New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915 | Page 8

warm Spring sunshine.
It was a hopeless enterprise, pitifully futile. It is true that the Austrian
armies sent to relieve the city were only a few days' march distant, but
even if the 20,000 had cut a way through the investing force they would
have found another Russian army between them and their
fellow-countrymen. General Kousmanek, before they started, addressed
them. In a rousing speech he said:
Soldiers, for nearly half a year, in spite of cold and hunger, you have
defended the fortress intrusted to you. The eyes of the world are fixed
on you. Millions at home are waiting with painful eagerness to hear the
news of your success. The honor of the army and our fatherland
requires us to make a superhuman effort. Around us lies the iron ring of
the enemy. Burst a way through it and join your comrades who have
been fighting so bravely for you and are now so near.
I have given you the last of our supplies of food. I charge you to go
forward and sweep the foe aside. After our many gallant and glorious
fights we must not fall into the hands of the Russians like sheep; we
must and will break through.
In case this appeal to the men's fighting spirit were ineffective threats
were also used to the troops, who were warned by their officers that
any who returned to the fortress would be treated as cowards and
traitors. After the General's speech the men were told to rest for a few
hours. At 4 in the morning they paraded and at 5 the battle began. For
nine hours the Austrians hurled themselves against the iron ring, until
early in the afternoon, when, broken and battered, the remains of the
twenty thousand began to straggle back to the town. Exhausted and
disheartened, the garrison was incapable of further effort.
In order to prevent useless slaughter General Kousmanek sent officers

with a flag of truce to inquire about the terms of surrender. These were
arranged very quickly.
In spite of the local value of the victory, and the vastness of the
captures of material as well as of men, it must not be thought, as many
are inclined to think here, that the Novoe Vremya exaggerates
dangerously when it compares the effect likely to be produced with that
of the fall of Metz and Port Arthur.
It certainly brings the end of the Austrians' participation in the war
more clearly in sight. But the Austrians will fight for some time yet.
What it actually does is to free a large Russian force for the operations
against Cracow or to assist in the invasion of Hungary.
What is the strength of this force it would be imprudent to divulge, but
I can say that it certainly amounts to not less than an "army," (anything
from 80,000 to 200,000 men.) Those who are anxious to arrive at a
closer figure can calculate by the fact that the Russians had a forty-mile
front around Przemysl which was strong enough to repulse attacks at
all points. Another very useful consequence is that all the Galician
railway system is now in Russian hands. It makes the transport of
troops much easier.
One further reflection was suggested to me last night by a very
distinguished and influential Russian soldier, holding office under the
Government. "The method which prevailed at Przemysl was as follows:
Instead of rushing against the place and losing heavily, we waited and
husbanded our forces until the garrison was unable to hold out any
longer. That is the method adopted by the Allies. It must in the course
of time force Germany to surrender also.
"Up to now we have held our own against her furious sorties. Soon we
shall begin to draw more closely our investing lines. Only one end was
possible to Przemysl. The fate of Germany is equally sure."
Now all eyes are fixed on the Dardanelles. The phrase on every lip is:
"When the fall of Constantinople follows, then Prussia must begin to
see that the case is hopeless." But we must not deceive ourselves, for
even when her allies are defeated Prussia will still be hard to beat.
Przemysl must not cause us to slacken our effort in any direction or in
the slightest degree.
WHAT THE RUSSIANS FOUND
Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

_LONDON, April 3.--The London Times under date Przemysl, March
30, publishes a dispatch from Stanley Washburn, its special
correspondent with the Russian armies, who, by courtesy of the
Russian high command, is the first foreigner to visit the great Galician
fortress since its fall. He says:_
Przemysl is a story of an impregnable fortress two or three times
over-garrisoned with patient, haggard soldiers starving in trenches, and
sleek, faultlessly dressed officers living