New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-13
Retires Toward Lem
berg as Positions
Are Flanked.
RUSSIANS TAKE
NADVORNA
Roll Austrian Southern
Wing Against the Car
pathians.
fBy Cable 10 The Tribune

London, Aug. 12.-The whole line
of the River Stripa in Galicia was
seized by the Russians to-day.
The army of Won Bothmer, which
has held this strongly fortified posi-
ton since last winter, was compelled
by the powerful pressure of the Rus
slams north and south to fall back
hastily toward the west. Tonight
the Austrians are probably in
trenched behind the Zlota Lipa
River, prepared to make last stand
before they retreat to positions be-
fore Lemberg.
The menace to his fanks and rear,
rather than any frontal movement,
] led Won Bothmer to surrender the
Stripa line. Sakharoff on the north,
and Letchitsky on the south, had
gradually closed in upon the Aus
trian wings. Yesterdays develop
ments brought the threat to a crisis.
Won Bothmer chose to give up terri
tory rather than expose his troops to
development.
This decision was expected. All
through their offensive the Russians
have fought to weaken the enemy's
forces-those of the Austrians par
ticularly-rather than to gain
ground. To have bagged Won Both
mer's army entirely would have been
a greater stroke for them than the
occupation of many times the amount
of territory held by him.
Russians Ready for Lemberg.
The seizure of the Stripa line of
fortifications disposes Of the last
stretch of the great wall which the
Austro German armies erected last
winter from the Pripet marshes to the
Rumanian frontier. The immediate
result of its fall is to put the Rus
slams in far better position to strike
at Lemberg. Sakharoff's capture of
several points on the Tarnopol-
Krasne -Lemberg road of retreat makes
it probable that Won Bothmer led his
forces back over the southwest rail-
road branching at Potutory into two
lines which. run into Lemberg.
Letchitsky's right wing already has
reached a point on the north bank Of
the Dniester which is west of the
Zlota Lipa, and the capture Of Halitz,
expected at almost sny hour. would
enable the Russian commander to
move in the rear of any enemy posi-
tions on the Zlota Lipa. For this rea-
son it is not believed that Won Both
mer will be able to hold line on the
Zlota Lips long.
Russian Line Strengthened.
From this position the Austrians
must retire to the Bug-Gnita- Lipa
line and there make their last fight to
hold the Galician capital. Meanwhile
the Austrian retreat will permit the
Russians to straighten their whole
front in this region. shorten their
lines and mass their men and guns for
sharp thrusts at almost any part OF
the ring OF Lemberg defences.
The Austrians' extreme right wing
gave way to-day before the Russian
onslaughts south Of Stanislau. and
Nadvorna. an important railwey CEN
tre. was captured. The Teuton forces
in this sector are slowly being rolled
lid agains. the Carpathian wall. To
the southeast. near Kuty, they are far
ing better, Planners reformed army
lighting back at the Russians with a
fury that has won for 1t several minor
On the Stokhod Brussilof has halt
ed the sharp counter movement
launched by the Germans north OF the
Sarny-Kovel railroad, and has taken
up the fight in greater strength north
east of the Stokhod, south Of Pinsk-