RUSSIA.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 September 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

BOLSHEVIK CAPTURES The Bolshevik and German forces have captured Kazan and Simbirsk on the Volga. - GERMANS TO EVACUATE RUSSIAN TERRITORY. Received 9.10 a.m. STOCKHOLM, September 20 It is reported that the Russian a.nd German Governments have signed an agreement stipulating the German evacuation of occupied Russian territory. The report is not confirmed. BAKU WITHDRAWAL. LONDON" Sept. 19. The British evacuated Baku in the middle of September, after sever fighting. The Armenians acted treacherously. It is feared that the Warwickshires lost heavily, BRITISHERS LEFT TO FIGHT ALONE. LONDON, Sept 20.

A high military authority says: It was recognised from the first that our sending of an expedition to Baku was. hazardous. It was known that the Armenian National Council had made definite peace with the Turks, and sent emissaries to Constantinople and Berlin, but it was believed 80,000 Armenians a v t Baku were out of touch with the National Council, that they, with the assistance of the non-Bol-sheviks and a small British force, would offer stout resistance, while the strategical gain, if Baku held firm, ■would justify the risk. On July 25th the Bolsheviks at Baku were overthrown, and a new Government created which begged British assistance. We acquiesced, but could only send a small force owing to the difficulty of communications. The local forces a* Baku numbered 10,500. When the Armenian troops were tested oh August 7th they proved unreliable. They,, refused to fight, and dispersed to their homes, causing the failure of an attack against a Turkish movement, north of Baku on August 26th, a determined Turkish attack was, beaten off by 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 tn» co-operation of the local forces was insufficiently effective to justify the retention of our detachment, and evacuation was ordered on September Ist. On the same day the Turks again attacked, resulting in the wickshires having to cover the Ar-menian-Russian retirement. It is feared they lost heavily. On September 2nd, the Russian General Bicharakow occupied Petrovsk and promised reinforcements. A small detachment reached Baku on September 9th. This gave us breathing space, inspired the Allies to hold on and induced the Caspian fleet to refuse to evacuate the British. Meanwhile, the Armenians were negotiating to hand over Baku to the enemy. The Fleet trained its guns on the Armenian quarter. The Turks on the 16th attacked in force. The fight lasted sixteen hours. The brunt was borne by the British. As is now known, the British evacuated. It is presumed the Russians provided General Dunsterville with {he necesasry shipping. The Turks Lave recently undertaken an advance from Talbriz as far as' Jemarubad. Our watching detachment retired.

GERMANY'S DIFFICULTIES. LONDON, September 3. Keuter's correspondent at Amsterdam says that B'ardn yon Hertling, German Chancellor, addressing a deputation of students, gloomily depicted Germany's difficulties as to supplies of food and clothing and referred to other manifold deprivations. The Chancellor spoke of the anxious outlook for the future, and complained that the Allies were animated mainly by a hatred for Germany bordering on insanity, while Germany was endangering herself by the intensification of her internal antagonisms. An authoritative German military statement warns the public against tho ridiculous rumours spreading through Germany, such as reports of wholesale mutinies in the army, betrayal of submarines and the suicide of Hindenburg." The whole statement is a striking revelation of the state of the German mind. A message from Amsterdam says that the Frankfort Zeitung draws attention to the change which has overcome the Pan-Germans. "They no longer," it comments, "rage but silently consider the situation. Germany sees hope in Dr_ Solf leading the peace party" and adds: "We hope our illfortune has removed the scales from the eyes of the bold annexationists, who now realise the difficulty of overthrowing the enemy. The great mass of tho Germans, have long been convinced that peace must, be by compromise and conciliation."

A COPPER TRAIL CONCERT. A grand popular concert is to be given in the Taihape Town Hall, next Friday evening, September 27th in. aid of the Red Cross Trail F 4 und. The prgoramme is new and a feature of it is the part the Taihape Pierrots will take in it. New songs, new dances, and new scenes have been in practice and the best talent has been pressed into the good cause. This district is woefully behind most of the North Island in its contributions to the Red Cross Copper Trail, it is therefore hoped everyone who possibly can will take an evening's amusement and swell the fund that the terrible fighting now proceeding in France is providing so much need for at the same time. The organisers of the concert are Mrs. G. Plunmier, a L.A.M. medallist and Mr L. £'. H de LatouT