The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-10-19
HUNSISTRNNGT TO I
OPEN RIGA GULF.
Have Already Captured Island Of
oeseI and Are Making Sub
~, Stantial Progress 2

NEW 1DhN, october l1---( AssO-
ciated Press) --Determined efforts on
the part Of the Germans 70 seize the
shore positions commanding tifB en5
trance of the Gulf of Riga, TO upeIbthat
waterway to German shipping, whereby
the supplying of the German army
along the northern section of the East.
ern front may be simplified and the
pressure upon the German railroads re.
dueed, form the outstanding features
of the war dispatches Yesterday from
Europe.
& The Teutons are making substantial
progress in carrying out their designs.
They are completing the capture Of the
largest island Mt the mouth OF the gulf,
the island of Oesel, and have occupied
the islands Of Arbo and Runa. The nj
innate plan is to seize the Svorb PENN.
sula and complete the conquest OF the
Riga coast line No attempts have vet
been made to cross over from the isl.
ands 10 the mainland .....r.
In the operations so far on Oesel, the
Germans have taken the capital town
and made prisoners Of twenty four hun.
dred Russians. while the rest Of the
garrison Is being driven south into the
Svorb peninsula and north. Twenty
one machine guns and thirty cannons
are part Of the German spoil.
Russian Fleet Inactive
The Russian feet. which has been
guarding the entrance to the Gulf of
Riga, shows no inclination to engage
in q general naval battle and has failed
TO furnish the assistance to the land
garrisons that had been expected. Fol.
lowing the first clash between the Ger.
man accommodating squadrons, in the
course of which the Russians DESTROYED
four of the German light ships, the
Russian ships have not reappeared
The shore batteries were at first able
to reply to the 9uas of the German
dreadnoughts, but were eventually 81.
fenced.
The artillery battle on the Bainsizza
Plateau between the Italians and Aus.
TRANS is growing hourly in intensity
with the Italian guns clearing the way
for a further advance. The Italian
gunners are working up to hurricane
IRE, while the Austrian reply is grow
ing feebler. An Italian infantry ad.
vance is hourly Expected.
Lull in Flanders ..
Weather conditions are improving
slowly in Flanders and the armies there
are at a standstill, although the Brit
ish guns have been brought closer ia
the new front and have opened heavy
fire upoR the German lines east OF
Broodseynde.
On the Aisne front there was heavy
fighting yesterday, the German shock
troops forcing their way against the
French for early gains. The French
reinforeements managed to retrieve
the day, but there were heavy losses
on both sides. "
Ayiators Raid Huns
Failing to advance on the ground, the
British offensive in Flanders, yester.
day took the form of series of heavy
air raids against German military posi-
tons. Dozens of strategic points in
Flanders and Belgium held by the
enemy were visited by battalions OF
machines which dropped tons Of ex
plosives on them. ..'. o..
ROulers suffered heavily from the
aerial bombardment. British aviator,
reported that the arsenal quarterinR q
new Herman regiment caught fire anC
was destroyed while the machine gut
operators in planes flying at low alti
tude poured a whitening fire into thu
ranks of the regiment as they fec
from the burning building. Enormou,
casualties were inflicted not only here
but at Bruges, Varssennaere, Houttaye
in the last two town airdOmes beins
destroyed, while at Bruges the docks
were heavily bombed. - Z
All planes that took part in the raid,
returned safely to their bases. Two
German planes were shot down, while
one British patrol plane is missing.
The casualties for the week s fight
ing in Flanders, are 1906.