FALL OF PETROGRAD REPORTED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 9

FALL OF PETROGRAD REPORTED

VICTORIOUS ADVANCE BY

YUDENITCH

BRITISH NAVAL BOMBARDMENT OF KRONSTADT A BRILLIANT EXPLOIT AND CAPTURE By Tslueraßh -Preis A«so«iattoii--OopTTlEli> London, October 16.. Yudenitch is on the eve of capturing Tsai'skove Selo (18 miles south of Petro-•fcrad).—Aus.-N.55. -Cable Assn. (liec. Octobcr 17, 10.30 p.m.; London, Octoter 16. A message from Reval stales that General Yudenitch is within twelve , miles of Potrograd, and news of the fall of the cilv is expected at, any moment. The "Daily Express" correspondent at Ilelsingfurs states that it is unofficially reported that Yudenitch canfVirod Petrngrad on Wednesday night. . Kronstnill, capitulated after ail' intensebombardment by the. British Fleet.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Helsingfors, October TC.... The capture of Kronstadl: is regarded n.s a most brilliant exploit, in view, of the fact that only light cruisers and destroyers were engaged. The capluro rounds olf Admiral Cowan's nine months'' campaign in tho Baltic.—Aus.-X.55.' Cable Assn. .. ALL QUiETiT RIGA LETTS TAKE THE OFFENSIVE. : (Rec. October 17, 7.15. p.m.) Helsingfors, October 16. After the bombardment all is quiet at Riga. The shells throughout killed and ■wounded only ten of the inhabitants.— Auj.-N.Z. Cable ; Assii. , London, October 16. Copenhagen report-! that the situation |. at Riga is satisfactory, nnd .that the Letts in some places are initiating couu-ter-fltneks. : The Letts have, crossed the .Dvina and tlieir operations-are-develop-ing favourably—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, : ■'GERMAN LTGIftEIiS SEIZED' BYTHE" BRITISH. ■' f (Rec. October' 17, 7.15 p.m.) Copenhagen, October 16. British torpedo boats have seized two German lighters at Stettin bound for KoenigfbtirK laden with valued at two million marks—Aus.-N.Z.' ■ Cable Assn. ■ , - A BOLSHEVIST CLAIM , ' REPORTED RECAPTUIIi'': OF KIEP.F. (l!ec. October 17, 7.15 p.fn.) London, October 16. A Bolshevik wireless that Soviet troops on Wednesday recaptured Ki'off—Aus.-N.55; Cable Assn. BRITISH POLICY - IN RUSSIA PRESS DEMAND FOR CLEAR . STATEMENT. • ■-London, October 15. All the.newspapers afe demanding an authoritative explanatory .statement .regarding' the policy .in Russia; cspeciajly in connection with tiio Allies' precise relations' with the various AVhitc Russian armies and Hie Baltic Slates, - also the relations of these, armies and'the States with each other.. Thcquestion is asked, What: will happen when Bolshevism' finally collapses? AVill t.bo influence behind tho new Russian Government or Governments bo German oi' Allied? It is authoritatively stated that Bermoudt is' impudently -asserting without: foundation. lhii:t'.''ho'is '.representing tho-fflWaU-od. Russian ,-.Government, .whereas' he reall.v\js a more adventurer who has received, and probably still, is receiving, tho tmpport of von der Goltz's Gorman army. ■ "Other parties concerned are Hie German Government.-which evaded tho Entente's, demands, to. withdraw its troops .from the. Baltio Slates, and the North-West. Russian Government., s The Russian elements' of Beriiiondt's; army wero' originally recruited.-from this source. ' ■' -The Russian North-West, army, .from which Bcrmandt was dismissed, is now entirely out of eympathy with his present action.- , The. Allies' policy always has been to prevent. the Baltic States being over-run by Bolsheviki or Germans, and, with that aim, to get von der Goltr and his Germans out of the country.

