RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1918, Page 5

RUSSIA.

GATHERING ALLIED FORCES. DESERTIONS PROM BOLSHEVIKS. Received Aug. 19, >2.35 p.m. Tientsin, Aug. IS. A French detachment reached. Nikolsh on Saturday to join the British. The Czechs are already there and the Japanese are expected early. The Czech general urgently appeals to the Allies lo augment the assistance and so enable him to hold Irkutsk. The appearance of the Allies in iSiieria lia-> caused numerous desertions from the Bolshevik ranks. It is officially announced from Tokio that Japan is despatching troop 3to Manchuria to protect the frontier.—Aus. >- Z. Cable Assoc. London, Aug. IS. Advices stale that, besides the 'British forces on iboth sides of the Caspian, an Indian force has arrived at Meshed at Meshed (North Persia), whence it can advance alon<* the trans-Caapian railway.—Aus N.Z. Cable Assoc. IRKUTSK CAPTURED. BY THE CZECHOSLOVAKS. Received August 19, 8.45 p.m. Washington, August 18. Diplomatic advices from Russia announce that Irkutsk had been captured by the Czecho-Slovaks. Military officials point out that the CV.echo-Slovaks' capture of the city will have an important bearing on the Siberian situation. The city was the base for former German and Austrian prisoners of war, who, after their release by the Bolsheviks, organised an anneu force and attempted to obtain control of Siberia for the Central Powers. Official despatches from Russia add that the Trans-Siberian Railway is open between Irkutsk and Samara, indicating that the railway between these points is under Czecho-Slovak controlPress Assoc. JAPANESE FORCES. JOIN THE ANGLO-FRENCH. Received Aug. 19, 5.40 p.m. New York, Aug- 18. The United Pre3s Tokio correspondent cables that the Japanese Government has issued a statement that, under agreement with China, Japan is sending troops to the Manchurian border, where danger is threatening. The United Press Vladivostock correspondent states chat Japanese troops have landed and joined the British and French, and that the Allied contingent received an ovation when on the way to the front.—United PressA REIGN OF TERROR. BOLSHEVIKS COPY BUN METHODS. Received Aug. 19, 8.35 p.m. New York, Aug. 18. Anno Doosehfleurst, the New York World's Petrograd correspondent, states: "Throughout Russia there is a reign of terror. The Bolsheviks are 'rving to maintain power by spreading fearM the bottom of the trouble is the | disaffection of the peasants, who are refusing to yield grain at the low prices fixed, except in exchange for manufactured articles at equally low pricesj which the Bolsheviks are una'ble to provide ■Expeditions have seen sent into the villages to force the peasants to yield nrain. the result heing constant killings. The Bolshevik soldiers dare not leave the railways except in force. In one instance the peasants killed ISO soldiers, consistin? of an expedition sent against them. "T was struck, on returning to Russia after an absence of three omntks, by the fart that the masses had fallen away from the Bolsheviks, hut the masses have no organisation capable of seizing power. The Bolsheviks aire having the greatest difficulty with scattered uprisings, and j the are now mutinying." Mr. Poole, late United States ConsulGeneral at Moscow, has cabled to the State Department savin? that after he Hd turned over American affairs to the Swedish representative he considered it his duty to remain and aid the Allied officials, although he was aible to obtain a safe conduct to leave Russia He, with 'he aid of the Swedish representative, obtained the release of several hundred Entente citizens, mostly French and Eng'ish, who were held as hostages Ibv the BnVneviks for the SSviet member? imin flm -nrW.h. hut ninet.v civilian hostages remain in the custody of the Bolsheviks. Mr. Poole added that the Tminese Consul had lflft Moscow with « «afe conduct, nnd will report the conations to the Entente Governments.— Press Assoc. BLACK SEA FTJ?I?T FALLS TO AUSTRIA. Rome, Aug. 1.9. Austrian crews have taken over fifteen ve=iols of . the Russian Black Sea fleet, which has been assigned to AustriaFTun?arv under the agreement with Germanv.—Ana. N.Z. Cable AssocGERMAN!? AT KJRONSTADT. Amsterdam. Aug- 18. "erman newspapers report that over ?flO T?n«itin officers have been shot at Tvronstadt on charges of anti-Bolshevik activities Parln, Aug. IS. j "he Matin savs that the Germans hnv« "Vendv occupied Kronstadt.—Aus. NZ. Cable A=soe.