Evening star., 1919-10-15
POLES REPORTED
AS TAKING KOVN0
Attack Germano Russian
Forces-Savage Fighting
Continues in Riga.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM. October Is. - The
Poles have begun an offensive against
the Germano-Russian forces in the
Baltic region, according to mes
sage received here from Riga. They
are reported to have captured Kovno.
sixty miles northwest of Wilma, near
the Courland border
i Great Damage in Riga.
! COPENHAGEN, October 15.-Sayage
/ fighting is still going on in the city
| of Riga between Lettish and Lithuan-
, ian troops and the Germano- Russian n
army. which entered the western part
/ of the city last week. Reports
reaching here state that shells have
! fired a portion of the town and that
| great damage has been done the
quays and harbor. Many civilians
have been killed during the battle
! Dispatches received here state that
| all the prisoners taken by the Let's
have been Bavarians.
| British warships have become in
| volved in the. fighting, having been
, fired upon by the Germano- Russian
. forces, and an unconfirmed report de-
clares British force has been landed
in or near the city.
Blockade measures are seemingly
! being rigidly enforced in the Baltic
! six German mechant ships having
been captured by one British de-
! stroyer.
! The Lettish press bureau in a dis
patch says the Lettish command
| absolutely rejected the offer of Col.
Avaloff- -Bermondt for an armistice
, STOCKHOLM. Tuesday, October IA.
The crews of two Swedish motor
ships. which arrived at Kalmar yes
terday from Riga. gave an account to-
day Of the early fighting around Riga
last Saturday The ships were an
chored in the inlet in the Duna river
when the Germans started their often
sive, so that the vessels were between
/ the fighting lines. Warning shots
| were fired by the Germans, but it was
| a quarter Of an hour before the motor
ships were able to get under way.
Meanwhile, the Germans let fly a
! few shells. in order to warn the Brit
1sh and French destroyers in the har-
Dor. and soon these warcraft steamed
outward and under cover of the Let
tish artillery. Inside the city the
built barricades. using railway trains
as supports Of these
Report Let's as Withdrawn.
LONDON, Tuesday, October 14.-The
war Office has issued report from
the British mission at Helsingfors.
dated October 10, which says that at
that time all Lettish troops in Riga
nao been withdrawn to the east bank
OF the Duna river, the bridges having
, peen niown up. When the dispatch
was filed the Let's and Germano-Rus
slams were exchanging rifle fire across
the river: and the section of the city
sun IN the hands Of the former was
oeing bombarded with gas shells and
also bombed by airplanes.
Esthonfan armored trains had arrival
over the Riga-Pskov railway to slInnnrt
me me Lettish forces and were replying to
the German fire. The British mission
denies assertion made by Col. Ayajofr.
Bermondt to the effect that Let's and
Esthonians commenced hostiIities on the
lire OF demarcation west Of Riga.
A later dispatch filed at HeIsinrfors
october II by tho British mission con-
firms press reports that the Lettish 90v-
ernment which fled from Riga at the
approach OF the German Russian forces
had returned to the CITY