The present position, roughly, is that the. Germans and Russians, who overran Latvia on a line from the mouth of Hie Dvina to Mitau and Shalvi,- have failed 'decisively tor defeat*'(he Lettish - army. As Bormondt is now disowned-'by everybody and outlawed-by,-Yudenitch, who is Kolchak's representative, -the, Lettish Government hopes, with, the assistance, of Esthonia"and Lithuania," and' with' the good will of the Entente -Powers,' •to recover aH'6he'has lost and'exterminate the German menace-for ever. •

■A Lettish communique ■ dated -October 15 states:—Our situntion is secure. We have fought our way across the Dvina.' Operations - are developing favourably. 1 A telegram from] Onisk states -that* the Bolsheviki. in their fetreat,- are. taking away nil .-the"'population .between, theawes of sixteen, and , fifty, together with the cattle... ; The latest authoritative news from South Russia' shows' that Denikin's extreme left has'taken-Chernigov,'and is advancing northward- along the east of the Dneiper towards-Gowel. The right centre has .crossed the Don on a two liunnted 1 mile front, from Voronej to' eighty -miles north-west, of - Tsaritsin, driving back the Bolsheviki everywhere north-east and northward.- "In ..East Russia, owing .-to tho. demands'. -of - tlio other .fronts,, the Bolsheviki are reduced to a strict defensive line behind. the Total line.—Reuter. >•

LATEST SURVEY OF THE SITUATION : / ___ COMPLETE ..BOLSHEVIK \ COLLAPSE,' : IMMINENT. (Rec. October 17, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 16. The Australian Press Association corresuondent leariis from infbrma'tion from' North Russia of reports of'mutiny among' two Bolshevik regiments' which refused to go to the fi'ont line.-- . Similarly: :a regiment detailed to. raid lines of com-, municatioii refused to -, proceed.' . The. eneinr is - evacuating Onega in great disorder. The retirement is so. rapid that the have lost' touch. ' The inference is that' the Bolsheviki have withdrawn all but inferior troops for use in the defence of -Petrograd .and ;on the south Russian fronts. . YudoniichVoffemive towards Petrograd was. excellently devised' oil a' seventy-five-niile' front.' Ho advanced iii six column's, supported on both llanla by Esthonians and aided bv tanks: The enemy.fought lenaciotislv at Luga. A.complete armoured train was captured at Volosovo. The enemy is now retiring hastily on his whole front' southward of ,Luga. Yudenitch, in two dais, penetrated over forty miles. His alliance created disorder and consternation in Petrograd. According, to unconfirmed reports Gatchina has been, captured. The Bolsheviki have opened a, L'cneral attack oh the west, .bank of the Vulsa north-west of Tsaritsin,' hut wore repulsed heavily. v ' '

llenikin. having laid hands on Ihe whole ill'. South Russia has increased hi* armies fivefold, lU> is complete master over the Tiolshevilii, and Krows.itt power dailv. Tliero is little yrobaljility of the Tiolsheviki nhecl:iilß- tho advance. Since Jlsv. Penikin has captured iv quarter of »: million prisoners. 'I'lie Siberians have reached Tohol on ii uinc.l.v-mile front on both . side;; of ICursan. and thrown nati-ols acros.4 at vavidus phinls The Bolshcviki destroyed the. rnilwav bridge at Kurgan. "Meanwhile the Ural Cossacks are attacking t'lalsk from . thrco sides. Goiiernlly sneakiuf!. a military collapse of tho liolsJioviVi Hn-oijghont Russia Js within the hounds of rossibility.' The Poles _ and Ifkrainitiiis have extended the armistice for a further' thirty days.

lWurffGttl's led by Turkish officers attacked Derboiit, 130 miles , novtli-west of The Georgians are apparently fomenting the movement- with the assistance of German intriguers. _ There is also , much Bolshevik -, /activity in Baku.—Atis.-N.fl. Cable Assn.

BOLSHEVIK STAMPEDE ON KOLCHAK'S FRONT •Omsk, October IG> The Bolshevik retreat on, General lvolchak's front is general— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn..