RUSSIA'S DESPAIR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17067, 27 July 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA'S DESPAIR.

THE WEST FRONT

RUSSIA'S PROBLEMS

DEPLORABLE TALE OF DEMORALISATION APPALLING LOSS OF ARTILLERY DUE TO COWAEDICE Oβ TJREACHERY ONE HOPEFUL NOTE SOUNDED WOMEN STEIYE TO TUEN THE TIDE GALLANT STAND BY SOME TEOOPS Preaa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright Australian and New Zealand Cable Association.

COMMISSION OF rNQUTRY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PETROGRAD, July 25. The Government has appointed a representative commission to inquire into the recent disorders. CANCEB ON THE FIGHTING FRONT. DRASTIC USE OF STEEL. LONDON, July 25. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent states that directly General Korniloff assumed the command of the south-western front he saw the condition of the Eleventh Army, and urgently applied to the Provisional Government to sanction the pun-' ifthmtmt of soldiers for misconduct. Korniloff is now in a position to turn machine guns upon traitors, and the drastic use of steel will cut out the cancer on the fighting front. The breach on the Galician front is nothing like bo formidable as the earlier German successes. Moreover, the southwestern front ia exceptionally well provided with the indispensable adjuncts of "warfare, and does not depend on Petrograd for its material. , CAPITAL PUNISHMENT NECESSARY. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, July 25. Commissaries with the Russian armies on the south-western front have sent a message to the Prime Minister and the War Minister pointing out that capital punishment of traitors and deserters is necessary to restore discipline in the armies. The Seventh Army baa initiated the example. The plight of the Eighth Army, -which took Halicz and Kalusz, is suoh that it is forced to , retreat, Ha right flank being exposed becauso the cowards and fainthearted fled. BOUT OF BLKVKNTiI ARMY. FUBY IN PETROGRAD. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. . LONDON, July 25. The Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent telegraphed on Tuesday as followb :—Details of the disgraceful rout of the Eleventh Army impressed Petrograd with unspeakable humiliation and fury. The public only learned of the catastrophe in the afternoon paper, and it shocked them terribly. The strongest means are demanded to remove, tlhe causes of the disaster. Ministers are now described as " The Government for saving the Revolution." rhey have unlimited powers, though the Socialist Ministers are bound to report to the executive of their council at least twice weekly. The vacant seats in the Ministry are being filled with non-Socialists, tlhe Government now being composed of five Socialists and five non-Socialists the latter including M. Nekrasoff, M. Terestoheako, M Vladimir Lvoff, and M. Godneff. The death penalty- has been re-estab-ushed in the army. M. Kerensky is retaining from the front. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, July 25. German official: The Russians have refrained from again attacking, and our advance is uninterrupted The Kaiser •watched his troops repulse a strong Russian attack between Tarnopol and Trembowla. We assaulted, capturing the heights on th* east bank of the Sereth, and captured TarnopoL ' We are near Buczacz, and have also captured Stanislau and Nadworna. The Russians penetrated our lines in the Susita Valley, but were immediately brought to a standstill. ARMIES LOSE THEIR ARTILLERY. RUNAWAYS SHOT DOWN. Australian ttad N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 26 (Received July 27, at 6.45 p.m ) The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent writes-: "The Eleventh Army has ul l i^ 8 wWlee y> and it is doubtful whether the artillery of the Seventh and Eighth Armies will be saved. The enemv Eμ i he v oM y g°° d road on the Eighth Army's line of retreat. A whole division of the Eleventh Army was "blown to pieces by its own artillery in an effort to stop the runaways. UKRAINE REGIMENT MUTINIES. DISARMED BY LOYALISTS. The Times. ODESSA, Jury 25 (Received July 26, at 6.45 p.m.) A Ukraine regiment at Kieff refused to go to the front or recognise the autonomous Assembly. It disarmed the militia arrested the chief of police and military commandant, sacked the arsenal, and stormed tho Treasury. A professonal thief proclaimed himself commandant of Kieff. After fighting, loyal regiments disarmed and arrested the mutineers. There are many demonstrations in South Russia against the dark forces and extremists, and bloodshed is reported from Nizlmi-Novgorod, where the i'ktremists in citerl tno troops to refuse to go to the front. HUNTING LENIN. The Times. LONDON, July 25. (Received July 26, at 6.45 p.m.) Tho Times Petrograd correspondent Etatea thit thousands of soldiers are joining to hunt Lenin, who has written to the newspapers dei. ing that he has received one penny of German- funds. KAISER DISTRIBUTING DECORATIONS. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. AMSTERDAM,.JuIy 25. (Received July 26. at 8.5 p.m.) The Kaiser is visiting the eastern front. He addressed) the troops and distributed decorations, '

