The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-18
Berlin Claims Enemy Fleet
Is Trapped With ALI
Exits Barred
CAPTURE 10000 MEN
ON >OESEL ISLAND
No Infantry Attack In
Flanders But Artillery ,
Resumes Pounding

(Associated Press War Summary
Russian and German battleshipa
had an engagement yesterday in the
Gulf Of Riga, the clash occurring
during the pressing Of the German
operation aimed at acquiring COM
plete control of the gulf, which the
Germans began recently by seizing
Oesel island of the entrance.
The Russians seem to have put up
spirited fight against heavy odds
and finally to have retired into the
protected waters of Moon sound, just
north Of the gulf, after losing the
battleship Slava. Nearly all the
Slava's crew were sayd.
The Germans, the Russian account
indicates, pushed their way into the
gulf after having gained control OF
the principal channel and threw for
ward their lighter units. These were
detected by the Russian patrols and
driven back by the Russian main
fleet, which included apparently only
two old type battleships and a fairly
modern armored cruiser, the Bayan.
The German dreadnoughts were
soon encountered by the Russians,
however, and by virtue of their long
range, they were able TO stand Off be-
yond reach of the Russian guns and
pour q DESTRUCTIVE fire into the Rus
Sian vessels, sinking the Saliva and
compelling the others TO retreat
The Germans made an attempt
early in the war to seize the Gulf OF
Riga, meeting defeat in a naval
engagement there in August, 1915.
The Russians reported the, German
losses at one dreadnouRht, two
cruisers and eight torpedo boats
sunk, the dreadnought being torpedo
ed by O. British submarine then in
Baltic waters. Berlin admitted the
loss OF only one small German war
ship and the damaging OF two others,
while the Russian losses were declar-
ed by Berlin to be two gunboats and
torpedo boat.
Berlin's report today on yester-
days naval engagement claims the
trapping Of the Russian naval forces
in the Gulf OF Riga, declaring that
German naval units are In a position
to command the route out, north OF
Oesel island, thus barring the Rus
sian passage westward. The state
ment announces the capture of 10000
prisoners and fifty guns on Oesel is
land.
There has been more trouble among
sailors OF the German feet, accord
ing TO a report from Amsterdam.
This tells of a mutiny at Ostend.
where sailors. who refused to 80
aboard submarines. threw one OF
their officers into the sea. Later
thirty Of the mutineers were taken
in irons to Bruges.
Field Marshal Haig is keeping his
infantry in their trenches on the
Flanders front while the heavy bonn
bardment OF the German lines con-
unues. His report today throws lit
81 Nfnrka En hal
Of an early resumption of the Brit
ish attack, mentioning merely the
points on the front where the Ger
man reciprocal fire was smartest and
reporting a successful British raid.
There has been infantry lighting
on the French front. although ap-
parently not on a large scale. The
Germans attacked northeast OF Ver-
dun, near BezOnvaux, but met with
a repulse. The artillery battle Is still
spirited in much of the Verdun area
and on the Aisne front along the
Chemin -des Danes.
Air fighting between French and
German machines has been unusually
intense in the last few days and to-
days Paris statement indicates little
let-up in the marked activity on both
Sides. So far this week thirty-siW
German machines have been drives
down by the French.
The Germans have picked the town
OF Nancy as the particular objective
OF their latest bombing raids. They
visited Il again In force last evening.
thirty machines taking part I'm the
attack. Some casualties among the
civilian population are reported.
French airmen carried out numerous
raids
Gets Thirteenth Maehina.
Paris. Oct. 1s.-Lieut. Raoul Luf-
bury, Of Wailingford. Conn, member
OF the F'ranco-American flying corps.
who recently was cited in French
army orders as an incompatible