May 8, 1915. 
LAND AND iffiATEa. 
although it is now nearly three days since the 
matter was decided, or, at any rate, more than 
forty-eight hours. And we cannot but remember 
that similar silence has marked difficult passages 
upon the Eastern field in previous months. 
On the other side of the account we must set 
certain considerations of which the immediate 
future will test the value, though we cannot yet tell 
whether they are of great weight or of small. 
We know, in the first place, that Berlin has 
invariably exaggerated in the last few months the 
successes of the German troops and has been par- 
ticularly prone to lend decisive value to what have 
been proved in the issue to be subsidiary things — 
for instance, the fighting at Soissons, and the de- 
struction of the 20th Eussian Army Corps at 
Augiistowo. 
Again, we know that the moment is extremely 
critical in the matter of neutral intervention. At 
any moment one of the greater neutrals — Italy — 
and possibly another— Roumania — may enter the 
field — with results which will be suggested later 
in this article. There is not the least doubt that, 
at such a critical moment, it will be well worth the 
while of the enemy to exaggerate his success, and 
particularly to give it a sort of lurid character 
which would impress foreign opinion. 
Again, we know from the example of what 
happened in front of Warsaw, last December, that 
if the position is still undecided, it may yet be 
retrieved. Berlin has in the last few months been 
in the habit of crying Victory at the very first 
opportunity it could find, and always before things 
were concluded. 
In front of Warsaw the Eussian line was 
pierced, and it seemed as certain as anything could 
be that Warsaw would fall. In spite of that, we 
know Eussian reinforcements arrived, the breach' 
was healed on the second day, and not only was the 
breach healed, but the Germans, who had broken 
through, were very nearly enveloped and only cut 
their way out with the greatest difficulty. 
We are not yet justified at the moment of 
writing, therefore, in regarding the success which 
the enemy certainly has had as either being upon 
the scale he claims or of the decisive character 
which he also claims : but we shall do well while 
waiting further news to appreciate how very criti- 
cal all that corner is. 
Upon the rough sketch on the following page 
you have the elem.ents of the situation. 
The Eussian line runs from the Vistula up 
the Donajec to the point A ; it is continued through 
Tamow, reposing upon the Eiver Biala and the 
railway which follows that valley. It passes — 
or, rather, passed — through Ciezkowioe (upon thai 