BRITISH FORCES AT TARNOPOL. AN UNAVAILING STAND. Tho Times. LONDON, July 25. (Received July 26, at 6.45 p.m.) Mr Wilton, The Times correspondent at General Korniloffs headquarters, states that the British armoured car and trench mortar sections gallantly covered the Russian retreat, but their stand was tmavailJSF m T> face of the infantry's debacle, iflese British sections later co-operated wish the cavalry in, the defence of TarnopoL COLLAPSE OF THE ARMY. ALMOST STAGGERS BELIEF. COWARDICE OR TREACHERY Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 26. (Received July 26. at 9.40 p.m.) The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent, giving details of the collapse, says it almost staggers belief. The infantry of the Eleventh' Army snot their own gunners in order to get tihe artillery horses, or shot the horses in revenge for the gunners firing upon the runaways. This panic-stricken act—unless it was an act of pnrchased treachery—left practically all the artillery of the Eleventh Army in the enemy's hands There is also no hope of savings the artillery and technical appliances of the Seventh and Eighth Armies. The Germans two days ago were across the best road on the Shortest line of retreat. The old Russian gun positions are now behind the German lines. The Eighth Army has abandoned Stanislau, and is making its best haste eastward, but it is exceedingly doubtful whether it will escape. RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. A SORDID STORY. DETAILS NOT GLOSSED OVER. Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, July 26 (Received July 26 at 9.40 pm ) •Russian official : Northward of Krevo our detachments occupying enemy trenches fewred, lowing to a powerful artillery attack. The Guards Corps, with the exception of tlhe Petrovsky Brigade, voluntarily retired at Tarnopol The Petrovsky Brigade is faithfully battling south-eastward o-_5? town * The e ? em y .have crossed the bereth and are driving back the Russians on the Smykovce River-Gneizna-Taembowla line. We offered great opposition eastward of Myszkovice. The Germans continued their offensive between the Sereth and the Strypa. Three divisions north-west of Romanov retreated to the rearward, and the Germans forced our retirement in the region of Olesha, despite the gallantry of one infantry division ' and two cyclist battalions. Southward of the Dniester, as far as the Carpathians, our retirement continues with rearguard actions. There was stubborn_ bayonet fighting in tihe streets of Stanislau, whore the inhabitants from balconies threw hand grenades at our depart ing troops. . * RUSSIA'S PSYCHOLOGY. SITUATION MAY YET BE SAVED. The Timee. ■ . LONDON, July 25. (Received July 26 at 8.5 p.in.) .The Petrograd correspondent of The Times, telegraphing on the 25th inst. 'referring to the Eleventh Army's indiscipline, says it is entirely due to tihe extremists propaganda, which, it is daily becoming dearer, is the work of German spies and agents. Tho impudence of Russia s moral assassins is almost past belief Heroic officers are falling in masses Insubordination has made headway in all parts of the army, but Russia's psychology is capable of extraordinary changes and he situation may yet be saved ' M Kerensky's ' disinterestedness is unquesl tioned. and his fervent eloquence, is a driving force which will win- if it is a one-man job, which is doubtful. WOMEN'S "DEATH" BATTALION. FBMS EXAMPLE^ TO TROOPS. COSSACKS' HEROISM AT TARNOPOL. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association PETROGRAD, July 25 (Received July 26, at 8.15 p.m.) During heavy fiarhting at tihe front today a battalion of women volunteers went into action, setting a fine example to the troops. Cossacks held uji the enemy for many hours before Tarnopol, facilitating the removal of stores and the destruction of bridges and depots. After the fall of Tarnopol .the Germans attacked in a southeasterly direction, with a view to sur rounding the Seventh and Eighth Armies/ which still remained in advanced positions, ibis necessitated the withdrawal of the right wing from the Brzezany front The Russian reserve is now stiffening the Strypa and Sereth defences. • SHAMING THE RUSSIAffS. RUMANIANS STRIKE SUCCESSFULLY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. m . LONDON, July 25. (Received July 26, at 8.15 p.m ) , Rumanian official : We undertook offensive operations in the Southern Carpathiane. Wo occupied the villages of Meresc and Velochany, and captured 19 guns, including some of heavy calibre We broke m along a wide front on a strongly-orgaiiisod enemy line.

