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The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1917. THE RIGA DISASTER.

It is quite evident that in their offensive at Riga the Germans have had matters aii their own way. No incident that has happened since the Russian revolution lias bo clearly emphasised the chaotic nature of Russian war administration as this great disaster at Riga, Old warships, ineffective artillery and a total absence of initiative have all helped to make the German offensive easy, and unless relief is afforded by the Baltic fleet 'Russia will Buffer a disaster comparable only to that which oiwiirred when Admiral Togo wiped out the Rim> sian fleet in the battle of the Ssa of Japan. Those who have followed the sequence of cable messages relative to the operations in the Gulf of Riga cannot fall to have grasped the fact that the Germans were well aware of all the Russian weak points and laid their plans accordingly. Point after point was taken with consummate ease, the German long range guns sweeping aside all such opposition as was offered. A kind of paralysis seems to have overtaken the Russians, and this is particularly evident by the fact that instead of the fleet making its escape from Moon Sound when Osel ■was doomed, it remained bottled up among the islands to be diaposed of at leisure by the enemy unless a miracle happens—which da hardly likely. Apparently the German warships entered the Gulf by the western entrance, crossed it in spite of the minefields and drove about twenty Russian warships among the islands in Moon Sound, where they Were penned Up. It seems incomprehensible that the Russians, knowing the importance of defending the Gulf of Riga, should have omitted to bring the defences up to date. Reliance was undoubtedly placed in the minefields, but unless there were backed up by long range gunß they presented no obstacle to the enemy. Having swept up the mines the Germans landed two divisions at Osel and then obtained possession of the Sworbe Peninsula, thus cutting off a large portion of the Russian forces and driving the Russians towards Moon Island, only a few escaping, the latest claim by the enemy places the number of prisoners at twenty thousand. The outstanding feature of the operations is the great contrast presented by the prompt and energetic measures of the Germans and the supincness and ineptitude of the Russians. The progress of the Germans was more like a procession than a battle, for their largest battleships threaded their wav with impunity

I through th u minefields of the Shallow Gulf. With the capture of Moon Island the Germans can sweep up the mines in the. narrow straits on either side and enter the narrow waters, and it is extremely improbable that the Russian fleet will he able to shelter at Ilapsal, where the Germans will very likely make a landing. Had the gulf and the islands been held 'in strength, the Germans' plan would have been foiled, for the fleet and the islands would have been sources of mutual security. A later report states that the Russian ships have been withdrawn to a new base in the Gulf of Finland, and if this is reliable there would appear to be some hope of a counter offensive, being made. It has, however, to be, remembered that the Germans have a very strong naval force on the spot. It is somewhat a' matter of speculation'to account W rto real object of this latest German move which may be due to several causes. There is the possibility of it 'being intended to act as a mean 9 for driving Russia to make a separate peace by meanß of menacing Petrograd, or it may have been designed as an antidote to the disaffection in the German fleet. The least likely of all reasons is an attempt to capture Petrograd, for the difficulties are such a 9 to require a far larger land force than tne Germans can spare. The balance of probabilities seems to favor the supposition that it is a measure of expediency to keep the fleet employed instead of fostering trouble by inactivity. There is, however, another good excuse for the demonstration, and that is to be found in the growing discontent in Germany at the failure of the army to report victories and the growing alarm at the prospect of final defeat. There is Very little doubt that Germany's internal troubles are far more serious than has been allowed to become known to the outside world, so that' a well arranged dramatic victory at Riga would inspire new hope* and hearten up malcontents. Either of these reasons or a combination of them may account for the parade of German strength in the Gulf of Riga. One fact, however, is certain, the offensive can have no appreciable effect on the ultimate outcome of the war, and the British Premier's latest public speech makes this absolutely clear. It is to be hoped that the menace will serve to clear the turbid political atmosphere in Russia and arouse the people to a fitting sense of their peril in such a way as to cause them to sink all differences in the one imperative duty of fighting the Huns to the bitter end.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19171025.2.18

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1917, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
876

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1917. THE RIGA DISASTER. Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1917. THE RIGA DISASTER. Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1917, Page 4

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