3 OCTOBER 1914, Page 9

If we turn to the eastern theatre the indications are

dis- tinctly good. The Petrograd correspondent of the Times sends to Friday's paper a most interesting account of the attempt which the Germans lately made to force the passage of the Niemen at a point some thirty miles down stream from Grodno. The Russians, during an all-night battle in which there were bayonet charges, appear to have given a very good account of themselves. It is very difficult to make out the exact position of affairs, but it would seem that the German army, which now lies somewhere between Breslau and Cracow, is endeavouring to take the offensive, and that we may soon expect to hear of a battle on a very great scale. It seems unlikely that the Austrians will be able to give much assistance to their allies, so hard has been the pounding they have received in the Galician campaign.