New-York tribune., 1916-07-31
Berlin Admits Loss of
Salient West of
Lutsk.
BOTHMER EXPOSED
TO FLANK ATTACKS
Threatened North and South,
Austrians Face Retreat
in Galicia.
lBy Gable 70 The Tribune J


have succeeded massed infantry and
artillery operations along the hundred
mile front in Volhynia and Northern
Galicia which the Russians smashed
yesterday. According to Petrograd,
the Russian advance all along the line
is proceeding, with the Teutonic forces
rapidly falling back TO new defences
near Kovel.
General Brussilofr's troops now hold
virtually the whole of the Stokhod
line. Only at isolated places have the
Germans and Austrians been able TO
hold out against the terrific onslaughts
of the last three days, and these they
are expected TO abandon as soon as
the danger of flank or rear attacks be-
comes more pronounced.
Quit st0khod Salient.
The wedge which the Russians drove
the enemy's lines at Hule-
vitchi. almost due east Of Kovel, has
compelled the forces of Won Linsingen
to withdraw from the salient formed
TO the south by the curve in the Stok-
hod. "The withdrawal had been
planned for a long time is the naive
statement made by Berlin tonight.
Berlin also announces the repulse with
severe losses of Russian attacks along
this whole front.
The Russian armies continue TO push
forward at other points where the
opening Of breaches in the Teuton lines
would seriously menace important dis
tricts and towns. Northwest of Buc-
zacz, south of Brody. and in the direc-
tion Of StanisIau, the Austrian lines
sre being subjected to the most power
full pressure, and in spots have crum-
pied in before the Russian onslaughts.
Russians Gain on Dniester.
South of the Dniester, where the bat
tie is on in earnest for the first time
since the floods of early summer pre-
vented the continuation of actions, the
Russian wave has flowed over the Aus
trian advanced lines and is pounding
furiously at the second lines east OF
Tlumach.
The double victory Of the Cars
troops at Brody and west Of Lutsk,
Letchitsky on the Dniester,
has nut Won Bothmers forces along the
Stripa in a position from which they
will have difficulty in extricatng them
selves if the warning is not needed
soon. Already, apparently, the Aus
trians are exposed TO flank assaults.
In the north General Sakharoff is near
pr Lemberg than Won Bothmer, and only
the speedy retirement of the latter tow
ard the Galcian capital, with the de-
fence of which he is intrusted, can save
him from rear attacks and possible en-
Danger TO Teutons.
The real danger to the Teutons in
the Russians double drive lies in the
of Kovel and Lemberg.
As soon as one falls, nothing can save
the other. Consequently, the Austrians
and Germans cannot concentrate their
forces at one single point. They must
confront the Russians with just as
powerful forces in front Of Kovel as
before Lemberg. Their defences must
be Just as strong on the line between
X ovel and Lemberg as at the towns
them selves, for a front cannot break
at one point without imperilling all
other points.
Teutons Retreat from Stokhod.
To-night's Russian statement says:
"On the western (Russian) front on
the Stokhod our troops are engaged IN
hghtiSg which is developing favorably
for US. Yesterday tweGty-one officers
and $40 men were taken prisoner and
four guns and four machine guns were
captured.
'In the direction of Kovel and to the
south of the Roiitche eKovel railway
station our detachments have broken
through the enemy first line and con-
tinue to advance. AS a result of the
fighting here nineteen officers and 800
German soldiers and four machine guns
have been taken.
"A company of one OF our rife regi-
ments succeeded in breaking through
to the rear of the enemy. 1t passed his
repulsed an at .ack made by
German cavalry and captured a regi-
mental commander, after which it re-
turned safely.
"In an attack made south Of Pus-
tonty we captured over one hundred
German prisoners
An earlier announcement read:
"On the river Stokhod our detach-
ments continue to fortify themselves
on the left bank of the river.
an the kovel and Brody areas and
also in the region to the south of the
Dniester our troops continue 10 ad-
vance, pushing the enemy back"
Austrian Communique.
To-night's Austrian statement says;
The battles in East Galicia and
Volhynia continue with undiminished
Violence, especially near Molodylof
northwest Of Kolomea and west and
northwest of BuczacZ, but the Russian
attacks were unsuccessful. West of
Lutsk the Russians temporarily sue
,eeded in penetrating our trenches,
,ut were elected by a counter attack" J"
An earlier Austrian statement read:
"The enemy yesterday resumed his
attacks on an extended front. South
Of the Dniester River the Russian
wave was stopped before our second
line to the east of Tlumach.
Northeast and southeast OF Monas-
enemy attacking columns ad-
vanced both day and night against the
nositjons of the Austro-Hungarians
Ind the Germans. They were every
rbere repulsed. The foreground was
covered with dead and severely wound
ed Russians. - ~
n break through our lines near Zvini-
toze were futile.
"To the west Of Lutsk the Germans
o,d Hungarian regained a con-
Siderable part of the terrain given up
yesterday. uo povro.
KoyeI railway, after the repglse OF
Zeal no,, enemy attacks, the defenders
s.HI'~ s.;,1 'stsnding beyond the Stokhod were
Withdrawn behind the river. - :.
"a "a Russian attempt TO advance IN
I'd formation northwest OF SoKui
maSSed loi I-N FaiIed The