The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-08-04
RUSSIAN DRIVE
NEAR OBJECTIVE.
IentOnS Are EVaCudting KOvel
and Lemberg.
ARMY ALSO NEAR CAPTURE.

Stores Are Removed from VoIhynian
Rail Center and GaIician Capital.
Berlin Says Russ Offensive Is Ex-
hausting ItseIf-ResuIts Indicate 1t
Is Under Full Roadway.
LONDON, ENG-Russian progress
on a twenty-eight-mile front on the
west bank OF the Stokhod river, men
acing the German base of Kovel, and
similar progress southwest of Brody
where the Sl2vs are now within forty
miles OF Lemterg is SO seriously menac-
ing bCth these vital Teutonic bases
that t.. cir evacuation has already be-
gun. This Information is contained
in dispatches received by way of
Rome and in unofficial reports from
PetrC2rad
According to these reports the Ger
mans are hastily moving vast quanti-
ties of war supplies, heavy guns and
munitions from Kovel while the Aus
TRANS are working desperately to save
their vast stores in the Galician cap
ital. The same dispatches declare that
the smaller base of Vladimir Volyn-
ski, one of the most important adj
vance strongholds of the German line
in this region, has already been clear
ed in preparation for its final evacua-
ton.
Austrians Capture 1900.
While Vienna claims the capture of
$4,000 prisoners in the month of July
and insists the Russian drive has been
checked. Petrograd announces contin-
ued advances. Berlin, on the other
hand, reports the defeat of the Cars
troops at practically all points and
declares the Russians are exhausting
themselves in fruitless attacks. The
continued successes of the Russians
for two months past, however, casts
doubt upon these reports.
Military experts, analyzing the sit
uation from the latest official reports,
point out that the Austro-German
forces defending the Kovel-Lemberg
fronts are in grave danger of being
caught in trap from which they will
be unable to extricate themselves. The
Austrians, they assert, have waited
too long to carry out an effective re-
treat and when their withdrawal from
the points now being defended be-
gins the Russians will be able to turn
the retreat movement into a rout.
Trap Is Closing.
This will leave, according to these
experts, the right flank of General
Won Linsingen almost unprotected and
his entire army may be bottled up.
The general opinion in Russian Of
ficialdom is that Lemberg and Kovel
will be eva Huated, though desperate
fighting is expected before both these
important points.
With Lemberg and Kovel in their
hands the Russians believe that Field
Marsha Won Hindenburg will be com
PEELED to abandon the Riga front and
that Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who
is north of the Pripet marshes, will
have to quit his advanced lines.
Claims Allies Losses $4,000.
BERLIN According to a
cautious valuation says a statement
issued by the German army headquar-
tiers. "the total Anglo-French losses
in the Somme offensive will reach
$4,000 officers and men"
con a twenty-eight-kilom (sev-
enteen miles, 'front.'" the statement
adds, "the enemy advanced four kilo.
meters 1.-TWO and one-Aalf miles, on
the average, but after his experiences
of July 20, %, "a and q he will not
affirm that the enemy line has even
been shaken at any place.
"This success cost the British at
least 100000 men, according to a very
cautious valuation Tor the French
losses there are no accurate founda-
tions, but since the French had to do
the biggest part of the job, and even
taking into considering their superior
fighting SKILL the total enemy losses
will reach 100000 The German losses
cannot be compared to these figures. I"