THE RUSSIAN RETREAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 14

THE RUSSIAN RETREAT.

FALL OF RIGA. All the public buildings in Riga had been evacuated for many months, and the city's inhabitants had diminised in number to only 100,000. It is reported tha* there are 10 German divisions on the Riga front, and it is the enemy's intention to advance on Pskesov and Petrograd. The fall of Riga startled Petrograd. M. Kerensky said that the enemy had gathered an immenso quantity of heavy artillery, and bombarded the south-eastern side of Riga. The situation was grave, owing to the superiority of tho enemy artillery. Business refugees state that the fall of Riga came as a dramatic surprise. It was not expected by the civilian population, who wore unaware that the Russian troops had retired, and continued business as usual until a tremendous bombardment fell on the city. Chemical shells causing a darkening pall of smoke, the terror-stricken popul~.ee fled wildly through the gas-poisoned streets, huge shells falling in their midst, slaughtering and maiming hundreds and setting houses afire. There were terrible scones and a mad panic at the railwaystation. Refugees ran the gauntlet of bursting shells, but thousands were left behind.

Measures for the evacuation of the littoral of the gulf were taken before the Dwina was crossed. The last train, carrying wounded, left Riga under heavy German artillery fire. The Russians' withdrawal on Riga held up the enemy's pressure for some time. The First Women's "Battalion of Death" particularly distinguished itself, entering the melee at a critical moment, and throwing back the pursuing enemy for two miles, despite severe losses. Their example Inspired other units.

M. Voltinsky, commissioner to the commander on the northern front, reports that the German preponderance of forces and

artillery, and th">ir uso of asphyxiating shells, caused enormous losses. Energetic counter-attacks with the bayonet occasionally threw the enemy back to the River Dwina. _ The soldiers, retiring along a soven-milo front, carried their wounded comrades. Tho Russian lines will be shortened to a new front extending from Friedrichistadt (on the Dwina, 60 miles east of Riga) to the Gulf of Riga, halfway between Riga and Vender). M. Savincff states that the Russian army is_ retiring in perfect order, in conformity with a prearranged plan. Tho German offensive in tho Riga region began with a bombardment of asphyxiating shells and gas waves. They then threw pontoons across the Dwina. Some were destroyed by the Russian batteries, but ultimately tho Germans obtained a footing on the other bank. Bitter fighting followed, loyal Russians counter-attacking; but, German reinforcements arriving, the Russians withdrew northwards. Tho German artillery seriously damaged the town. Tho attack was not accompanied by naval operations.

Tho Russian Riga front has been broken for a width of 36 miles. The Germans energetically attacked, especially north of Uxkull, in order to cut the Riga-Venden railway.

Tho Russians continue to retreat on a curving front of from 60 to 70 miles between the Gulf of Riga and the Dwina, The retirement is most pronounced on the coastal region, and is steadying on Friedrichstadt, which is tho temporary keystone of tho Livonian front.

The Daily Chroniclo's Petrograd correspondent writes that the position in Riga had been most serious for a fortnight. The Moscow Convention hourly expected its capture, but the Germans bided their time; otherwise tho Left party would have been persuaded to trust General Korniloff," instead of believing that he was trying to create a panic. Directly the convention was over tho Germans struck. A Lott ; sh battalion had abandoned the Uxkull bridgehead a month before. The Germans crossed the rivor on pontoons. Some Russian units counter-attacked, but the rest fled, and thc_ Germans pushed across the Jaege] within sight of Riga, which was thereupon evacuated. Riga had been the centre of German agitation for months, and during the fraternising' the Germans gave Lettish soldiers free trips to Courland to the'r homes. Many Letts finally believed that it mattered not whether the Germans or the Russians gave the des'red autonomy. A Petrograd despatch stetes that refugees from Riga have arrived at the capital, these including the last trainload which dashed through before the Germans cut the railway. Hundreds of Russian civilians were captured by the enemy. In view of the possibility of the German invasion cont'nuing beyond the Riga sector the Russian State Bank and Artillery Headquarters are being removed to Nijni Novgorod. Nearly all the German newspapers demand that Riga shall remain German territory. General von Alton has been appointed Governor of Riga. FATE OF PETROGRAD. The fate of Petrograd hangs in the balance. The Russians are hastily entrenching across Courland. Officials armed with arbitrary power to stop the stream of refugees outside the city are directing the exodus to the eastern provinces. The congestion outward has reached enormous proportions, and the people being mostly penniless and homeless is adding greatly to the Government perplexities over the coming winter. Tho Government, besides taking military measures, is closing places of amusement and placing restrictions upon lighting, hoping by discomforts to drive out all residents, excepting those who are compelled to remain. The commissioner appointed to deal with overcrowding in the capital has appealed to those inhabitants who are not obliged to remain to gradually leavo the city, with a view to the possibility of air raids and scarcity of provisions. The newspaper Retch says that the Government is considering removing to Moscow.

