The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1917-01-04
Struggle in Rumania is Approaching Defensive
Line of sereth, Where Savs Will Fight
With Backs to Wall.
THE SEE LOSSES OF ATHENS REPLIES
Entente Been Huge Since
Start of Conflict, Says
German Statement.
I Associated Press Reviewl

ASSOCIATED Press Review
Reports from both sides engaged
in Rumania indicate that the Rus
slams have now virtually reached ths
line of the Sereth, to which the,
have been falling back while fightin&
strong rear guard actions
Berlin today announced that the
troops OF the Ninth army, under Field
Marshal Won Mackensen. are before
Fokoshani on the front line which
the Russians have been preparing and
which follows in general way the
course OF the Sereth. Ending at the
Danube between Brailia and Galta,
.this line extends northward through
Moldavia in the direction OF the west
ern Moldavian frontier.
1t is here, according to present in
dications. that the Russians count
upon bringing Field Marshal Won
Mackensen's S advance TO a halt. Fail
ing in this. it has been pointed out,
the movement would expose the
fronts from Galicia southward to the
4 possibility of a crumbling OF process
/ through turning movement and i'm
peril the Bessarabian territory to the
north OF the Danube.
| Apparently the Teutonic effort to
break this line is to be strong one,
4 as today's Berlin statement records
vigorous attacks at the Russian lines
in which prisoners We're taken and
| ground gained Meanwhile the drive
at the right flank of the Russians in
this region along the western Mol
davian frontier continues unabated,
While fighting in progress in the
Transverse valleys is announced On
the Danube end of the line the secur-
lty of Brailia has been further inn
perilled, according to the Berlin re
port, by the new advance of Teutonic
forces on the Dobrudja side of the
river, where the Russians have been
driven back from the northwestern
corner of the province opposite Brazil
ia
Elsewhere i'm the field os war no
important operations have been re-
corded in any of the official accounts,
patrol and artillery engagements furn-
ishing material for the bulk of the
the reports
Naval Losses Heavy.
Berlin, Germany Wireless to
Sayville. L. L. Including the French
battleship Gaulois, sunk by a Ger
man submarine, says an Overseas
News Agency statement today 81 SO
hostile warships, including torpedo
boats and submarines, OF a total tom
mage of 759.43o, have been sunk
since the beginning of the war. OF
this 125 vessels We're British. OF a
total of 565,20o tons The total loss
of Entente worships exceeds the total
OF French warships at the beginning
of the war.
/ Auxiliary cruisers and ships of
special type which have been lost
I are not included in the figures given.
Plant Dangerous Mines.
\ New York City Passengers ar
irving here on the Dutch steamer
New Amsterdam say that German
mines containing exceptionally high
explosives have been planted close to
all OF the large harbors in England.
Scotland and Wales They point to
an experience of the New Amsterdam
and their own narrow escape as u
proof.
! On their arrival off Falmouth,
England. from Rotterdam, a British
trawler was sent out from Falmouth
to sweep the mouth OF the harbor
for the entrance OF the Dutch steam
er. The trawler struck a mine and
was blown to bits. Seven of her
crew of twelve men We're killed.
ItlSso-Rumans Beaten.
! Berlin. Germany. (Wireless to
Sayville. l.. I.)-On the Moldayian
front yesterday strong attacks We're
made by the Russo Rumanian forces.
Today's official communication says
that the assault failed, with heavy
losses for the attackers. The towns
of Barsescci and Topsi. as we'll as
several hill positions, We're captured
by the Teutons.
Western Guns Busy
Paris. France Artillery was
rather active north and south Of the
Somme in the regions of Rouvroy
and Nerdun and around Dead Mans
hill, also in the Champagne says
today's announcement from the war
office. Patrols We're very active
and brought in prisoners"
Two Vessels Sunk.
y London, England. Iloyd's reports
the sinking of the French sailing YES
sci Achoncogna, ! .313 tons. and the
Swedish steamer. Goosebridge. :
S54 tons
Capture Many Germans.
On the French front in France
During the course of last year ac-
cording to authoritative figures 7S,-
500 Germans have been captured on
the French front by the French and
10000 by the British while in Ser
bia and Macedonia the entente allied
=
Turks prisoners. During the same
period the Italians made prisoners
OF 52,250 Austrians, while the RUS
/ slams canture1 nora tboo Am m n