L A IS D AND .W A T E K 
August 7, 1915. 
I 
^eoCkorgie}^, 
remembered that the northern railway was pro- 
tected by the line of the Narew, which runs 
parallel to it, and had been saved' by this pro- 
tecting screen six months ago. The southern rail- 
way was only covered by the Russian trenches 
running just before it. But the line of the Narew 
was a lull fortnight ago no longer intact. A full 
fortnight a^o the first crossing of the enemy to the 
further bank of the river had been accomplished; 
.while as to the southern line the enemy had 
reached at the nearest point to within two miles. 
Jt was clear, therefore, that what we may call the 
railway basis of strategy' for the retention of 
iWarsaw was in grave peril. 
As to the second basis, that depending upon 
fftte three fortresses, it looked for a moment as 
though that close and very risky gamble might be 
attempted. 
But it was pointed out, not only in these 
columns, but by all competent observers of the 
situation, that thus to depend upon the " Polish 
triangle " involved two factors which one could 
with difficulty believe to be present. First, the 
elaborate construction of outer works of a tem- 
porary nature — which, by the way, would involve 
the presence of a largely reinforced heavy artil- 
lery — and, secondly, the accumulation within each 
fortress of very large bodies of fully-equipped 
men and immense stores of heavy munitions. 
Short of these two requirements, the attempt to 
hold any one of the three fortresses would fail in 
a few days, while their very retention would be 