Tho Minister of Post and Telegraphs is controlling the partial evacuation of tho city. The Government has decided that tho question of its own departure can be postponed for six weeks. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at Petrograd states that crowds were waiting in the rain at the railway stations, eager to depart anywhere, owing to alarming rumours. The Government is encouraging their departure, and urges the appointment, of a committee to determine means to despatch half a million people. M. Kadottzeff, interviewed in London when engaged on an important official mission for the Russian Government, declared that Petrograd was in neither immediate nor prospective danger. General Korniloff was busy on the south-western front, which is far more important than the northern front. He had to choose between sacrificing Riga and losing Odessa and tho most fruitful districts of Southern Russia. The Kaiser and Hindenburg were hugely deceived if they imagined that the march from Riga to Petrograd was a mere military promenade. A largo Russian army was posted on the Pskov line, and, even supposing that the enemy pierced this line, there would remain immenso masses of troops between tho Dwina front and Petrograd, including many divisions and corps which may confidently be relied on to offer a patriotic and successful resistance M. Kadottzeff said: "It is possible that Hindenburg contemplates attacking from the sea or from Finland. Recent events have proved that Germany is trying to precipitate a revolution in Finland in order to secure a foothold and a base for operations. The conspiracy has crushed; but, supposing that Germany obtained such a base, before making a descent from Finland her navy must destroy Russia s Baltic fleet. When I left Petrograd the news was most reassuring, especially as regards the restoration of discipline in the mosquito torpedo fleet, which is_ the backbone and mainstay of the Baltic defences. The political and social outlook is improving daily. The disaster at Riga will act as a trumpet-call, rallying the masses of the people to a stern senso of duty. I saw many siprns of closing of tho ranks before I ombarked for England." The Daily Chronicle's Petrograd correspondent says that, barring disasters, there is a strong possibility that tho Germans will be held up between Pskov and the sea. The Austrian advance on Russia's south-western front has been checked on the Bessarabian and Podolian frontiers. The Russian army on the Rumanian front, after some wavering, is now fighting, on the whole, creditably.

The public temper of Petrograd is at pereent restrained, with few outv»ard aigns of panic; but chore is a strong undercurrent of ugly rumour, bitter recrimination, and acute class hatred. There is certain testimony as lo calmness in the discipline of the soldiers now drilling in the streets after monthe of idleness.

