RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1917, Page 5

RUSSIA.

THE NEW RUSSIAN ARMY. HEADY ];Y SPRING. Now York, Oct. 12. Tlio Petrograd correspondent of tiio New York World had an interview with jM. Yerhnvsky, .the new War Minister. | who mid: "By spring you will see the I new Uussian 'army based on the principles of initiative. We are travelling •m the ri»!>t read and must succeed. | We must triumph or our soul will die." | The basic idea of the. reorganisation is 1 to gain the confidence of the rank and t!c. oust the old commanders and their methods, and profitably utilise soldiers' icouiiicils. London, Oct. 12. - A wireless Russian official dispatch says:—We counter-attacked and restored ihe position soi-fh of the Pskov highroad. Tlie enemy's artillery forced bock our advanced posts northward of the .road. The enemy took several trendies in the Pjiicziifz region, but oi >,• i*mmt«A* attack recaptured them. Wo drove the Turks from a height southward of; lUrinia.

RUSSIA AROUSED.

GERMANS CAPTURE TWO ISLANDS. FRESH ACTIVITY INDICATED. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Router. Received Oct. 14, 5.5 p.m. London. Oct. ]3. A Russian communique reports: The enemy landed one or two divisions at Oesel and Dago, in the Gulf of Riga Debarkation was carried out with extra-' ordinary rapidity. The enemy lias long preparing for this operation 'for a long time, and the weakness of the patrol .service' favored the movement. The capture of these islands will deprive us of hitherto predominant positions in the Gulf of Riga, and it indicates fresh enemy operations probably in the direction of Hapsal. These events may have a repercussion on the situation in the Segcwold region, where a change of front will be, necessary, bringj iug it nearer the Wenden—Walk line. | The Government has decided to put j aside all domestic and political'affairs, and to eo'iccnirato all its strength on the defence of the country. DETAILS OF ATTACK. Potrograd, Oct. 13. The coast batteries were silenced by powerful tiring from dreadnoughts. The enemy movements were rendered difficult by the moles that we constructed, and by the bad visibility. The garrison at Oesel engaged the enemy AIR RAID ON RIGA. Received Oct. 14, 11.50 p.m. Amsterdam. Oct. 14. An official message from Berlin states that naval airships and hydroplanes repeatedly attacked military establishments in the Gulf of Riga and dropped 1000 bombs. THE GERMAN REPORT. Fetrograd, Oct. 13. A wireless German official report says: In a combined action with the army anil navy we obtained a footing on the island of Oesel. . LOOTERS FUSILADED. MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED. Aus. and JS T .Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received Oct. 15, 12.30 a.m. iPetrograd. Oct 14.

Bands of criminals and deserters began to pillage Khnrkoff on October in. They wore fusilnded by the troops, who were checking excesses. .Martial law was proclaimed in the evening, after fightm? »1! day. Similar disorders, provoked by the scarcity of food, in the various towns in the provinces of Bessaitr.a. Podolia, Kherson and Astrackhan were spaedily suppressed.