THE WAS SITUATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1918, Page 4

THE WAS SITUATION.

A GENERAL REVIEW

fAWrKALIAN & N.z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] LONDON, Sept 19. No further liglitiug; is reported fiom Northern Russia beyond skirimishes fa* vo ura bio to us. The Bolsheviks have fallen back from the Onega-Obersor-kayn. road, enabling us to secure this line of conunusication. The Czechoslovaks in European Russia are hard pressed. ' Within the last ton days the .Bolsheviks apparently assisted by a considerable number of Germans, have occupied Volsk, Simbirsk, and Kazan. The Czechs are very tired of their lack j of munitions, equipment, and stores, j The fall of Kazan appears to have b*en entirely due to the lack of ammunition. The Germans are reported to be concentrating heavily on the Kharkoff-Bel - gorod area, apparently with a view to advancing to the Volga- to prevent General Alexielf joining the Czechs about Samara. The Bolsheviks force between the Czechs in. the Ekatcrinburg area and General Roolt’s forces at Archangel is estimated at 18,000. The total Bolshevik-German forces which will eventually lie engaged with the Czechs is over 100,000. It is noteworthy that already the Czechs are exercising an important effect on the Western front by keeping the enemy engaged in Russia. This is exactly what our Russian policy has in view. Germany’s offer to withdraw from Northern Russia if we do the- same is apparently due to the difficulty ol inducing the Finns to participate in the war, and to a desire to avoid commitments in view of the situation on the Western front. Germany, however, continues her preparations, and we must be prepared for a serious ‘attack ou the railway and the coast. ]t was recognised from the First that our sending an expedition to Baku was hazardous.. It was known that the Armenian National Council had made a definite peace with the Turks and sent emissaries to Constantinople and Berlin .but it was believed that there were 80.00(1 Armenians at Baku out of touch with the National Council, and that they, with the. assistance of non- ] Bolsheviks and a small British force, ! would offer a stout resistance. while the I strategical gain, it B-aku held ttim, would justfy the risk. On July With, the Bolsheviks at Baku were overthrown and a new Government created, which begged for British assistance. .We acquiesced, hut could only send a small force owing to the difficulty oi communications. The local forces at Baku numbered 10,500. When the Armenian troops wore tested on August 7th they proved unreliable, refused to fight, and dispersed to their homes, causing the failure of the attack against the Turkish enveloping movement- North of Baku on August 20th a determined Turkish attack was beaten off by the North Staffords and Worcesters, who, though fighting gallantly had to give ground. A second attack on another sector also failed. By the end of August it was realised that the co-opera-tion of the local forces was insufficient |v effective to justify the retention of our detachment, and the evacuation was ordered on Sept. Ist. On the same day the Turks again attacked, resulting in the Warwickshire* having to cover the Armenian-Russian retirement. It is feared that they lost heavily. On Sept. 2nd the Russian General Bieharnakov occupied Petrovsk, and promised reinforcements. A small detachment reached Baku on Sept. 9thThis gave us breathing space, and inspired the Allies to hold on. .Meanwhile tile Armenians were negotiating to hand over Baku lo the enemy fleet, which had trained its guns on the Armenian quarter’. The Turks on Sept. Kith attacked in force. The light lasted sixteen hours, the brunt being borne -by the British. As is now known, the British evacuated the town. It is presumed that the Russians provided General Diuistervillo

with the necessary shipping. Tlk* 'lurks finvc recently undertaken mi advance from Tabriz as far as .femarubad. Our watching detachment retired.