Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-19
PART OF RUSSIAN
FLEET IS BOTTLED
UP IN MOON SOUND
Gordon of Teuton Warcraft
Bars Egress Either to
North or South.
BATTLESHIP SLAVA SUNK
BY ENEMY DREADNOUGHT
Fresh DisaHection Reported Both
in German and Austrian
Flotillas.
BAD BLOOD BETWEEN SAILORS
British, and French Guns in Belgium
Still Hammerfng at OPP
posing Positions.
BATTLESHIP SLAVA SUNK
BY ENEMY DREADNOUGHT
BAD BLOOD BETWEEN SAILORS

<hpPt'GiNiy Soillh6 VI IhO iNuo-
sian heet-in all, about twenty war
ships of various classes-are bottled up
In Moon Sound. with n Gordon OF Ger
man warcraft barring their egress
northward back into the Gulf of Fin
land or to the south into the Gulf OF
Riga.
Brave. but outclassed by reason OF
superior gun range and heavier tom
mage, the Russians gave battle to tho
Germans. and attempted to force back
the enemy armada off Oesel Island.
Standing far outside the shell zone
of the Russians. however. the guns Of
the German Dreadnoughts sank the
battleship Slava-a relic Of the days
before the Russo Japanese War-and
so badly damaged other units that
the Russian flotilla was forced to seek
refuge In Moon Sound-lyinE between
Moon Island and the Esthonia coast.
Immediately seeing their advantage.
the Germans, according to the latest
German official communication. began
intensive operations against Moon
Island, hammerng it's eastern shore
batteries until they were silenced, and
also attacking the Russian guns :on
the mainland. putting them out OF
action. Moon Island was captured and
the Russians took refuge inside Moon
Sound.
EXIT BARRED AT BOTH
ENTRANCES TO SOUND
Thereupon. the Germans threw war
ships to the eastern part OF Kassar
Bay. lying to the north of Moon Isfand;-
barring exit from the northern en-
trance to Moon Sound. and also rushed
contingents to the south OF Moon
Island. apparently closing the passage
to the south in the Gulf OF Riga
Already the Germans have attempts
ed to attack from the north into Moon
Sound. but the Russian guns have held
them back successfully. Among the
German warships attacking. the old
line vessels OF the Russian fleet were
at least two Dreadnoughts OF the Gros-
ser Kurfuerst type-vessels dlsplac
25,oOo tons. against 1856 tons for
the Slava. a majority of the Grew OF
the Slava was saved by Russian tor
pedo-boats when the vessel took. its
final plunge.
with this advantage OF the German
naval forces over the Russians, how.
ever. comes news OF fresh disafrection
in the German fleet. and also OF" a
mutiny in the Austrian feet in the
German and Austrian seamen in the
Adriatic. German sailors at Ostend
are reported to have refused to go
aboard submarines for duty, and to
have thrown overheard one of their
officers. In the Adriatic the Austrian
senmen have mutinied owing to Ill
treatment by their officers and the
bad food served to them
MEN ON BOTH SIDES
KILLED DURING FIGHT
The bitterness Of feeling between
the Germans and Austrians at Pola.
Austria's naval base In the Adriatic
resulted In a fight, In which men on
both sides were killed. The trouble
was due to the overbearing conduct
OF the German seamen who were at.
tached to the submarine fotilla, and
1t was necessary as result Of the bad
blood to change the German base In
the Adriatic to point farther south.
On land there have been no battles
Of noteworthy Importance. In Belgium
the British and French guns are still
hammering the German positions but
there has been no indication, either
officially or unoficially. OF when a
renewed infantry attack may be ex-
pected. The French troops of the
southern portion OF the line have.re-
pulsed somewhat strong German att
tacks In the Verdun sector. near Beg
onvauN. and also along the Aisne front.
on the Vauclerc plateau.
On the other fronts only reconnoiter.
ing engagements and bombardments
are in progress
Intensive air fighting took place
Wednesday between the French and
Germans. Eleven German airplanes
were driven down by French aviators,
making a total OF thirty-six DESTROYED
up to that time this week. The Ger.
man War Office asserts that thirteen
French machines were sent to earth
Numerous air raids also have been
carried out by French aviators against
German positions behind the lines.
while Nancy again has been bombarded
by the Germans ~
RUSSIAN BATTLEsHIP ..s
SLAvA SUNK IN FIGHT
fFy Associated Pressl
PETROGRAD. October ls.--A naval
battle has occurred in the Gulf OF
Riga between Russian and German
battleships. the War Office announces,
The Russian battleship Slava was sunk.
ing hit several times on tho water
line. Nearly all the members of, the
crew were saved by Russian torpedo- Il
boats. The announcement follows: h
After depriving US OF control OF
Irbe channel the enemy at night psns+
trated tho Gulf of Riga, whore at dawn
yesterday his naval forces were dis.
covered by our patrol detachment,