Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-10-14
GERMANS CLEAR GULF OF RIGA
AS POSSIBLE PRELIMINARY
TO ADV ANCE ON PETR0CAD
[Repubiican A. p. Leased Wire1


Germanys most striking military
move since the attack which resulted
in the capture of Riga was started Fri
day on this same Russian front. when
German troops were landed on Oesel
and Dago islands, at the mouth of the
Gulf of Riga
Heavy units of the main German
battle fleet were brought up to assist
IN this operation, some of the dread
noughts appearing off the coast and
covering the landing with their guns,
sllenclng the Russian shore batteries.
Inc Russian forces hampered the pro-
cess in every way possible but consd-
cradle numbers of the Germans appear
to have obtained a footing on the
northwestern coast of Oesel Island and
on the southern shores of Dago Island.
On Oesel island where the Russians
have extensive aviation bases and 9TH
er military establishments the garrison
engaged the invaders.
Petrograd alludes to the German
movement as stubborn effort to clear
the entrance of the Gulf of Riga near
the Courland mainland. Whether it is
much more than this, possibly the fore
runner of an ambitious push for Petro-
grad along the railway line up the Gulf
mined by the moves made so far
The imminence of the early Russian
winter lends color to the assumption
that even if the German high command
is taking these steps as a preliminary
to a march on Petrograd it will hardly
essay the campaign this year. 1t is
pointed out, however, that the demor-
allied state of the Russian armies
might make the operation a compare
lively short and easy one now, in COM
parison with the task a German army
headed for Petrograd would have to
face next spring, if the Russian gov
ernment plans for a regeneration of the
army are carried through.
The more conservative views seems
to be that German effort is aimed at
gaining complete control of the Gulf of
Riga, so as to realize to the full the
advantage gained last month by the
capture of the city of Riga In any
event, however. the move marks a no
table continuation of the German
northward creep along the Baltic coast.
This has given them first all of Cour-
land. then a slice of Livenia and now
has planted them in an advantageous
position off the coast of Esthonia
where they will constitute "a ieonstant
threat to the right flank of the whole
Russian front, now somewhat loosely
anchored on the shores of the Gulf of
Riga, some distance to the southwest.
The heavy rain in Flanders has
turned the plains into such a sea of
mud that neither of the hostile armies
seems able to move. Whether the
weather and the condition of the ground
were the sole reasons which impeleG
the Germans to refrain from meeting
the British advance with speedy coun-
ter attacks however, is considered
doubtful in view of the many corrob-
orative reports of the lowered state Of
the German army morale. Field Mar
shal Haig in any event was left on the
night Of his advance in undisputed pos
session of the valuable ground won.
which the German statement admits
, was three quarters of a mile in depth
at points.
On the French front the Germans
content themselves with lombard
ments in the Verdun region where
there has been heavy infantry fighting
recently, turning their main attention
to the Aisne front and launching "A
series of attacks along the eastern end
of the Chemin Des Danes, between
Hurtebise and Chevreux. The effort
| was a violent one but was checked by
the French. The crown princes troops
| got into the French lines at only one
point and were speedily elected from
| this advanced position.
Sees Strategic Seriousness
PETROGRAD, Oct. 13.-The admi-
| rally does not try to minimize the stra-
! tegic seriousness of the capture of the
| island of Dago which will prove i'm
portant as an enemy base for opera
! tions against Reval and Menace, the
| security of Russian right flank
! Proclamations have been sent to the
! army and fleet calling attention to the
/ growing danger of an attack, even
| upon the capital and exhorting the
men to forget their political differ
ences and turn their energies to the
| defense of the coast. The Germans
have been bombing for several days
| but with little damage to the Russia II
defending fleet 1t is regarded as not
improbable that if they are successful
in holding the islands, air raids upon
| Petrograd will be conducted by the
| Germans from these bases.
| An official statement issued today
said the Germans had been preparing
| for some time for the landing on the
] island of Oesel and Dago and their
| operations were facilitated by the
| weakness of the Russian patrols. The
landing was made with extraordinary
rapidity.
The forces landed are estima ted at
I one or two divisions The loss of the
islands deprives the Russians of their
| heretofore commanding position over
the Gulf of Riga and enables the enemy
| to undertake new operations, probably
in the direction of Hapsal. The loss OF
| the islands necessitates a change in
the Russian army's positions around
Segevold, and withdrawal to the
Venden-Valk line.