The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-23
SEVERE LOSSES
SUSTAINED Blythe
GERMAN FLEET IN
THE BALTIC SEA
Two Dreadnoughts, Cruiser
and II Torpedo Boats
Put Out Of Action
THEIR FATE NOT
KNOWN TO RUSSIANS
At Least Six Torpedo Boats
Known To Have
Been Sunk
CBy Associated Press.)

Petrograd, Oct. 23.-Two German
dreadnoughts, one cruiser, twelve
| torpedo boats and one transport were
put out Of action by the Russians in
the fighting around the islands in the
Gulf OF Riga last week. but their
ultimate fate is unknown, says an
official statement issued by the Rus
sian admiralty. II has been estab-
| lishsd that at least six German torpedo
boats were sunk In the fighting. The
Russians lost the battleship Slava
and a large torpedo boat.
The admiralty staff, in its review
of the fighting, says the Russian
units fought excellently against the
superiority OF the Germans. The
statement reads:
During Oct. q, important enemy
naval forces, together with trans
ports, were sighted by our troops in
the Gulf of Riga. In Moon sound the
enemy seemed to be clearing the
water of distractions we laid down.
There was no naval action during
the day, but enemy submarines were
discovered in the Gulf Of Finland.
"As the naval operations in the
Baltic isles have now ended, 1t Is
possible to review them. The task
OF our fleet in this region was. with
as a base, to prevent enemy attempts
to seize the Gulf Of Riga and Moon
sound. So long as the German feet
employed in such an operation only
elements OF minor Importance. as in
1915, namely, two dreadnoughts, our
naval forces could cope with them.
Beaten of in 1915.
"tn 1915. although our position in
Moon sound was organized incom-
pletely, we repulsed successfully all
attacks and the enemy, during three
days possession Of the Gulf of Riga,
suffered losses so grave he was
obliged to depart. A similar attempt
in 1916 with unimportant forces fail
ed completely.
In the recent operations the
enemy employed the major part OF
his fleet and his overwhelming su-
periority enabled him to carry out
debarkation rapidly and successful
ly. Our fleet only was able to do its
best to hinder their efforts and TO
infiict maximum losses. With this
object we delivered a series of at
tacks, using all the naval resources
In our possession.
"As a result OF these operations the
enemy lost through mines, submarine
attacks and artillery fire, two dread
noughtS, one cruiser, twelve torpedo
boats, one transport and numerous
mine sweepers. all OF which were put
out OF action. Their ultimate fate is
unknown. We have established the
actual loss only OF six enemy torpedo
boats, two of whom were Of the
small type and were sunk by gunfire
from our position on Moon island.
The other torpedo boats were sunk
in combats or blown up by mines.
The wreck OF the torpedo boat T-69
is visible on a sand bank in Kassar
bay. Further, our coast batteries
sank four enemy torpedo boats.
Our losses are the ship OF the line,
Slava, and a large torpedo boat
destroyer OF the Grom type. The
efficiency OF our other ships has been
maintained completely"
German torpedo boats OF the T-G9
class were built in 1891, have a
complement OF is men and are 154
feet in length.
The Russian battleship slava, 13.-
SIG tons displacement. whose loss
has been reported previously, had q
complement OF S25 men and was $40
feet in length.
The Russian destroyers OF the
Grom type were built I'm 1914, are S21
feet long and have a complement Of
93 men.