The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-10-17
RUSSIANS ARE FIGHTING
DESPERATELY IN GULF !
OF RIGA SECTION
3German Land Forces on Oesel Island
4y$ Isolate the Russian Troops,
Capturing Many Prison
3#. ers and Guns.
HUNS REPULSED ON WATER
Allies Keeping to Trenches in Fland-
A ers-Germans Penetrate Ver-
dun Lines But Fail to
1 Maintain Them.

The German land forces now are
driving hard against the Svorb penin-
sula, on the island of Oesel, with the
object of capturing the batteries at
Serel, which dominate the eastern en-
trance to the Gulf of Riga Accord
ing to the Berlin war office the Rus
slams in this region are isolated, but
are desperately resisting.
- Berlin reports also that Abro Is
land, off the southern coast of Oesel
and Runo Island, in the middle of
the Gulf of Riga, have been occu-
pied by Teutonic trops. 1t is assert
Ell that 2,400 prisoners, thirty guns,
: twenty-one machine guns and several
airplanes were captured by the Ger
mans in Oesel.
TO Seize Whole Island.
Apparently there has been no ces-
oation in the rapid progress of the
Germans to seize in it's entirety the
Russian island of Ocsel, at the head
OF the Gulf of Finland. But although
their troops now have taken the
greater portion of the island, the aid
they had experienced from their fleet
in putting down Russian opposition
IN adjacent waters is meeting with
considerable resistance from the Rus
sian warships.
Russians Cautious.
The Russians are disinclned to
throw their naval vessels into a gen
eral engagement with the invaders,
fearing that the superiority of the
Germans would result in losses to
them which would leave open the
pathway through the Gulf of Finland
up to Petrograd. But in small bat
tie with torpedo craft and possible
light cruisers the Russians have sunk
two German torpedo boats and dam
aged two others in Socla Sound, to
the north of Oescl Island, while the
Russians themselves lost a torpedo
boat destroyer. The German vessels,
which were accompanied by battle
ship, put out to sea after the engage
ment.
Keeping to Trenches.
The troops Of the Entente Allies
are still keeping to their trenches in
Flanders, probably awaiting bet
terment of soil conditions, which the
recent rains and flooded streams rem
dered almost impractcablc for at
tacks.
Possibly, however, Field Marshal
s his left have not yet sufficiently
pounded the German lines with their
big guns to warrant the turning loose
of the infantry for further gains.
Day and night the British and French
guns are showering the German posi-
tons with the usual mass of steel,
Which is thrown upon them prior to
an attack, while the Germans at
various points, especially in the i'm
portant salient of the Ypres-Staden
Railway, are replying vigorously.
French Regain Line.
To the south, along the Aisne front,
the Germans, after a lively lombard
ment, have again attacked the French
and succeeded in penetrating the en-
trenchments. The French Immediate
ly counter-attackcd and regained the
lost ground.
Little fighting of great intensity is
taking place in any Of the war thea
ters, but there is every indication that
shortly along the Isonzo front in the
Austro-ltalian zone, another big bat
tie will begin. From the head of the
Adriatic northward to the Bainsizza
plateau intense artillery duels are in
progress along the front lines and
against the Austrian lines of commu-
ncation in the rear.
Air raids have been resumed by
British naval airplanes on the Ger
man positions in Belgium The
Brugges dock and several airdomes
were successfully bombarded
O.
Washington, Oct. 15.--Fcleral court
~ - = 4 a