Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-10-14
Two Strategic Islands. Bases
for Extensive Aviation and
Military Stores, Fall Into
Hands of KaiSer's Forces.
TEUT0NS MAY ATTEMPT
TO CAPTURE CAPITAL.
Heavy Rains Stop All Fighting
Except Mutual Bombard-
ment on British Front;
Crown Prince Loses Again.


Germany's most striking military
move since the attack which resulted
in the capture of Riga was started
Friday 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,
silencing the Russian shore batteries.
The Russian forces hampered the
process in every way possible but
considerable numbers of the Germans
appear to have obtained footing on
the northwestern coast of Oesel is
land and on the southern shores Of
Dago island. On Oesel island where
the Russians have extensive aviation
bases and other military esta blish-
meflts, the garrison engaged the in
vaders.
Petrograd alludes to the German
movement as stubborn effort TO
clear the entrance of the Gulf of
Rlga near the courlRd mainland.
Whether 1t is much more than this,
possibly the forerunner OF an ambi-
tious push for Petrograd along the
railway line up the gulf of Finland.
can hardly be determined by the
moves made so far.
The imminence of the early Russian
winter leads color to the assumption
t1ot away, ~ tho Ca,,o,on biuh cNvro
mand is taking these steps as a pre-
liminary to a march on Petrograd,
it will hardly essay the campaign
this year. 1t is pointed out, how
ever. that the demoralized state of
the Russian armies might make the
operation O comparatively short and
easy one now, in comparison with the
task a German army headed for Pet
rograd would have to face next
spring. IL the Russian governments
plans for a regeneration Of the army
are carried through.
Gulf Control Probable Aim.
The more conservative view seems
to Re that the German effort Is ainAei
at gaining complete control OF the
Culf of Riga, so as to realize to the
full advantage gained last month by
the capture of thee city of Riga. In
any event, however. the move marks
n notable continuation of the German
northward creep along the Baltic
coast. This has given them first all
of Courland, then slice of Lvonia
and now has planted them in an ad-
vantageous position off the coast OF
Esthonia, where they will constitute
n constant threat to the right flank
of the whole Russian front. now
somewhat loosely anchored on the
shores of the Gulf of Riga, some dis
tance to the southwest.
The heavy rain in Flanders has
turned the plain 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
in,pelled the Germans to refrain from
meeting the British advance with
speedy counter attacks, however, Isl
considered doubtful in view of the
many cofroboratfve reports Of the
lowered state of the German army
morale. Field Marshal Haig in any
event, was left on the night of his
advance in undisputed possession RI
the valuable ground won, which the
German statements admit was three
quarters Of 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 fight
iEg recently, turning their main at
tention to the Aisne frbnt and launch-
ing a series of attacks along the
eastern end of the Chemin-Des-
Danes. between Hurtebise and Chew
reux. 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 ad-
vanced position.