Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-28


BERLIN. Dec 2s
praila IL Within reach OF the cannon
ef the German armies In their steady nd.
vance In Rumania. Writing for the Official
press bureau today n military critic de-
elared that new and strong Russian forces
IN this section seem to show no greater
force OF resistance than the Rumanans
'-rhe Rumanan troops were declmated
m the wallachia retreat and have gone
Rshind the Sereth In order to be re-
formed there under Russian leadership"
the critic declared.
AT the Same time tho Russians tried In
strongly prepared positions betweeu Rim.
nik-sarat and the Danube to offer resistance
~ the further German advance toward the
grrcth In consequence. there were new
and violent engagements, In the Nrst rush
ihe allied German Austro-HunRnrian troops
eaptured $500 prisoners and gained ground
fell into their hands MS well as adjoining
positioHs on both sides.
..The German attack was efficiently ne.
sis,ed by surprisingly great successes In
pcbrudja, where after the fall of Tulcca
ard Isaccea. only the Macln bridgehend of
Bralla offers resistance. Bu' Brailn Is
already within reach OF the German. Bull
farian cannon.
OFFICIAL REPORT
The text OF the official report issued by
the war Office this afternoon on operations
In Rumanla follows;
Army group OF Archduke Joser-In
the sector OF Ludova forest. in the Car
pathlans, German rifles drove of strong
Russian patrols in hand grenade en-
ragements In the Mestecanesci re-
gon there has been repeated cannon.
aiding In tho mountains In the sectors
of Putna and OitoZ valleys fighting ,
activity has increased.
Army group Of Field Marshal Won
Mnckensen - Wednesday brought to
General of Infantry Won Falkenhayrf
and the Ninth Army fun victory near
Rlmnik -Sarat over Russians summoned
70 the defense Of Rumana The enemy.
after being defeated on December &c.
tried to regain lost ground by means OF
counter-attacks with strong forces. but
the attacks failed. Prussan and Ba-
varlan infantry dlvissUs pressed behind
the enemy, who flowed back. our troops
took with n rush the new Russian posi- |
tions which had been fortified during |
the preceding night and pushed ahead
beyond Rimnik-Sarat At the same
time, further TO the southeast German
, and Austro Hungarian troops pierced
strongly intrenched Russian lines, and
heTeN also repulsed violent counter-at-
tacks made against the flank. We ad-
vanced, fighting our way In north
easterly direction. The enemy again
defeated, suffered sanguinary losses.
We captured 5000 additional prisoners
and twenty-five machine guns, Booty
was brought In also. The number OF
prisoners captured by the Ninth Army
IN engagements near RImnik- Sarat now
totals 1920. Only partial engagements
we're fought by the Army Of the Danube
yesterday. In Dobrudja Bulgarian and
Turkish troops, east OF Macln captured
q
LONDON, Dec 2s.
Attempt to invade Russian soil. north
sf Dobrudja or east OF Moldayia, is the next
development In Field Marshal Won Mack
ensens offensive expected here. Advance
Of the Teutonic columns Ia being opposed
IN fierce fighting by the Russo. RumanIan
troops. The German forces have lost heav-
ily in their northward advance and from
now ON they will have even heavier fighting
eut out for them, as the Russo. Rumanlan
lines are now attaining their greatest
itrength through consolidation.
Very little doubt existed here today in
he minds of military experts that Macken-
ems objective was the great Russian Black
Sea port OF Odessa. They recalled recent
dispatches from the eastern front limiting
lhat this was the point beyond Bucharest
u which the Teutons were aiming,
Almost seven-eighths OF the entire terri
1iy " ANhiNaiid ~ HuW III NfcTHlhu Haiuh |
alone remains free from the in
iader. But here the Russian and Rumanian
Inc is safe from the sort OF military tao
les by which Won Maekensen and Won
achieved most OF their sue.
'esses in the Rumanian MISUNDERSTANDING
'perations. on the west the Russc-Ru-
nanlan front is protected by the great
.arpathian range and ON the east the rivers
Danube and Pruth are safeguards
London now expects a stiffening Of the
along this Moldavian line and a
ialt put TO the German advance, Capture
y Rlmnik-Sarat, announced last night was
lot unexpected here.