A DASHING EXPLOIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1919, Page 5

A DASHING EXPLOIT.

IN THE BALTIC. BRITISH SINK TWO BOLSHEVIK BATTLESHIPS. ALSO THREE OTHER VESSELS, By Telegraph.—Press Assn— Copyright. London, Aug. IS. It is reported that Kronstadt is burning. A Bolshevik battleship, cruiser, transport, and guardship are reported to have been sunk off the Finland coast. The British lost three motor boats.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Admiralty official: Two battleships and one destroyer were sunk in the Gulf of Finland and a cruiser probably seriously damaged.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. KRONSTADT AFLAME. AEROPLANE AM) MOTOR BOAT ATTACK. Received Aug. 20, 8.40 p.m. Stockholm, Aug. 19. British aeroplanes, in conjunction with motor boats, attacked Kronstadt, which is aflame. Helsingfors,' Aug. 19. British coastal motor boats sank two Bolshevik battleships, a transport with troops, and a trawler, off Kronstadt.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENCOUNTER. DASHING WORK BY MOTOR BOATS. Received Aug 21, 12.20 a.m. Lohdon, Aug. 19. The Daily Express' Helsingfors correspondent supplies an account of the British high-speed coastal motor boats' dashing exploit at Kronstadt, sinking two Bolshevik battleships, the Petropavlovsk and Marie Feodorovna, also a transport with troops, and a trawler and acting guardship. The motor boat.?, capable of forty knots, crept in between the forts in the, darkness. They got within close range of the battleships before they were detected, and loosed torpedoes, each of which found its mark. During the return journey the motor boats were subjected to a heavy fire from the batteries. While running the gauntlet at full speed between the forts at the mouth of the Neva, which are only 800 yards apart on either side of Kronstadt, three of the motor boats were lost with i eight officers and three men.—Aus. N.Z. ; Cable Assoc. ADMIRALTY CONFIRMATION. Received Aug 20, 11.50 p.m. London, Aug. 19. The Admiralty confirms the statement that' the Russißn battleships Petrogopavlovsk and Andrei Pervosanni were sunk in action in the Gulf of Finland. A Russian destroyer was also sunk and'a eroiscr probably seriously damaged. The Admiralty also confirms tho report that three British motor boats were lost. No mention is made regarding the loss of a Russian transport or gunrdsbip, nor the losses of the British pev?onnel Helsingfors, Aug. 19.

The reinforced British fleet concentrated against Kronstadt, which is reported afire.—Ana. N.Z. Cable Assoc. ■Received Aug. 21, 1.45 a.m. London, Aug. 19.

The correct names of the battleships are given in accordance with the following Admiralty official statement: In the naval engagement in the Gulf of Finland early on the 18th, two battleships, the Pstropavlovsk and Reipervbzbanni, and one destroyer were sunk A cruiser was also probably seriously damaged.—Aus, N,Z. Cable Assoc.