THE EASTERN FRONT.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15895, 8 May 1917, Page 7

THE EASTERN FRONT.

ATTACK ON PETROGRAD. GERMANY CONCENTRATING FORCES. DEFENCE OF THE CAPITAL. (By Cable —Press Association— Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PETROGRAD, May 6. General Kovniloff, in command of the troons at Petrograd, announces that ho has received reports of an enemy concentration of large forces on the Russian northern front ; and that German merchantmen at.Libau are ready, as soon as the ice is melted, to embark troops, and under cover of the German Fleet, carry out a landing, possibly close to Petrograd. Accordingly orders havo been issued for tho reorganisation of reserves e.t Petrograd in order to defend the capital against the foreign enemy, and consolidate the freedom won by Russia.

'TETROGRAD NOT ENDANGERED." GENERAL ALEXIEFF'S VIEWS. (Renter's ToJ«grama.) <<rr , LONDON, May 6. Tho Times" Petrogrnd correspondent states that General Alexieff, Com-mander-in-Chiof of tho Russian armies, who is visiting tho capital, declared that Petrogrnd "was not endangerefl, as tho Germans would presently fee sending troops from tho Russian front, owing to the Anglo-French pressure on tho West front, but ho predicted early fighting on tho Russian front. He spoke strongly against tho propaganda of "No annexation, no indemnity," saying that the Russian armies would interpret this as an advocacy of surrender. GERMAN SILENCE BROKEN. A SIGNIFICANT NEWSPAPER ARTICLE. ("Th« Times.") (Received Mav 7th, 6.-t5 p.nO 'LONDON, May 0. Tho "Cologne Gazette'' breaks t.lw* German silence regarding Russia, and says:—"Many sections on the immense Eastern front have been plunged into tho deepest calm. Thero is isolated infantry and artillery fighting, but a lack of cohesive action reflects the internal condition of Russia. Tho Provisional Government cannot think of an offensive similar to that launched by General Brusiloff. "Artillery officers, won over by the War Party, aro responsible for the continuance of artillcrying in order to provont the troops from communicating with tho Gorman troops, as they have shown n desire to do. The greatest caution is necessary, despite abundant peaco talk. Tho German people must remember that it is necessary to have real political power on tho onemy's side before negotiation! aro possible." THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGNS ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON. May 6. A Russian communique says:— "On the Caucasus front, for strategical reasons our troops in tho Agnot and Mush, regions took up new positions, and tho Turks occupied Mush. "On our Western front our heavy artillery bombarded the station of Povweisk, cast of lvovel, causing groat explosions, and our aeroplanes bombed the stations at Vilna. "On the Roumanian front tho enemy took tho offensive west of Monostirka and Kachinul. but our heavy guns drove him bacK to his trenches.' 1