The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-10-19
EVACUATION 0F
REYAL ORDERED;
FEAR OFFENSIVE ( \
Sailors Keen to Fight But Not
Allowed to Meet Superior
EXODUS TO INTERIOR
OF RUSSIA COMMENCES
Defenses Of Gulf Of Riga Practi-
cally Abandoned by slav.
Defenders
BLAME BRITISH FLEET.

BLAME BRITISH FLEET.
London, Oct. 19.-The Daily
Mail condemns what it calls the
failure Of the British fleet to pre-
vent the German fleet from be.
coming master of the Gulf Of Riga
and demands that "the admiralty
explain this humiIiating display
in the Baltic"
After recalling the successes Of
the British submarines against the
Germans in the Baltic in the sum.
mer and autumn Of 1915, the
newspaper says:
"The Germans have accomp-
Iished all they we're prevented
from achieving in 1915, and they
have done so without single
blow being struck at them by any
arm of the British navy, a navy
far stronger than it was two
years ago, and recently reinforced
by the addition Of the American
fleet"
Petrograd, Oct. 19.-The govern
ment has definitely determined to
move to Moscow in the very near
future, according to an announcement
made by Minister of Public Welfare
Kishkin today The newspapers. pub.
lish an official announcement that the
evacuation of the fortified port,,of
Reval, on the Baltic at the: entrance
to the Gulf of Finland, has begun
The schools at Reval have been
closed, and the inhabitants of the
city are being sent into the interior
of Russia. ,... ..%.....,...~..,l
a-e,' +s,--a' Keen. 70 .Eiuhf.cr,.fS,r = + =. .
The sailors of the main Baltic feet
are reported to be keen to fight. The
men at Kronstadt are. demanding that
the ships be sent out to meet the
Germans, but the, government is tln.
derstood to have taken the position
that as the enemy forces are of supe-
rior size it would be disastrous to
leave Petrograd undefended. .@,: =,
Two German torpedo boats were
sunk in the mine fields in Moon Sound
yesterday, the war office announces.
After the capture of Riga by the
Germans preparat ti0ns for the removal
of the government to Moscow were
begun. The failure of the Germans
to develop their offensive after taking
Riga, as we'll as approach of winter
weather, making open campaigning
impracticable relieved the fears for
the safety of Petrograd for the near
future. Last week announcement was
made that the preparations for trans
ferring the seat Of government had
been stopped, as there was no pros
pect that such action would be neces-
sary, at least for some time.
Ancient Capital.
The new offensive operations OF the
Germans, resulting in the capture OF
Oesel and Moon islands, and the
threat Of an invasion Of Esthon1a
again changed the situation. however,
and may be responsible for the de-
cision to remove the government to
Moscow, the ancient capital. The tur'
bulent political conditions in Petro'
grad, the presence there Of large num-
bers of extremists and agitators may
also have Influenced the cabinet.
Reval a town of about $4,000, 200
miles southwest Of Petrograd, is
naval station, and with Helsingfors
c,d Hango on the northern coast OF
guards the approaches to tho
gulf. The landing OF German forces
on the Esthonian coast would menace
this town from the rear.
In the battle of Wednesday,, in
which the Russian battleship Slava
was sunk, two German trawlers were
sent to the bottom. and hits were OBJ
tained by Russian battleships on Ger
man dreadnaughts. The statements
said not less than 10 of the German
dreadnaughts of the newest kaiser
and koenig types took part In this
battle.
The Germans on Wednesday began
to land troops on Dago island, south
of the entrance to the Gulf Of Finland,
Two Russian infantry regiments, TO-
taling 5000 men, were captured on
Moon island, in the Gulf of Riga, 1t
is announced officially at Berlin. The
island is now completely in posses
sion of the Germans.
MOSCOW PREFERRED.
Washington, D. c.. Oct. 19.-Russlan
officials here had no official dispatches
today on the moving of the provision
al government to Moscow. Ever since
the removal of the capital from Petro'
grad was first discussed, Russian or
ficials here have reiterated that the
Kerensky government felt it could
work with fewer hampering influences
in Moscow than in Petrograd, which
is the center of opposition.
ATTACK ON A'sNE.
Paris. Oct. 19-The French last
night attacked the German lines on
the Ajsne front, after heavy bonn
bardment. The war Office reports that
the German positions were peaetrat'
ed and that 100 prisoners were taken.
4 German attack on the Verdun front