Middletown transcript., 1917-09-15

mino by Cadorna's forces. In fact, a
general retirement of the AuStrians on
that front was predicted. In the bat
ties on the Bainsizza plateau the Ital-
ians captured immense quantities OF
arms and munitions, for the enemy fled
in haste and disorder. Nearer the
coast, the fortress on Monte Hermada
still held out against furious attacks,
keeping the Italians from advancing
on Trieste by that route.
Riga Taken by Germans.
Riga has fallen, the kaiser rejoices
and the war-to-victory party in Ger
many has new argument. But this,
like the Galician affair, is rather a
cheap victory over q disorganized
army, and was expected. The Russians
have retired beyond the River Aa,
fighting fairly well as they went, and
the fierce bravery of the Battalion of
Death enabled them to prepare new
line of resistance.
The taking of Riga gives Germany
complete command Of the Baltic and
the way lies open for an advance on
Petrograd by land, but it is not at all
certain the kaiser will go on to the
Russian capital. The route is long and
through difficult country, and the ad-
vantages of possessing Petrograd
might be offset by such an extension
of his lines just as winter is at hand
At the time of writing, it appears like
ly that the German Baltic fleet will
meet the Russian sea forces in battle
in the Gulf Of Finland. 1t is believed
the fortified island of Osel at the head
OF the Gulf of Riga and the port of
Reval, which guards the entrance to
the Gulf of Finland, cannot hold out
long, and the Russian fleet thus is like
ly to be cooped up under the guns of
kronstadt, the great fortress that pro-
tects the port of Petrograd.
Part of the German fleet already has
been sighted at the entrance to the
Gulf of Finland.
Germany's offensive against Russia
appears to have been timed to coincide
with an expected conference.-the
planned to restore autOcracy in Russia
The plot however, was uncovered and
many arrests of grand dukes and 9TH
ers have been made.
General Alexieff, former commander
In chief and General Vassilkovski.
commander of the Petrograd garrison,
agreed Thursday that the fall of Riga
did not threaten Petrograd and was of
moral but not strategic Importance.
On the Western Front.
In France and Flanders the week
brought little change in the positions
OF the opposing armies, though the
fighting was uninterrupted The Brit
ish deluged the German lines in Bel
GUM with shell fire that indicated an
other drive, and there were reports
that Grown Prince Ruprecht was pre-
pairing to execute another strategic
retreat" to the Courtrai-T -Thourout line
and thus give up strip of territory
east OF Ypres from ten to twenty miles
deep. This would help the allies on
their way toward the German subma-
rine bases at Zeebrugge and other
ports on the Belgian coast.
The Germans made several air raids
on England, killing number of per-
sons, especially at Chatham, and one
of their U-boats shelled Scarborough.
The British press exhibits some un-
easiness lest the Germans have "got
the jump on the allies in the matter
of increased air forces. The United
States, however, is coming fast in this
respect, building machines as rapidly
as possible and training big army of
aviators, here and abroad.
Again on Thursday night the Ger
man aviators devoted their attention
to the French hospitals behind the
Verdun lines, bombarding them for six
and half hours and killing 10 soldiers
who already were severely wounded.
If cablegram from Shanghai is to
be believed, China is about to enter
into active participation in the war
The Twenty-fourth army corps, COM
posed of $4,000 picked troops from the
northern provinces, is said to be mobil-
lied for immediate departure for Eu-
rope, probably through Siberia to the
eastern front to assist the Russians
md Roumanians. The corps includes
several companies of engineers Off
sered by Chinese graduates of Ameri-
can colleges, and an aviation corps
trained by American and French air
men. These troops would be the first
to fight in Europe since the
line Of Genghis Khan, 800 years ago.
Argentina two weeks ago was rejoic-
ng over supposed diplomatic victory
over Germany in the matter Of u