PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 20, 18 October 1917, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

No reason appears for dissenting from the opinion said to be held in well-informed circles in Pctrograd that Ocsel and Dago islands and tho Gulf of Riga must be regarded as lost. Tho Russians are lengthening out the defence of tho islands and of tho passages into the- gulf, and both land and sea forces aro now evidently offering a gallant resistance, but as matters are going the struggle can only end in one way. Sustained fighting by light naval forces, with one enemy Dreadnought participating for a time, is reported in tho northern approaches to the gulf, but the Germans aro apparently concentrating their main attack upon the Russian forces in the Sworbo peninsula, the south-western extremity, of Ocsel Island. Korcl,

mentioned in a Russian communique as tho site of batteries covering t;ho entrance to the Gulf oE liiga, is on the inner coast of the Sworbe peninsula. Tho Ocsol bakeries would hardly in themselves prevent the Germans forcing the wide southern entrance into the Gulf of Riga but for the fact, mentioned in a lato message yesterday, that the Russians two years ago closed the fairway by sinking interned German craft laden with atone and cement. Before the fairway can bo cleared the batteries on Oesel must bo put out of action, but this, unfortunately, the enemy seems to be on the point of accomplishing. Holding tho greater part of Oesel, he is forcing his way into the Sworbe peninsula. Ho claims to-day the capture of a largo number of prisoners on the peninsula, and the Russian account of the position is that the Germans have been reinforced ind are developing their success.

When the Germans have completed their conquest of the Sworbe peninsula, and cleared the southern channel into the Gulf of Riga, an end will be made of tho Russian resistance in the northern passages. Meantime, however, with the gulf behind thorn still closed to the enemy, light naval craft are- giving a good account 1 of themselves in these northern passages. An account is given to-day of the failure of a determined effort by the enemy to force- his way through Sola Sound,, tho passage between Oesel and Dago islands. Beyond Sola Sound .there is still a narrow passage to bo negotiated beforo tho inner waters of the gulf are- reached. Probably tho enemy w,as not intent upon forcing his way into the gulf by this route, but upon closing the- only lino of retreat that will no open to tho Russian naval patrols if the onemy ,gains command of tho gulf by rapturing the southern channel.

As the aption is described a-Ger-man Dreadnought drove in the Eussian patrols, and twelve German destroyers of the latest typo subsequently forced their way into Sola Sound. A Russian destroyer, previously damaged by tho enemy battleship, wa-s sunk, but the attacking flotilla was eventually compelled to retire. One unit of the German flotilla, is definitely stated to have been sunk, and the official report quotes eye-witnesses as stating that two met this fate, and tint two others wero damaged. There is nothing to suggest that tfie Russian Dreadnoughts have intervened at any stage of the present operations, and probably the ships whi.-h turned {ho scalo in the Sola Sound operations were light cruisers. The absence of the Dreadnoughts does not necessarily mean that they_ are out of action as a result of disaffection amongst their crews or for other reasons. The alternative explanation at all events is available that the Russian capital ships are withheld simply because their intervention could not be , expected to I reverse tho present' trend of events in the. struggle for command of the Gulf of Riga. It is fairly clear that the fate of the gulf was decided when tho Germans made good their landing on Oesel island, and that tho complete conquest qf the gulf is now only a matter of time whatever the Russian naval forces may do. Seeking a fleet action at this stage tho Russians would in all likelihood sacrifice- their capital ships without saving the gulf and with nothing more in the way of compensation than the loss inflicted on tho enemy. Thero is no very obvious temptation to take this course. If they have completed the x naval programmo in sight when tho war began, the Russians havo eight Dreadnoughts in tho Baltic (four of them mounting twelve 12-inch "guns ami tho others twelve 14-inch guns in their main batteries), while the enemy has something- like three- times that forco in capital ships at disposal. While even tho vaguest prospect remains of concerted naval action with their Allies against the enemy, tho Russians will probably prefer to hold their capital ships' in reserve, even if they are in all respects ready for action, rather than accept battle at hopeless odds. It is, of course, possible that revolutionary disorders have seriously impaired the efficiency of the Russian battleship fleet. , ,_ '

Circumstantial accounts arc given to-day of Gorman activities in landing arms and other war material on the coast o! Finland, from submarines and other vessels. Finland has been a happy hunting-ground of enemy agents since the Revolution, and 'it is possible that the activities now reported may embarrass the Eussian Government almost as seriously as would the enemy attack in force on the coast of Finland which was alleged a day or two ago to be imminent. * * * * Available news at the moment of writing points to comparative >pict on the Flanders front, but official and other reports mention a pronounced improvement in the weather. If the improvement is maintained the British will no doubt speedily resume the attack on the Passchendaele llidge in which they were .-lately interrupted, . but . tho weather in Flanders at this time of the year is a very uncertain factor. Already, however, offective aerial and artillery work is reported, notably against the enemy batteries, and ;f a reasonable opportunity of renewing the attack appears it will undoubtedly be turned enterprisingly to account.