Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-10-19
GERMANS GAINING
ON GULF OF RIGA
BATTLESHiPS TAKE PART BY
SILENCiNG BIG GUNS OF
RUSSIAN BATTERIES.
HEADED FOR RUSSIAN CAPITAL
Capture Southwestern Coast OF Ose'
and Part of Dago by Fighting
British Hold Gains-French
Put Down Assault.

GerInauyS mOSC SIIlhih5 Ahiii'aiS
move since the attack which resulted
in the capture of Rige was started
Friday on this same Russion front,
when German troops were landed on
Osel and Dago islands, at the mouth
of the gulf of Riga.
Heavy units of the main German
battle fleet were brought up to as
sist in this operation, some OF the
dreadnaught appearing off the coast
and covering the landing with their
guns, silencing the Russian shore bat
teries. The Russian forces hampered
the process in every way possible,
but considerable numbers of the Ger
mans appear to have obtained foot
ing on the northwestern coast OF
Osel island and on the southern
shores Of Dago island. On Osel is
land, where the Russians have ex-
tensive aviation bases and other mill
tary establishments, the garrison en-
gagged the invaders.
After Gulf Of Riga.
Petrograd alludes to the German
movements 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 forerunner of an ambitious push
for Petrograd along the railway line
up the guldf of Finland coast, can
not be determined
The imminence of the early Rus
sian winter season lends color to the
assumption that even if the German
high command is taking these steps
as preliminary to a march on Petro-
grad, it will scarcely essay the cam
paign this year. 1t is pointed out,
however, that the demoralized state
of the Russian armies might make
the operation a comparatively short
and easy one now, in comparison
with the task German army head
ed for Petrograd would have to face
next spring, If the Russian gov
ernment's plans for a regeneration
of the army are carried through.
The more conservative view seems
to be that the German effort is aim
ed at gaining complete control of the
gulf of Riga, SO as to realize to the
1oAi tAO oNAhIo6O SoeihSo Aetoe iiS'AASA'
by the capture of the city of Riga.
In any event, however, the move
marks notable continuation of the
German northward creep along the
Baltic coast. This has given them
all of Courland and a slice of Livonia
and now has planted them in an ad
vantageous position off the coast OF
Esthonia, where they will constitute
a constant 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 rains in Flanders have
turned the plains into such a sea OF
mud that neither of the hostile ar
mics seem able to move.
Germans Lose Warships.
With the armies in Flanders inact
i've, except for commandments, inter
est centers on the operations of the
Germans in the island of Osel, stu
ated at the mouth of the gulf Of Riga
and the key to the entrance to the
gulf of Finland.
At last accounts the Germans, wht
landed under the protection of grea
array Of navy craft, were steadily
pressing back the Russians toward the
southeastern part OF the island ant
the huge armada guarding then
against assault by Russian warships.
Arensburo In Flames.
The entire northern and eastern sec
tions OF the island were in German
hands and the invaders were only
short distance from Arensburg, on tn
southern shore, which was in flames
Cerel, which lies on the Sevorb PENN
sula, the southernmost extremity o
the island. also was on fire. Whethe
the conflagrations were caused by tn
German guns or whether they wer
started by the Russians Is not known
Although the German communities
ton says the Germans suffered n
losses during the landing on Osel Is
and, the Petrograd war office say
that In attempting to cover the land
ing OF the enemy on Dago island, T.
the north of Osel. four German torpe
do boats are reported to have bee
sunk and one cruiser ra nagrount
The small detachment which lande
on Dago island was forced later by tn
Russians to return to the ships, Will
the Russian fleet, which at last az
count had suffered no material dan
age, was hindering the German wa
craft in the waters between Dago an
Osel islands,
On the West Front.
Sunday again saw heavy rainfa
on the front in Flanders and Their
we're only accommodating encounter
and artillery activity.
Milk Producers Combine.
Chicago-Eividence to prove a ni
tionwide plot by milk producers
.l.x