in this locality is heavily wooded, a circumstance which hampered the Russians in opposing the crossing, but subsequently reacted against the enemy, who, being broken up into isolated detachments, were thrown back over the river after hand-to-hand fighting, in which the Russian infantry has, on every occasion, shown its superiority. Our Allies subsequently occupied the country for some distance south of the river with advanced troops, which were not withdrawn till after the evacuation of Lemberg. Von Linsingen failed in his attempts to cross the river at other points. General Pflanzer was more successful. Following up the retirement of the Russians from the Pruth, which began early in June, he carried on June 11 the bridge at Zalesczyki, where the Czernowitz-Tarnopol railway crosses the Dniester, and effected lodgments on the left bank at various points among the great loops of the river below Nizniow.

The retreat of the Third Russian Army in Western Galicia necessitated a corresponding retirement from the line of the Nida in Southern Poland. The Russians fell back slowly from the high ground about Kielce to Ostrovetz and Opatow, their left flank resting on the Upper Vistula about fifteen miles above Sandomir, the remainder of the front south of the Pilitza being readjusted in conformity with these dispositions. This line was maintained down to the evacuation of Lemberg.

The loss of the line of the San may be regarded as having practically decided the issue of the campaign in Galicia. This river forms the natural continuation of the position on the Dniester, and its abandonment was the prelude to the evacuation of the latter. It may be doubted whether, in their subsequent resistance, the Russians had any other object than to secure the orderly evacuation of Lemberg, which, having evidently been carefully arranged, appears to have been accomplished without loss. Once in possession of Lemberg, the enemy had control of the entire railway system of Middle Galicia, which conferred on them the power of moving in any direction without anxiety as to their supplies. The further retention of the Dniester line by the Russians became impracticable on account of the risk of becoming separated from the armies to the north. Vol. 224.-No. 444.

T

The retirement, which is still in progress at the time of writing, shows a complete mastery of the local situation. Beginning with the withdrawal from Mikolajow, it is being effected with perfect regularity by the successive evacuation of the various river-crossings from right to left. On June 30, our Allies held the Dniester from Zalesczyki to Halicz, and, north of the latter, the line of the Gnila Lipa, on the upper course of which connexion is maintained with the army east of Lemberg.

In following the course of the operations now in process of development, the object of the Germans, as outlined in previous articles, should be kept in view. That object has been to gain possession of the line of the Middle Vistula, which would practically give command of the whole of Poland, and that of the San, which would confer a similar advantage with respect to Galicia. The acquisition of this commanding position on the Eastern front would indefinitely postpone a Russian invasion of Germany or Austria, and make it possible to transfer troops to the Western or, perhaps, to the Italian front. A comparative lull in the operations about Lemberg succeeded the occupation of that place, during which, presumably, Von Mackensen was engaged in reforming his army and replenishing supplies. At the end of June the Russians had withdrawn behind the River Bug; and Von Mackensen was beginning a northward advance from the front Sokal-Ulanov which was obliging the Russian army in Southern Poland to fall back from its position west of the Vistula, which it had hitherto maintained against heavy attacks.

The German incursion into the Baltic Provinces has had no direct bearing on the general course of the war, and needs no more than a passing reference. Begun at a period when diplomatic relations with Italy were strained, and when the attitude of America was satisfactory and that of the Balkan States uncertain, the operations were probably intended, in conjunction with the simultaneous offensive in Galicia and previous activity in Belgium, to impress neutral opinion with a sense of the vigour and resources of Germany. But it seems likely that their principal object was to gain possession of the Province of Courland, and of the Gulf and port of Riga, the intention being to hold these conquests until