August 7, 1915. 
LAND AND WATER 
menaced by the slow progress of Von Baiow in 
the north. That progress, should it continue un- 
interrupted would indeed forbid a plain straight- 
ening out of the whole series of Russian positions 
But that is a very different thing from the cutting 
off of troops in retreat and the infliction of a d^ 
cisive disaster upon Russian arms. Such a mis- 
fortune would be more likely to come in the ex- 
posed central portions of the positions held at this 
im)ment by our Ally and to be due to the pressure 
of Hindenburg or Mackensen, or both. 
There is another reason for believing the 
Narew front in particular to be the most 
dangerous. 
Supposing the northern railway — ^.Warsaw — ■- 
Petrograd — to be permanently held — that is, 
supposing the enemy to get right across it and 
remain across it anywhere — then its use as an 
