BRITISH SYMPATHY WITH RUSSIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3997, 2 August 1915, Page 5

BRITISH SYMPATHY WITH RUSSIA.

.SKKIOI'SNESS OP THE BLOW NOT DISGUISED. RUSSIA'S HEROIC SERVICES AND SACRIFICE. THE I’ETIHEMENT DISCUSSED. (■Received August 1. ; 5.;)0 p.m.) LONDON. July 31. The newspapers v.nunimously accept the wisdom of the l?ussi;»n reiircjiioirc o.iul syinpcitliisf' with -Russia in hoi houi of trial and pay a tribute to llussia’s heroic service and sacrifice i?i the common cause and recognise the pro\en value of the Grand' Duke Nicholas’s strategy and the superior fighting qualities of the Russian troops over the German soldiers. The newspapers generally do not disguise the seriousness of the blow. : ‘The Times’” military correspondent says it is impossible to question the wisdom of it he retirement. The only doubtful point is whether it can be successfully -earned out. . It was time to retire, bat the retirement is ihfhcult. He says the VeeuriiY of the whole line depends on whether General von J3ulow

can prevent enforcing Sventa marching on Yilna and establishing himself astride the Russian communications. -*-lie 1 ussians have a fair chance of successful retirement, but directly it begins the Germans will go full steam ahead and throw themselves on the Russian rearguards, like a pack of wolves, but the rearguards can he relied on to give a good account of themselves. It is natural that some of the Russians should ask wliat the western Allies are doing. Our answer is= We arc holding up two millions of the German troopA besides relaxing the pressure on the Caucasus by hammering 1 the Turks. “The Times’ ” correspondent at Petrograd points out that Russian strategy, as far back as 1910, decided on the assumption that the Austro-Germans would hurl their weight against Warsaw and contemplated the entire abandonment of the advanced theatre. At present further efforts to cling to the Vistula and the Harew would have been attended with grave danger. Russia is now coping with almost all the Austrian uimy and nearly half the German forces, equipped with such powerful artillery that nothing is able to live in their zone of fire. It is paramount to preserve the army at no matter what saciihce of territory. , . , . ' The “Daily Telegraph’s” Petrograd correspondent states that the recent Austro-German onslaughts have demonstrated that Russian strategy takes the broadest possible view of the war and is actuated with the single, purpose of obtaining a complete and crushing victory and is prepared therefore to make all the necessary temporary sacrifices. To Grand Duke Nicholas earlier intimated that lie wouldn’t allow himself to be hampered by a sentimental desire to hold a particular town or district with the Imperial armies and hence everybody was prepared for the evacuation of Warsaw. The Gormans will only get a city inhabited by greybeards and women and children, _ as destruction and removal have robbed the Germans of everything likely to be serviceable. The Germans have to thank their industry, not their military science or valor for tin’s success. There never was a war in which man-power, which is Russia’s strongest factor, could do so little. Colonel Shumsky writes: ‘“When the Germans constructed three lines of fortifications on the west front they guaranteed themselves against a general Anglo-French advance while carrying out grandiose operations on the east front. The position will now be reversed as the Austro-Germans will lie guarding the Vistula, the Nioruen and the Bug, while they make a special effort on the west front, but there arc essential differences. While we tranquilly check the pressure and fall back as far as we like, the Anglo-French retreat has limits and therefore a critical juncture is arriving for the Anglo-French, because the Germans will hurl themselves with freshly-assembled masses on France, forcing a decisive battle, which will settle the issue on the west front and simultaneously conclude the war.”

Other experts declare that Russia would have been imperilling final success if she had accepted a fight to a finish. The present conditions will much abbreviate her front, rendering it easier to withstand the German assaults till she is herself ready to assume the offensive. Local superiority of numbers, due to the network of railways, has not been the principal German advantage, but an enormous preponderance of gun-power. Russia is industrially the least-developed of tin 1 Allies, and it is small,wonder she was unable to keep pace with the fearful wastage of weapons. The necessary steps have now been taken to organise and supplement the output.