The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-10-17
GERMAN, PUSH
TO,PE.FROGRAD
IS DELAYED
Part of Russian Fleet Drove
Invaders Back
2 GERMAN SHIPS SUNK
On oesel Island Germans Have Ad-
vanced and Captured 2,40o Rus
slams and Many Guns.


London, Oct 17.-Apparently there
| program of the Germans to seize in
| its entirety the Russian island of
| Oesel at the head OF the Gull of Fin
| land Though their troops have now
taken greater portion of the island,
| the aid they had expected from their
| feet in putting down Russian op-
position in adjacent waters is meet
ing with considerable resistance from
the Russian warships.
The Russians are disinclined to
throw their naval vessels into gen
eral engagement with the invaders.
fearing that the superiority of the
Germans would result in losses to
them which would leave open the
pathway through the Gulf OF Finland
up to Petrograd But in small bat
tie with torpedo craft and possibly
light cruisers, the Russians have
sunk two German torpedo boats and
damaged two others in Soeia sound,
TO the north OF 0esel island, while
the Russians themselves lost torpe
do boat destroyer The Germans.
who were accompanied by a battle
ship, put to sea after the engage
ment
The German land forces now are
driving hard against the Svorb penin-
sula. on the southwestern portion OF
the island of Oesel with the object
Of capturing the batteries at Serel
which dominate the eastern entrance
to the Gulf of Riga. According to the
Berlin war Office the Russians in this
region are isolated. but are desperate
ly resisting. Berlin reports also tha.
Ahro island, off the southern coast Of
Oesel. and Runo island, in the middle
of the Gulf of Riga, have been occup
led by Teutonic troops 1t is assert
ed that 2,400 prisoners, thirty guns
twenty-one machine guns and several
airplanes, were captured by the Ger
mans in Oesel
The troops of the Allies are still
keeping their trenches in Flanders
prabably awaiting a betterment OF
soil conditions, which the recent
rains and flooded streams rendered
almost impracticable for attacks
Possibly. however, Field Marshal
Elaig and the French commander OF
his left have not yet sufficiently
pounded the German lines with their
big guns to warrant the turning loose
Of the infantry for further gains Day
and night the British and French
guns are showering the German posi-
tions with the usual mass of steel
which is thrown upon them prior to
an attack. while the Germans at var
ious points. especially in the import
ant salient OF the Ypres-Staden rail
way, are replying vigorously.
To the south along the Aisne front
the Germans, following a lively bonn
bardment have again attacked the
their entertainments. AS has been
customary, however, the French i'm
mediately counter attacked and re-
gained the lost ground
Little fighting of great intensity, ex
cept by the artillery wings of the op-
posing forces, is taking place in any
of the war theatres, but there is
every indication that shortly along
the Isonzo front in the Austro-Italian
zone another big battle will begin
From the head of the Adriatic north
ward to the Bainsizza plateau intense
artillery duels are in progress along
the front lines and against the Aus
trian lines of communication in the
rear Considerable activity is in pro
gress on the Carso front Aerial
raids in force have been resumed by
British naval aviators on German
positions in Belgium. The Bruges
docks and several airdromes have
been successfully bombed