Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-20
PETR0GRAD SHAKY;;
KR0NSTADT FALLS
Anti-BoIshevik Cavalry Cuts
Rail Lines Surrounding
Old Capital.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The bolshevik hold upon Petrograd,
which although repeatedly reported
captured was still in bolshevik hands
at latest reports from accepted
sources, is rapidly weakening. and the
fall of the city seems imminent. &C
cording to today's official advices from
the British war Office.
Kronstadt. the great island fortress
defending the old capital from the sea
side. capitulated Friday, and there is
nothing now to prevent the advance
Of the Esthonian troops along the
shore toward Petrograd. which the
fortress guns had thus far held up.
~ ~ Gireainee Bald by Cavalry ,s ss',
& Aiiti-bolshevik cavalry, in a wide
circling raid. have swept around the
city, starting n1 appa y, ay.h from the
have cut all three Of the remaining
railroads connecting Petrograd with
the rest of Russia. The main line to
Pskov and Berlin. with Its branch to
Reval fell into the hands Of Gen.
Yudenitch when Gatchina was taken.
His cavalry now have cut the Vi
tebsk line. running directly south
from Petrograd through Tsarsko Selo
and Pavlovsk, at a point about twenty
FIVE miles from the city. the main trunk
line to MOSCOW was reached and cut
Petrograd, where the destruction of
the bridge over the Tosna river
would insure an interruption of traffic
with the capital for a considerable
time: and the road running eastward
to vologda. which closely follows the
No ~ h0
stroyed at a point south Of Lake La
doga.
Bolshevist reinforcements. which.
Trotsky announced, were being rush
ed to the defense of the city. now
must be detrained full days march
from the south. must fight their way
into Petrograd through serious oppo-
sition, as is shown by the destruc-
ton Of a bolshevist division in the
vicinity of Krasno Selo.
Fate of Baltic Fleet.
Nothing is known of the fate of the
Baltic fleet, the remnants of which
have been lurking in the shelter Of
Kronstadt. but if. as seems possible
from the dispatches. the fortress fell
not as the result of assault and land
ing, but by surrender from within.
the spirit of the garrison probably
is shared by the ships crews, COM
posed of the same elements.
The fall of Kronstadt is vastly i'm
portant. not only strategically. but
also for it's effect on bolshevist
morale. It has been considered i'm
pregnable to attack from sea or land
and the members of its sailor garri-
SON have been from the outset of the
revolution the stoutest supporters of
the bolshevist cause.
White Flag at Kronstadt.
LONDON, October 20.-The white
flag was hoisted over the Russian
fortress of Kronstadt Friday, 1t was
announced by the British war office
TO-DAY. No details as to the circum-
stances of the raising of the flag had
come TO the war office, 1t was stated
The war office further announces
that Pskov, the important railway
junction town about $50 miles south
of Petrograd, is under bombardment
by the Esthonfan troops Petrograd
is reported to be preparing for siege.
Machine guns are posted to command
the principal streets and supplies Of
food are being brought into the city.
Petroerad is virtually isolated, the
war office announces. anti-bolsheyik
cavalry having cut the railroads lead
inv from Petrograd to Vitebsk. Mos
Vitebsk road Is cut at Viritza and the
Perorrad- Moscow railroad at Tosna
south and southeast of Petrograd. re-
sneculatively The line at Vologda ia
cut south of Lake Ladoga.
Bolshevik Division Wiped Out.
A bolshevik division. which was he
inc rushed to Petrograd from the in
terior to defend the city against the
threatening advance of Gen. Yuden-
itch was virtually wiped out at Kras-
noe Selo, when Gen. Yudenitch took
that outpost of Petrograd. according
to war Office adVices.
PARIS, October 20 (Havas)-Con-
radictory reports are received from
Rnssia. and it is impossible to con-
Arm rumors that Petrograd has been
taken by the northwestern Russian
army under Gen. Yudenitch. It seems
certain. however. that the Yudenitch
Icons are advancing and must be at
the rates of the city, If they have
mot already taken it.
The situation at Riga is critical. ac-
cording to news reaching Paris yes
terday, says the Petit Parisien. The
sttish army has sufficient effec-
tives to resist the attacks of forces
commanded by Col. Avalon Bermondt,
end also lacks artillery and materials