New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-03
BACK FOE
AT BUCHAREST
RumanianS Retake 2
Towns; Russians Win
Hold on Kirlibaba

tBy Cable To The Tribunel
London, Dec. 2.-On three sides Of
Bucharest the battle is raging with
cut pause.
To the south of the capital King
Ferdinand's troops forced the Teu-
tons back from the Argesu line and
reclaimed the villages Of Tzomana
and Gastinari. West of Bucharest
the defenders have been pressed back
toward the Argesu, while TO the
northwest the Germanic forces have
smashed through the Rumanian lines
and are rapidly moving down the
Argesu Valley from Pitesci and down
the Dombovitza Valley from the
Campulung region.
Russians Enter kirlibaba
Meanwhile the great battle in the
Carpathians is developing in favor
Of the Russians. They are reported
to have gained a foothold in Kirli-
baba, the key to the Rodna Pass and
the plains Of Hungary, and to be at
tacking successfully at other points
on the 250-mile front.
The Russians have seized the west
ern end of the Cernavoda bridge over
the Danube, thus putting a check on
any movement Of Mackensen's troops
across the river from the Dobrudja.
Sakharoff's forces continue their
furious attacks along the entire line
in the Dobrudja, though they have
not yet obtained any big success.
The Rumanian losses are steadily
mounting. Berlin states that 6,166 pris-
oners were taken by the Teutonic forces
yesterday, together with booty includ-
ing 49 cannon and 100 loaded ammu-
milton carts. This brings the total
number Of prisoners for the week to
more than $4,000.
Aim at Heavy Captures
The position Of Mackensen's forces
south of Bucharest is indefinite. Ber-
lin reports that Mackensen's troops
have reached the Argesu, while Petro-
grad states that the Rumanian counter
attack thrust them back from that line.
Evidently the German commanders are
maneuvring to corral a big batch Of
prisoners northwest of Bucharest, as
the present movement is aimed to en-
circle the capital from the Argesu line.
The odds are greatly against the Ru-
manians making a successful stand for
Bucharest. The recapture of the two
villages TO the south of the city to-day
was probably due to the fact that they
were intended to be lightly held until
Mackensen could be supplied with suf-
fcient big guns to begin the lombard
ment Of Bucharest.
However bad the Bucharest situa-
tion is, the Allies see some cause for
hope in the Russian attack further
north. This stroke is still too nebulous
to offer promise of far reaching effects,
but it is a most heartening incident in
an otherwise gloomy campaign.
Battle in Kirlibaba Streets
The entrance Of the Russians into
Kirlibaba is reported by Reuters cor
respondent in Petrograd, who adds that
desperate street fighting is in progress,
the Germans defending the houses to
the last extremity. Berlin announces
the capture of 1000 prisoners.
The greatest reverse suffered by the
Rumanians to-day was in the region
northwest of Bucharest. On the roads
from Pitesci and in the Valley of the
Argesu the assaults of the invaders
we're irresistible Both Bucharest and
Petrograd admit the retirement Of Fer
dinand's troops in this district.
Berlin states that the First Rumanian
army, in the sector southeast of Pitesci,
"has been broken through and defeated
Continued on page 2. column 8