THE RIGA LANDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 247, 16 October 1917, Page 4

THE RIGA LANDING.

Germany's latest attack on the Ocoel and Dago Islands, at the mouth of the Gulf of Riga, constitutes a very serious threat to the Russian positions in Livonia, and indirectly tlircat.-ns Petro'grad iteelf. The channel between these islands and the coast of Ksthoma was to the Russians very much what the Kiel Canal is to the Germans, since it enabled the Russian fleet to paes at will from the Gulf of Finkuid to the Gulf of Riga. Its importance was recognised at the (beginning of the war, and batteries were established on Oesel Island, Dago Island, Moem Island, Worms Island, and along; the opposite coast. In addition to this the channel was heavLly mined. A good railway now connects Arenslburg, the capital of Oesel Island, with the port ot Xuvast on Moera Island, the narrow 1 .water between the two islands being spanned by a substantial bridge. It the Ifu'rn'aiiß destroy those batteries und • capture the islands, they will be able to ahut the Russian fleet out nf t'u> Cull of Uipa altogether, and this will enable them to effect a landing nt IVnuiu. A | . landing here, combined, possibly, with a I landing at Gainash. would offer"a serious threat to Valk. one of tlie corners of the famous railway i]iiailrilateral «ln.-h protect* the capitiri. Thi> Ku*«i:in hue uonld then have to be withdrawn .-o a.- tn pmleet tin' vital position round Valk. ;in>l ' this would involve aliamlonirij! tin- strong position nf the Aa plateau, and possibly I Dvinsk itself. The possession ol t> Gulf of would <■ the German* | excellent f-ca communications, at anj I rate till the middle or December, an.l ivoirid enable them to esta-hltoh stron.j ' bases for operations next spring it > cljmatii , conditions prevented an n, I■. I van.c this year. Although Pernau is ! not connected l>y rail with the Gulf nl Finland, yet it possesses excellent road", as many of the Russian nobility used ! to live here, and under the autocracy | roads followed the requirements of the nobles rather than the re luircmeut* ot trade. Hut apart from any landing »n tli-.-l shores of the Gulf of Kiga. t!ir (irriii.-ins ' would liaic an excellent iia-e nt llapml. I This port is eomipcteil with lieval by j rail, and although it is only a - i n-■ • • trarV. i rail road, ami in poor condition. ><t it iniL'lit lie used to Hiipplement an :u!vai,er J frimi IVrnan by roa.l for an attaeU ~n the jrrat fortress which gunr.U th"j entrunti- t.i the (Julf of Finlanl. Kγ...mi ' Keral tii. r ■ i, a good iliMiblr line of rail to the capital, the only fttrons ilcfpiisiip I position between licinL' tlie line of 'he. River N'arova. A «iiccpssfiil nrlvniie-l along thi> line would, of .-ouiw. turn 1 ! the whole ..f 111-- Kus-ian p<«ition norll, ' of the HviiiH. liut ngainst this w 1,,,-... '' to put the wciitli.'v (umiitioiH. which ( t present arc none t..r> s-ood „„ account ..f rain, and vvhi.'ii will heeonw much u,,r,..' when the winter s et-< in at tlie mil ( .fj' December. Hut. if Gi-rni.-inv contemplate « , postponing a serious ollViishe lill n>-vt ' ! spring, then the island of i i.-sel woul li' afford comfortable winter quarters 'nr troops. Tin- climate is comparatively j I mild, and the northern part has for Innit < been used as a sanatorium. Hut possihl\ 11 t!in (Jermana may iittempt a utronj;! l attack both by t-ca ami by land on lieval. i ' .with a view of securing the control of j I the mouth of the Gulf of Finland, and 11 then attempting a landing in Finland ,' itself, either at Ilango or Hckinjjfors. i From either or these two pla.es there i.-. ■ good railway communication with Pptrogra<l. and the railway has the advantage , of the Contiiv ntnl gauae. Finland also is ) n good fie! .„■ German propaeanda ( owing to :ls difTerences with P.n-sia. !, Much will depend on th» amuunt of re-j SBtnncp made by the Russian licet. Tlie'i waters of tho Gulf of Finland offer good i' opportunities for .submarines and torpedo-1! boats, in both of which liust-ia is to lie particularly strong. But Kiissia's best friend is the weather. I t e may lie cv l pected to block the Gulf from tlie middle of December till the end of March, nnd ' unless the Germans are able to strike a ' conclusive blow before then, the Russians I will have an opportunity to reorganise I' their forces, and next spring may liml ■ them ready to take the field against any ' forces tin- Oeriiiaiw can briiu against ■ them. Meanwhile the Kussiiiu sliips and forts seem to liave mit with some success, and the trouble in tlie 1 Vrmaii fleet may also opernte in favour of our aliv. ——— i