The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3997, 2 August 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 1915.

The latest news to hand does not contain any intimation to the ('fieri that Warsaw has actually horn taken by the Gorman and Austrian forces, but further evidence has accumulated in the duoction of showing that the fate oi the capital of Roland is definitely sealed, ii should not, therefore, come as any surprise if it be announced within the next, twenty-four or forty-eight hours that not only have all the Russian troops have boon withdrawn but that the city had capitulated. 1. nquestionahly it is the position that the great lesson of the continued enemy successes in Roland is to be lotiml solely in the fact that the Russians are still very much behind-hand in the matter of ample supplies ot munitions. Russia is clearly not lacking in admirable leadership; nor is she at any disadvantage of account of any in.sufifeieney of troops of any particular kind. What is happening is merely that the well-organised gun power of the Germans and Austrians is in the meantime triumphing over the feebly organised gun power of the Russians. In plain language the Russians are, in the circumstances, undoubtedly adopting very wise strategy ; but it would be nonsense to suggest that they are retiring beyond Warsaw and the Vistula in order simply to trap the enemy. The real situation in this regard was, it may be taken, just as was explained by Mr Llnyd-Georgc in one of his recent very a I ile speeches. He was explaining to i lie work-people at Home how much the workshops count in the present struggle and this is how he dealt with the forcing hack of the Russian armies : “Our Russian Ally has suffered a severe set-back. 1 .have -come here to tell you the truth. Unless you know it you cannot he expected to make sacrifices. The Germans have achieved a success—-a great success. Why? Not because of the superior valor-of their soldiers. No soldier that ever fought in any way since the dawn of time fought with greater gallantry and bravery than the, Russian soldiers have done when, uxder showers of shot poured upon them, their protecting trenches were demolished. And yet when the Germans advanced there arose out of the shattered earth legions of dauntless men before the foe. Is it the superiority of the German generals? The Russians of that front are commanded by one of the most brilliant generals on the battlefields of Europe td-dav. Is it owing to the superiority of the German numbers? The Russians have unlimited numbers of men; of real men. “To what is the German triumph due then? It is due entirely -to superior equipment, overwhelmingly superiority of shot and shell, oi tho munitions and equipment of war. That victory has been won not by the strategy of tho German generals or by the greater gallantry of their • troops, but by the use they have made of their skilled industry, and especially by the superior organisation, of the German workshop.. Have you read tho story of tho latest battle which appeared in all tho papers—2oo,ooo ishells concentrated in tho course of a single hour on the devoted heads of the gallant

The Lesson of the Reverse to the Russians.

Russians; 700,000 fired away in a single battle P” Wluit will be the position as a result of the enemy successes in Galicia and Poland it is, we think, not difficult to realise. The Russians will not (as a few pessimists may suppose) he drawn into a separate peace. The Grand Duke Nicholas knows the true worth of his armies; and ho will simply await the day when the deficiency of munitions has been made good. It is no disgrace to have hoen outmanoeuvred on account of the

enemy’s temporary superiority m munitions. Nor is it any disgrace, in the circumstances, to have been obliged to fall hack in order to avoid a decisive engagement under uni a vanable conditions. On the other hand the greatest credit will he due to the famous Russian Cnminander-in-Chic! if he should succeed in coni inning to saioly withdraw to his new line of def'nee. As of yore Russia will simply remain nueonquored and unconquerable- -and

wliat hs still more important: more determined than over to prevail. Rut, in the meantime, the Gormans may be expected to turn their attention once j again to a vigorous olfeiisivo campaign j on the Western Front. .Fluted with : their recent successes and reinforced , by troops withdrawn from th.-ir Kns{ei'n Front the Huns, it may he anticipated,- will put up the light oi their lives. 'Wliat, is estimated is that tile reverses of I lie Russians ainy j sot another million ol the very host j Gorman troops free to assist against , the British, French and Relgians. It j is, therefore, to ho sincerely trustee j that the expected new German on- > slaught will find the Allies on the j Western' Front well prepared in re- j gnrd to supplies of munitions. Jn j that event the result of the struggle j will be very different from the result i ot the campaign to which wo have | been alluding. As Mr Lloyd-Goorge j reee Htly remarked in his striking plea j for a greater output of munitions: —j “You saw what happened at Neilvo Chapel!'-. We rained shot on them, and our men got through. Hut then we had to pans'*. \\ e want a deluge of Nouvo Cliapelles. Let them rain for forty days and forty nights without ceasing, dliey have taught ms that lesson. That is why the Germans have been able to succeed to the extent they have done in the Fast of Europe. It is by incessant striking. striking, striking. You only can do that by filling un our reserves with plenty of shell ammunition. Then you will hear tin- crack ol the German steel barrier under the incessant hammering of the British gums. You will hear rise cheers of the British infantry as they march through their shattered eutrench--fc incuts to victory. And in that hour A the engineers will know with a ' t-hrill ilmt the. workshops oi' Britain have won a lasting triumph for The righteousness that i-xalteth a nation.’ ”