SUCCESSFDIi BRITISH RAIDS. enemy artillery active. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, Jnly 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports : We made succossful raids eastward and north-eastward of Ypros. The enemy's artillery is active eastward of Monchy, and in the neighbourhood of Lombaertzyde. BRITISH FIGHTING MACHINE. SUPERIORITY AT LOMBAERTZYDE. MAGNIFICENT WORK BY ENGINEERS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, July 25. Le Matin's correspondent on the British, front eulogises the extraordinary energy with whidh the British in the Lombaertzyde region finally got the upper hand over an adversary nearly tenfold their strength. Thrice the Germans blew tip the Nieuport bridges, and thrice under a withering fire the British engineers reestablished and finally held them. One general dashed forward witih three battalions, the order being given to smash the enemy's assaults or die on the spot. Meanwhile a colonel in Nieuport gathered a number of pioneers, cooks, and stretcherbearers. Electrified by his speech, this improvised body rushed to the weak points, strengthened the regular battalions, and showed British mettle and initiative in the most critical moments. STRONG- ARTILLERY WORK Admiralty, per Wireless Press. LONDON, July 25. German official: Powerful artillery fire continues in Flanders. We drove back repeated English thrusts. Strong French attacks, supported by a fresh division, failed at Craonne. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARK, July 25 The artillery battle on the British front —if the German accounts.can be believed for Sir Douglas Haig does not mention it —is assuming gigantic proportions of unexampled degree. CALIFORNIA PLATEAU. FRENCH CONSOLIDATE THEIR GAINS. Australian end N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, July 25 A French communique states : An at tempted German attack in the morning after a brief violent bombardment on the positions we recaptured yesterday at California Plateau was completely repulsed. We retained and consolidated our gains. WITH THE BRITISH. RAIDS AND COUNTER-RAIDS. LONDON, Jnly 25. (Received July 26, at 6.45 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports : Following a heavy bombardment eastward of Monohy Iβ Proux, the enemy, using flammenwerfer, drove in a few advanced posts on a front of 250 yards. We stopped raiders northward of Bullecourt. We raided enemy trenches at a number of points northward of Ypres. The weather is restricting aerial operations. SUSPECTED REVOLUTIONARY f SPIRIT. GERMAN REGIMENTS WITHDRAWN, Australian end N.Z. Cable Aeeooiation. AMSTERDAM, July 25. (Received July 26, at 8.5 p.m.) The Echo de Beige states that three German regiments have been withdrawn from the front, being suspected of a revolutionary spirit. AT CHEMIN DES DAMES. GERMAN ATTACKERS MASSACRED. . PARIS, July 25. (Received July 25. at 8,5 p.m.) A narrative of the German assault on Chemin des Dames states that the artillery was enormously reinforced. Fifty-two guns were counted' to the kilometre, while 260 were concentrated before the attacked sector. For the attack on the wood and Hill 304 the Germans massed 500 guns in 1800 metres. The attack was launched at daybreak. There was a ceaseless artillery fire, under which the infantry carried all tha positions unprotected by accessory defences, but' when obstacles were encountered the attack became a butchery. The 214 th and 215 th Prussian Regiments lost 50 per cent, of their effectives. ' HEAVY ARTILLERY EXCHANGES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON; July 25. (Received July 26, at 8.15 p.rr French communique : There is extremely lively reciprocal artillery work, especially at the California casemates, Moronvillers andi on the left bank of the Meuse. BELGIAN COAST BOMBARDED. GOOD RESULTS AT ZEEBRUGGE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, July 26. (Received Jnly 26, at 8.45 p.m.) The British have bombed Bruges and Zeebrugge dnring the past two nights, explosions and fires resulting at Zeebrugge, which was much damaged. A submarine shed, probably with a submarine, was blown up. A naval squadron bombarded the Belgian coast on the of July 22-23 along wie Zeebrugge-Ostend line.