New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-20
Russians Quitting Reval as
Petrograd's Peril
Increases
Germans Capture
5000 More Slavs
Begin Conquest of Dago
Island, but Lose Two
Torpedo Boats

government has definitely determined
TO move TO Moscow in the immediate
future, owing to the belief of the Cen
eral staff that Petrograd is now in the
direct war zone, it was officially an
nounced to-day.
The growing threat of anarchy IN
the capital is believed to have COM
bined with the continued successes Of
the Germans In the Gulf Of Riga to
force the governments decision, which
had been hanging fire for some time.
The evacuation of the government
departments has been under way for
many days, 1t was announced to-day by
NJ. Kishkin, Minister of Public Wei
fare. The preliminary Parliament will
not move to Moscow until after it
convenes in Petrograd tomorrow.
Meanwhile no civilians will be allowed
TO go to the new capital except on
government business.
Reval Evacuated
The decision of the government TO
move to Moscow, which was first
broached several months ago. after the
fall Of Riga, and seemed on the verge
Of being completed after the swift
descent Of the enemy on Oesel Island,
10 believed to have been hastened by
the forced civilian evacuation Of the
Baltic port Of Reval, officially an
nounced to-day.
Reval is a strongly fortified naval
base. partly commanding the entrance
to the Gulf Of Finland. and nearest
Of all the Russian fortresses guarding
Petrograd to the zone Of German oper-
ations in the Gulf Of Riga.
It's evacuation constitutes an admis-
sion by the Russian command that the
eneny's joint military and naval cam
paign now threatens to extend TO the
Gulf Of Finland and tho main sea de-
fences Of the caoital, which, however, is
still some 200 miles from the scene OF
fighting.
All reports indicate that the Ger
mans are swiftly developing their sue
cesses in the region of the Gulf OF
Riga, with many intimations that Hin
denburg plans to strike o stunning
blow at weakened Russia, embracing a
naval offensive in the Gulf Of Finland.
with the Aland Islands as a base OF
operations, land drive for the pur-
pose of severing communications be-
tween Petrograd and Moscow. and de-
structive attacks on Russia's chief
cities by fleets of super-Zeppelins.
Heavy Offensive Expected
Already the Germans have begun the
conquest Of Dago Island, the only re-
naming stronghold Of the Russians in
the Gulf of Riga; have completed the
! occupation OF Moon Island. with the
/ capture of 5000 more prisoners. and,
| though meeting with heroic resistance
from the weaker naval units of the
Russians hemmed up in the narrow
waters of Moon Sound, have begun to
push their naval offensive into the
| Gulf of Finland. 1t seems only mat
ter Of hours before German troops will
he landed on the Livonian and Estho-
nian coasts for dangerous opera
! tions against the unprotected right
flank of the Northern Russian armies.
The Germans have not accomplished
their successes without loss. Outnum-
bered and outranged as they have been,
the Russian warships have taken a
heavy toll of the enemy's vessels. In
the naval battle on Wednesday, in
which the Russian battleship Slava was
sunk. two German trawlers were sent
TO the bottom. Yesterday in the mine
fields of Moon Sound two hostile tor
pedo boats went down. Previous re-
ports told of the sinking of two Ger
man destroyers and the cripplng OF a
dreadnought.
Big German Armament
No fewer than ten German dread
noughts Of the newest Kaiser and
Koenig types, ten cruisers, fifty large
destroyers and eight or ten submarines
took part in the naval engagement,
Petrograd says. The Slava, according
to the Russian Ministry Of Marine, was
sunk by her own crew after being un-
able 10 retire with the rest of the feet.
The main Russian Baltic feet. lying
behind the great mine fields of the Gulf
OF Finland, now remains the chief OBJ
stacle 10 continued German naval oper-
atoms beyond the Gulf Of Riga. The
military evacuation of Reval would in
crease the Importance and response
bility Of Helsingfors, Viborg and Kron-
stadt as barriers TO further advance
Of the Kaiser's warships in the direc-
tion of the capital. but the main re-
lance Of the Russians for the defence
Of Petrocrad must rest with the fleet.