RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 September 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE FALL OF RICA. STARTLES PETROCRAD. RUSSIANS RETIRING IN ".PERFECT ORDER." Petrograd. Sept. 5. The fall of Riga startled the public. M. Kerensky said that the enemv gathered an immense quantity of heavy artillery and bombarded the s-outh-easwrn side and the situation gave owing to the superiority i.f the enemy artillery. A semi-official message .say:; that the latastrophe at Riga was not' wholly unexpected and measures for the evacuation of the littoral of the gulf were taken before the Dvina had been crossed. The last train of wounded left Riga under heavy German artillery fire. The Rus. sians' withdrawal from Riga held up the enemy's pressure. The first women's "Battalion of Death" particularly distinguished itself, entering the melee at a critical moment and throwing back the pursuing enemy two miles despite lo.,ses. Their example inspired other units. M. Voltinsky, commissioner to the eommander on the northern front, reports that the Germans' preponderance of for"es and artillery and use of asphyxiating shells caused enormous losses. Energetic counter-attacks with the bayonet occasionally Ihrew the enemy back to the river. The soldiers retired on a seven mile front and carried wounded comrades. The Bu.sian lines will be shortened.' The new front will be from Fricdrichstadt to the gulf half-way between Riga and Venden. M. Savinkoff states that the army is retiring in perfect order and in conformity with a prearranged plan" THE BALTIC LITTQRAL THE ENEMY OBJECTIVE. Received Sept. fi. 5.5 p.m Petrograd, Sept. fi. The military authorities state that the Germans are endeavoring to extend their operations to the entire Baltic littoral. All available men and materia! are assembled. Contain members of the Council of Workmen and Soldiers' Department .we trying to utilise the fall of Riga to force the resignation of General Kornilotf, but officials declare his resignation is impossible. RETIREMENT CONTINUES. ENEMY ADVANCING RAPIDLY. Received Sept. 0, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 5. Russian official.—The retirement along the Gulf of Riga continues, the enemy reaching the crossings on the river Aa fifty versts north-east of Riga. Our troops operating eastward of Riga retired to Zegewold, Lemburg and I»a----zisubnizo. Submarines shelled the Riga, coast. Our counter-attacks drove the enemy from heights near Plobodzcia. A GERMANISED RIGA. A HUN DEMAND. London, Sept. 5. Nearly all the German newspapers demand that Riga shall remain German territory. COURAGEOUS ROUMANIAN DEFENCE. AGAINST DESPERATE ENEMY ATTACKS. London, Sept. 5. The latest telegrams from the Ron* manian front prove the gallantry of the defenders' resistance, especially on the Oitux front, where the Austrian-Ger-mans during the last ten or twel"e dt.ys of August incessantly beat against the Roumanians day and night. It is true the enemy gaine * ground slightly, hut his tosses were lu-.ii'.'. It is estimated that ten Austro-Giaman divisions have been exhausted. They frequently sent sixfold waves, endeavoring to seize Targu Okna, which cover nn important railway, but the defence was courageous in the extreme. The Roumanians even counter-attacked, forcing the enemy to yield ground.

SERIOUS FOOD CRISIS. ONLY THREE DAYS' SUPPLY Ol' BREAD. PEASANTS REimSE TO BRING IN GRAIN. Received Sept. 6, 8 p.m. Petrograd, Sept. a. The food crisis is serious, as there is only a bread reserve sufficient for three days, and soldiers and civilians are suffering privations. The main cause is the peasants' refusal to supply, owing to inability to obtain iron, paraffin, salt, cotton, and foods in exchange for grain. The Government is unable to meet the peasants' demands owing to shortage of fuel and means of transport. There are similar difficulties in Finland, where the Government h.is decided to make requisitions if the peasants persist in their attitude.

A VOLUNTEER CORPS. AN anh-retolutionary plot. Received Sept. 0, 8 p.m. Petrograd, Sept. 5. M. Lebedetr, acting Minister for Marine, has resigned in order to form a volunteer corns in the interior, with General KorniiolF's approval. Newspaper* • tate that the ex-heir presumptive, the Grand Duke Michael Alex- ■ nndrovitch, his wife, and the Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovitch, are kept in arrest in connection with an anti-revolu, tionary plot. "SERIOUS FOR A FORTNIGHT." GERMANS' EFFECTIVE GUILE. Received Sept. 7, 12.55 a.m. London, Sept. 0. The Daily Chronicle's Pctrograd correspondent pay? the position at Riga has been most serious for a fortnight. The Moscow Convention hourly expected to hear of its being captured] but the Germans bided their time, otherwise, the Left Party would have been persuaded to trust General Korniloff instead of believing that ho was trying to create a panic. Directly the Convention was over, the Germans struck. The Lettish battalion had abandoned the Uvkull bridgehead n month before. The Germans crossed the river ;n pontoons. Some of the Russian units coun-ter-attacked, but the. rest [led. The Germans pushed across the Great Jaegel within sight of Riga, which was thereupon evacuated. It hm been the centre of German agitation for months. Duriii-; the fraternising the Germans gave the Lettish soldiers free trips to their Conrland homes. Many of the Letts finally believed that it 'mattered not whether the Germans or Russians gave the desired autonomy. RUSSIANS RAPiDLY RETREATINC. A GERMAN REPORT. Atis. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter. Received Sept. 7, 12.55 a.m. London, Sept. 6. A wireless German official report states: The northern wing and centre of the Twelfth Russian Army is rapidly retreating. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. ARREST OF THE GRAND DUKES. DUE TO FEAR OF POPULAR RALLY. Reuter Service. Received Sept. 7, 2,10 a.m. Petrograd, Sept. 0. The Municipal Council elections resulted in the election of 73 Revolutionary •Socialists, 00 Maximalists, 44 Constitutional Democrats, and Hi miscellaneous. The (Bourse Gazette says that the arrest of the Grand Dukes was due to the fear of a popular rally in their favor, owing to the events at Riga, in the same manner as deserters in the south-west caused the removal of ex-Imperialists to Tobolsk. .