Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-14
Russian Shore Batteries On
Gulf of Riga Islands 81
fenced by Teuton Guns. !
ACTION MAY FORECAST
DRIVE FOR PETR0GRAD
Constant Threat to Slav Armies
Anchored on Sea Coast-Ensmy >
Filters Also Bomb Transports.

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 Ger
man troops were landed on Oesel and
Dago islands. at the mouth of the Gulf
of Riga.
Heavy units of the main German bat
tie fleet we're brought up TO assist III
this operation, some of the dreadnaughts
appearing off the coast and covering
the landing Will, their guns, silencing
! the Russian shore batteries. The Rus
sion forces hampered the process in
every way possible, but considerable
numbers Of the Germans appear to
have obtained footing on the north
western coast of Oesel Island and on
the southern shores Of Dago Island. On
Oesel Island, where the Russians have
extensive aviation bases and other mill
tary establishments. the garrison engag-
ed the invaders.
Would Clear Gulf Entrance.
Petrograd ailudes to the German
movement as a stubborn effort to clear
the entrance of the Gulf of Riga near
the Courland mainland. Whether II is
much more than this, possibly the for
runner of an ambitious push for Petro-
grad along the railway line up the Gulf
of Finland coast, can hardly be deter
mined by the moves made so far.
The conservative view seems to be
that the German effort is aimed at
gaining complete control of the Gulf
of Riga. so as to realize to the full
the advantage gained last month by
the capture OF the city of Riga. In
any event. however. the move marks a
notable continuation of the German
northward creep along the Baltic coast
| This has given them, first, all OF Cour-
land then slice of Liyonia and now
has planted them in an advantageous
position off the coast OF Esthonia.
where they will constitute constant
/ threat to the right flank of the whole
Russian front. now somewhat loosely
anchored on the shores of the Gulf Of
Riga, some distance to the southwest
Russian Official Report.
BY the Associated Press.
PETROGRAD. Oct 13.-The Germans
landed attachments yesterday on the
coast of the Gulf of Tagalah, on the
north of Oesel Island. and near the vii
lage OF Serro, on the southern part of
Dago Island, the war office announces.
The Russian coast batteries were silenced
by German dreadnaughts.
The statement says ali measures have
been taken against the invaders The
text reads:
Northern front-There were fusil-
ladies' and reconnoissances. On the west
tl..U-. ssxat-T, fro 70 dCh
ing was limited to fusillades. The gall
liant Col. Fastykovsky, temporarily
commanding an army corps. was
wounded by a bullet while inspecting the
trenches.
ION the Rumanian front there were
fusilIades. On the Caucasian front In
the region of Erzingan and kalkin the
Turks attempted to approach our posi-
tons but We're repealed.
''In the Baltic, in the region OF the
Gulf of Riga. the enemy made several
air raids. On Wednesday nine enemy
aircraft dropped twenty-three bombs
in the region of Cerel on our trans
ports One transport steamer was
slightly damaged. Our airmen by
daring attack dispersed the enemy ma
chimes and drove two OF them into the sea.
THE enemy is working stubbornly
to clear the entrance to the Gulf of
Riga near the Courland coast. Yester-
day under cover Of naval forces sew
eral times superior to our defending
detachments the enemy landed detach-
ments on the coast of the Gulf of Tag
allah, on the Island of OeseL Another
detachment was landed near the village
of Serro. on the southern part of the
Island of Dago. The coast batteries
were silenced by the powerful fire of
the enemy dreadnaughts. The enemy
activities have been rendered difficult,
however by moles which We construct
ed and owing to bad visibility.
THE garrison of Oesel is engaged in
1rh ha
been landed and all measures have been
taken against these invaders.
In the Black sea yesterday an enemy
submarine hombarded the port of
Tuapse and discharged twenty shells
our coast batteries opened fire, sup
ported by rife fire. and the submarine
submerged and quickly disappeared"