RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1915, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE COMING OF WINTER. RIGA SAFE. -IN OMINOUS LULL. GERMAN TROOPS' PLIGHT. GT.'ERTLLA WARFARE. Received Xov. 2, 8.5 p.m. Petrograd, Nov. 1. There is an ominous lull on the Russian front. Desperate battles on the Dvina were succeeded by artillery duels only on the Styr and north and south of the Kovel-Sarhy railway. The Gulf of Riga is entirely closed to German ships and Riga now represents a rest-house for the winter.

The schemes of conquest are now reduced to hopes of roof-cover for the exhausted troops during the winter. Most of the Germans are in summer clothing, and many of them are pillaging and marauding, and the officers arc obliged to wink at offences to cover up the growing deliciences of the German supply.

The men are terror-stricken, believing that the early appearance of the snow indicates a frost wherein the birds drop dead like stones upon the frozen earth. The Germans are short of men and munitions, and the configuration of the country also favors Russian guerilla warfare.

After disastrous fighting at Viarc.nowiehs, where whole companies of Germans surrendered, Prince Leopold demanded reinforcements, i Correspondents add that the Russian guerillas are acting under picked captain?, stiffened by trained soldiers.

CLOGGED WITH CORPSES. TERRIBLE FIGHTING NEAR RIGA. London, Nov, 1, An eye-witness describes the fighting .it Dulcn Tsland. near Riga. The Russians lured the enemy to an island and fire was opened from two sides. There were terrific losses. The public assembled on the bridges at Riga to watch thousands of German corpses float down the stream, which was e'.pgged with corpses A SEVERE REVERSE.

RUSSIANS' DEADLY FIR!':. " Received Nov. .1, 12.2f> a.m. Petrograd, Nov. 2. Later reports show that the Germans suffered u severe reverse at Misse, near Riga. The Russians poured a deadly (ire into the entrenchments, and the enemy were unable to effectively reply. They have certainly sent many batteries to the Balkans, but the enemy's position at St. 0..5 V is becoming untenable.

GERMAN REPORT.

V.--.'AL TALE OF SCCCSSS.

■<ivc..l Nov. 2, 5..1 p.m. .•'im:;lerdcni, Nov. 1

GcneyM llir.i'.cr.burg. on both si.li.-s of the railway from Tukum to Riga, has gained ground.. Strong Russian attacks were repulsed west and south-west of Dunsiberg.

COUNTING THE BAG,

TIIK GERMAN* CLAIMS Received Nov. 2. 8.40 p.m. Berlin, Not. 1. Official: Our captures in October were: By General Ilindenburg's armies, 14..550 men and forty machine-guns; Prince Leopold 4!flfi men and two machine-guns: General l.insingin 5.027 men and twentyone machine-guns; General Bothmers, 1525 men and one machine-gun; General Mackensen. 11,902 men and twenty-three machine-guns.

THE GERMAN CHECK,

iy.POP.TAXT RAILWAY POSITION'. Tii"."s and Sydney Sun Services. London. Nov. 1. Dispatches mention Brusilon". Lcchitsky and Seherbacliofl' as the generals whose skill caused the failure of the Austro-C.ei'inan plan. By the capture of the Rovno-Sarny railway they deprived the enemy of important means of communication and prevented him reaping the full advantage of the offensive in Russia.

VODKA PROHIBITION. GENERALLY PROVES SUCCESSFUL. Received Nov. 2, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, Nov. 2. Unexpected resujts have arisen from the prohibition of Vodka. A majority of the peasants are at a loss to know how to spend their time and superfluous cash, and there have been cases of suicide owing to the empty lustreless life. Teetotallers are fully alive to the danger of providing libraries, lectures, and cinemas, but otherwise the reform is entirely satisfactory. The villagers are rolling in money and food, and are purchasing largely dairying and fanning utensils.