The sun., 1917-01-26
GERMANS WIN
ON RIGA FRONT
Gain Il Little Each Day in
i Desperate Battles With
Russians.
BOTH ARMIES REINFORCED
TeutOns Capture IL Officers,
LOO Men in Attacks
on River Aa.

LoNpoN. Jan, ?j.--A struggle OF great
intensity has developed on the Riga
front. where the Germans have broad
ened their success OF yesterday In some
places. though stopped in others by stub
born Russian defence. Both armies have
been reinforced and the Sighting is still
going on.
To-nlght's bulletin from German head
quarters announces that more progress
has been made in that region or frozen
swamps, small lakes and rivulets The
statement issued during the day gave
the details OF the success first announced
! last night, asserting that Russian fort
/ positions on n six mile front had been
taken and that the 1900 prisoners OF
| last night had become LOO.
The Germans made their main attack
! In the triangular space bordered by the
! Gulf OF Risn. the River Aa and the
| Riga-Mtau road, and secondary at
, ta"N west OF the Aa; concerning ,ne
/ secondary attack Berlin and Petrograd
differ. Berlin says II succeeded. Petro-
| grad that it failed.
The main German attack. aimed north
! toward the Gulf of Riga. made progress
| at several points. At its western end.
near the village Of Kalnzem. on the right
! hank OF the Aa. the Russians counter
: !
/ themselves, however. exposed to "A blast
! ing fire from German heavy guns. and
! when their ranks were broken German
! infantry charged and drove them back
| IA third OF inne
Germans Restcn Back.
! ir he centre and right. the eastern
end OF the line. the Germans attacked
time and tine again. Petrograd reports,
the Russian trenches extending across
| the triangle and based upon the Tirul
| marsh, more than ten miles wide. The
| Germans were counter attacked and
thrown from high ground on the eastern
edge of the marsh and near the rail-
I, road town OF st. OLAF.
Thus far the German offensive has
! made much progress in freeing the i'm
! portant railroad centre OF M!tan be-
! hind the German lines. from the menace
of an attack by the Russians from
! favorable positions recently won. The
bag in prisoners is larger. but in guns
far smaller than that of the recent
Russian offensive that the Germans are
now trying to offset.
That both armies are employing large
forces at the northern end OF the front
Is explained by the announcement that
IN Ruinapia, the southern end the ex-
! tremc cold weather continues and II ID
impossible to attempt lighting on a large
scale. This enforced inaction Is to the
| advantage OF the Russians and Ru-
| manans. who are afforded more time
10 strengthen the defences OF the Sereth
line
ts Told OhiciaIl,.
The official statements issued to-day
follow:
German Eastern front-Front Of
Prince Leopold: On both sides of the
River Aa Itiga district) our attacks
brought into our hands several Rus
sian fort positions, on a front of ten
| Kilometres, together with fourteen Of
fcers 100 men and thirteen machine
guns, Strong counter attacks by re-
serves hurried there were ineffective
| in hindering our progress.
On the west bank stormins detach-
ments OF Rhenish regiments went into
the guarded village OF Hemeryniki and
brought back fourteen prisoners
Front of Archduke Joseph: In the
snow covered mountains engagements
among raiding detachments and iso.
lated artillery firing occur daily. Be
tween the kaslno and Putna valleys
Yesterday fifty prisoners were taken
Front OF Field Marshal Won Macken-
sen: Quiet prevails on the Rumanian
plain during the severe cold weather
Along the Danube there was artillery
firing across the river, with outpost
skirmishes.
Russian-Western front: Enemy
formations which after strong artillery
preparation attempted 10 attack our
detachnents north OF Shmarden and
near the northwestern corner of the
Tirul swamp west OF Riga, were driven
back by our fire into their entrench-
lnents.
Persistent attacks by the enemy
against our troops occupying positions
between the Tirul swamp and the
River Aa were first repulsed by our
fire and afterward. as the result Of n
violent counter attack by one OF our
gallant regiments. the enemy was dis
lodged from the hiloclis in the vlc,r-
ity of the eastern outskirts OF the Tirui
swamp. and thrown back.
Southeast of the River Aa our de-
tachments took the offensive in the
direction OF the village of Kalnzen.
The Germans, after bombarding these
detaohments with heavy artillery,
themselves took the offensive and
pressed back our troops northward
: one-third OF a mile.
Obstinate battles are continuing