The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-20
Sharp Local Thrusts Against
Front Commanded by Crown
Prince Bring Gains
RUSSIANS WILL MAKE
MOSCOW THEIR CAPITAL
Removal of Seat of Govern
ment Expected to Inspire
People-Teutons Lose Four
Boats in Naval Battle

| London. Oct ls.~-Indications of a
the Aisne before winter sets in are
accommodating. The last twenty-four
| hours we're marked by u series OF
sharp local thrusts against the Ger
man crown princes positions south of
Laon. which brought the French at
tackers valuable results.
| The Teuton lines were penetrated
near Braye-en- Laonnois ana Laffaux
hill. The 100 prisoners brought back
turned out to belong to no fewer
| than four different dtvisions--so, 90
men--Ehlch shows that the Germans
retain heavy concentration of
troops In that sector. A successful
French local attack also was carried
| out between the Aisne and Miette,
serious losses being inflicted upon the
| Germans.
Teuton flyers have again raided
Dunkirk. the French coast fortfe ss
Twenty bombs Were hurled on the
town. There were no Victims Two
German machines were brought down
Tuesday. not previously reported.
From the Flanders front only an
unsuccessful German raid and vio-
lent Teuton artillery activity Is re-
ported The German heavy guns are
being concentrated on the new British
positions In The -neiSahorhood 81 tho
Menin read and around zonnebeke.
British aviators carried out anot ar
raid on German works and "a -
dromes behind. good results being
observed.
Moscow. Rusasa's holy city," la to
take Petrograd's place as the capital
Evacuation Of Petrograo was officially
annntneQ4 Fxw eh@ al
ment today. 1t win be begun within
the next few days. The step, long
contemplated, Is at last taken in face
of the powerful Teuton feet now in
and around the gulf of Riga, ready
for drive into the gulf OF Finland.
Removal Of the government to the
ancient capital IL expected to unite
and inspire the Russian people rather
than to d!shearten them. For Mos
COW means to every Russian man. wo-
man aIad child the sacraa spot In the
whole vast realm.
The entire civil population OF the
big sea fortress, Reveal, eco miles to
the southwest of Petrograd, Is being
removed. Reyal ia the first main
land barrier the Teuton fleet will en-
counter on Its expected drive into the
Finland gulf
The Germans lost two torpedo
boats and two trawiers in the last
naval comoats for Moon island, which
lies between oesel ana the Russian
mainland he Russian war office
also stated that hits were landed by
the Russian battleship guns on Ger
man dreadnoughts
The whole of Moon island Ia now
in German hands, Berlin announces.
An additional 5000 men have been
captured. bringing the total number
OF prisoners so far announced up to
1900.
Preparatory to attacking the ap-
proaches to the gulf OF Finland, the
Germans have landed troops on Dago
island.
The sailors of the Russian Baltic
fleet are eager to fight. according to
official Petrograd advices. For the
present, however. that fleet is being
held IN the safe recesses of the gulf,
waiting the next German move.
The fate of the twenty Russian
warships, a portion of the Russian
Baltic fleet, at last accounts bottled
up In the Moon sound, is stll uncer-
tain. Nor Is 1t known precisely to
what extent the probable loss OF this
portion has crippled the Baltic fleet
All dispatches from Russian sources
lay stress upon the overwhelming SUI
periority of the Teuton squadron. Its
strength ia officially given az follows.
Ton drcadnoughts, ten cruisers, fifty
destroyers and ten submarines.
Among the dreadnoughts IL at least
half q dozen of the kaiser's newest
ana most formidable sea fighters,
ships Of the Kurfuerst and Kaiser
types, whose tonnage ranges from "a
600 to 32,e00---three times as power
full as the battleships so far men
toned ON the Russian side.