berlin nor Petrograd claims
any decided gain.
| The deadlock at which the armies
have been graphing for weeks cone
tinues. while the losses pile up. Both