Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. PUBLISHED Every Tuesday and Friday. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1917. THE WAR.

Western Star, 26 October 1917, Page 2

Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE. PUBLISHED Every Tuesday and Friday. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1917. THE WAR.

The news received this week regarding the Russian fleet is anything but cheerful reading. . The chaos on. land was bad enough, but' to learn that the German fleet of,, one hundred vessels, ten being Dreadnoughts of the Kaiser Koenig type, had bottled up twenty Russian warships in a narrow sound in the Gulf of Riga with both exits guarded by the enemy, would appear to betoken that the Russians were going t'oi suffer disaster on the sea. If the Russian Riga squadron and its minefield's and torpedo craft, . including submarines, could not prevent the landing on the islands, Osel, Moon and Dago, they are ’ little likely to prevent the further advance of the eneimy. Even if the twenty Russian warships bottled up in the narrow Moon Sound are not reducible by naval action alone, they would evidently bo vulnerable to guns landed on the islands, and their only chance of escape would seem to bo an immediate sortie by the main Baltic fleet, under whose cover they might be withdrawn past Dago Island to the G-ulf of Finland. But the morale of the Baltic fleet like that of the main Russian army is uncertain, and winter must bo laying an increasing hold upon the waters of both gulfs. Hence the outlook of the bottled-up ships is bad. As tie the enemy’s land operations these, it is cabled, depend upon the Germans’ intentions. Their occupancy of Moon Island, the partial destruction of the forts, and the narrowness of Moon Sound, which measures six miles by ten miles, enables them to land troops on the mainland front Osel in boats, under cover of long-range naval guns, outranging the remaining land

batteries. The coast is thus thrown open to extensive landings, which, if pressed, must almost certainly lead to the fall of Ileval, and that' will give the enemy another line of rail to Petrograd, two hundred miles away. The Government’s decision to evacuate the capital is. the natural outcome of recent events. The Russians have admitted the superiority of the German navy. Admiral Vedercosky, who has joined Baltic fleet, has stated that eaon Kaiser Koenig Dreadnought is more powerful than the whole Russian squadron. [Since the above was written word has been received that the Russian squadron had made its escape.] On the Western Front, since the fighting at Bellevue, all along the Australian and Now Zealand front the Germans have been dropping many ,gas shells, hoi, these have caused little trouble to the experienced troops. The Arrears have been doing some daring .night patrolling, securing valuable information about the enemy’s dispositions, while our sharpshooters kept the enemy’s snipers well down, and made many a, sorry mess of his ammunition carriers and wiring parties. Though there has been a. lull in the attacking, there was great British air activity, eleven enemy machines *being brought down. Details of the Battle of Bellevue came through last week, and they make up a story df superb heroism on the part of the Xew Zealanders. Under the most trying I

conditions the attack was launched at formidable positions, and wave after wave of infantry went forward iu the attempt to storm the dominating concrete and machine guru positions the only shelter from, which was in water-logged shell-holes. Why these concrete positions were not destroyed by artillery before launching the attack life not stated. The men, after suffering severe casualties, \ fought almost tot a .standstill. Under j the conditions that existed no troops ' could have stormed such positions, and it was wisely decided , to break off the attack. It was an attack which recalls the glories of Gallipoli, of the Somme, and of Massines, and the casualties carry the mind back to the terrible cost at which in each case our gallant and heroic troops w)on imperishable fame not only for themselves but for their native land. It is with Gallipoli that it is most natural to associate, the attack on Bellevue Spur—ini each case the impossible was attempted with unsurpassable courage and devotion, and carried as near success as human flesh and blood could possibly have taken it. Neither grief nor vain glory, hut pride and gratitude —a chastened pride and a bumble grati-tude-should ho felt when the perfection of courage displayed by the men is contemplated. For those who mourn the loss of brave and gallant sons in this adventure at Bellevue, sincerost symptliy will ho felt.