M. Sbumsky, war expert attached to the Bourse Gazette, when interviewed in London, said: "The German push at Riga cannot seriously menace Petrograd this year. The offensive would have to traverse 400 versts, which would require at least two months. The Germans had etarted top Lite Within two or three weeks they will meet the rainy season and consequent bad roads. Moreover, a well-fortiGed lake system in the Uskof region protects Petrograd, The Anglo French attacks have drawn 160 German divisions westward, and an insufficient number are left on the Russian front to defeat even the disorganised Russian army, which is supported by excellent artillery with enormous quantities of ammuni. tion." ASSISTANCE FOR RUSSIA. According to the Munich Neueste Nachrichten, large Japanese forces are concentratcd on the Manchurian border ready to assist the Russians. The Shanghai correspondent of tho Chinese World says that 15,000 Chines© troops havp been mobilised to assist on the Russian battlofront. The Corriere della Sera (Italy) publishes an inspired appeal to the Allies to allow the intervention of the Japanese army. It says it is incredible that tho Entente Powers should postpone supreme battles in order to allow tho United States to transform a commercial population into soldiers; whereas tiro Entente Powers have for three years refused to use Japanese. The same ships which convey tho Americans to Europe might transport the Japanese ; but a speedier victory would be won and innumerable lives would bo saved. Not a single responsible Allied statesman has had the insight to urge a straightforward bid for Japan's intervention. RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORTS Russ.an official messages state: We evacuated Riga, blowing up the fortifications ait nhe mouth of the Dwina and tho bridges. Our retirement continues northeastwards. Enemy ships are now shelling the Riga coast villages in the direction of lntskul. The enemy dislodged our troops in Great Jaegal, and penetrated our positions on a 13-verses front, and occupied Valdendone, we retiring northwards. Thia measure was taken to readjust our front, our troops failing to withstand the enemy pressure'. In the region of Mildep, Rybnak, and Krangem we retired north-westwards. Our retirement along tho Gulf of Riga continues. The enemy have reached the crossings over the River Aa, 50 versts (31 miles) north-east of R.ga. Our troops operating eastward of Riga have retired to the Zege-wold-Lemburg-Dazisubruza line. German submarines shelled the Riga coast. Our counter-attack drove the enemy from the heights near Slobodzeia (Moldavia). Continuing our retirement north of the _ River Aa, we crossed the Melupe River in the region of Pskoviegad. We retired southwest of Venden. In tho operations 2ast of Riga we reached the line Eelangsnberg-Moritzberg-Kastram-Friedrichstadt. In the direction of Riga, near Zegevold, therewere encounters between our rearguard and enemy cavalry. Zeppelins dropped bomba near Hainash without result, and submarines shelled points on the Riga coast and attacked a transport unsuccessfully. Our gunboats and torpedo-boats remained at the mouth of the Dwina to the last moment, and then convoyed steamers and floating fences from Riga. Only enemy submarines appeared in the Gulf of Riga, where our ships remain ready to engage the enemy. Enemy aeroplanes bombed Jacobstadt, and others unsuccessfully attacked torpedo-boat patrols in the Gulf of R ga. The enemy have constructed bridges over the lower reaches of the River Aa, and are concentrating their forces on the north bank under' cover of their cavalry. In the region of Zegevold our cavalry are hindering the German advance. We repulsed an enemy offensive southward of the Ranautz Valley GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORTS. German official messages We crossed the Dwina on -both sides of Uxkull, and our troops aro progressing in dense columns, hastily proceeding north-east from Riga. Burning villages and farms mark the routes of the retreating Russians. The Russians evacuated a bridgehead westward of the Dwina at Riga. We stand before the mouth of the Dwina. Riga is ablaze at many points. In a bitter struggle we overcame strong Russian forces on both sides of Great Jaegal. We took thousands of prisoners. A hundred and fifty guns were captured on a hill south-west of Czernowitz. The northern wing of the Twelfth Russian Army is ranidly retreating. Heavy_ coast guns", including eomo of 30-centimetre calibre were captured undamaged. We took prisoner 7630 men and much &ootv. Th" guns captured on the Riga battlefield number 316. Our cavalry are successfully, fighting the enemy's rearguards 70 kilometres eastward of Riga. The enemy set fir> to the villages between Lobe Lake and Friedrichstadt. Our cavalry are fighting on a line westward of Winden to Kcuheidenhof. The enemy are hastily entrenching. The enemy have evacuated positions westward of Kokonhusen. Between the Baltio and the Dwina we drove back the Russians at many points to positions they are consolidating. - , The Kaiser, addressing his troops at Riga, said: " Germany will defend herself however long tho war lasts. Battles such as thi Riga battle will bring the end of the war nearer. At them, my men, so that Germany oan gain a victory over her enemies.'* A train conveying General Ludendorff (Hindenburg's Chief of Staff) and other officers collided with a munitions train. Ludendorff was slightly injured.