RUSSIANS ON THE RIGA FRONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 16

RUSSIANS ON THE RIGA FRONT.

Advices from the Russian Embassy state that the Russians have resumed the offensive on the Riga front and have forced the Germans to evacuate several villages. General Alexieff (successor to General Korniloft") is handling the army well. The now Russian advance is interpreted to mean that the army supports the Kerensky Government, and also that most vigorous fighting will bake place later when the army is reorganised. It is believed that some German units have been withdrawn to aid the Auv trians to meet the Italian offensive. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent states that the public have- been calmed regarding the possibility of a German dash on Petrograd this year, which would require 500,000 men. This is improbable, but. the Germans are making strenuous efforts to raise another army. The garrisons in the interior of Germany are being replaced by Turks, who are cheaper to feed and who can be relied on to deal mercilessly with internal disorders. It is believed that Germany intends to use her new army to secure the Russians' r>ch black earth zone. "Eye-witness" states that when the Russians abandoned Riga the Letts' army, with knives, invaded the richer quarters and went from house to house and slaughtered Germans without exception. The German army entered the houses in parties and shot 800 people. It is a significant fact that the Riga merchants had been bringing in vast quantities of goods before the German occupation. The New York Herald's London correspondent says that it is believed in weliinformed circles that Germany is planning a quick stroke with her Baltio fleet against the Russians before the ice forms. OFFICIAL REPORTS. Kussian communiques state: Our advanced guards are continuously resisting the enemy in tho Riga region, and are progressing at some points. We occupied a wood northoast of Friedrichstadt (on the Dwina). We

drove back with great losses an enemy offensive eastward of Lemberg. The enemy pierced our lines and captured parts of our positions south-west of the Admini region, at Jacobstadt, and also positions two miles from the Dwina. Wo retired to the right bank of the Dwina. Enemy attacks in the region of Riga, northward of Munchelu, and.northward of Croscselle, broke down ; German official messages state: A Russian attack westward of Arbora, in the Bukowina, was driven back. Our divisions broke through the Russian positions north-west-ward of Jacob«tadt. The enemy was forced back against the river, and yielded a bridgehead 40 kilometres wide and 10 kilometres aeep on the western bank of the Dwina, and fled to the eastern bank. Jacobstadt is in cur hands. We captured over 50 guns.