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Show u NAVAL RATTLE IN THE GULF OF RIGA Petrograd, t Aug. 20, via London, Aug. 21, 1 a m. A German fleet has penetrated the Gulf of Riga and Is engaged en-gaged with Russian warships defending defend-ing the coast, according to an official offi-cial statement Issued tonight by the Russian war office The communication follows: "Strong forces of the Qerman fleet have penetrated the Gulf of Riga and fighting with our Bhips continues. "On land, on the whole front from the west of Riga to the lower BUlya, there has been no essential change After the occupation of the Kovno fortifications by the Germans the remainder re-mainder of the garrison rejoined our forces occupying positions west of the railway from Janow to Kochedary. South of Kovno our forces still are on um ten ua.uh. ul tne iMummi. From Ossowetz, southward, and still further along the whole front of tho upper Narew and the Bug, in tho course of the 18th and 19th( the Germans Ger-mans made strong attacks. On the right bank of tho Narew northwest of Brest-LItovsk, our troops continue to withstand the enemy "Near Novogeorgievsl:, after occupying occu-pying the left bank of the Wkra, the G-ermans concentrated all their efforts ef-forts northwest of the Wkra as far as tho Vistula. By an Incessant bombardment bom-bardment with a hurricane of projectiles, projec-tiles, they almost completely destioy-ed destioy-ed our fortifications. In this section on the evening of the 18th, tho Germans Ger-mans surrounded one fort in tho region reg-ion pf Wymslow and afterward, despite de-spite enormous losses, directed their columns on the rear of the Zakroczy. This compelled our troops on the night of tho 19th to retire on the line of the former forts forming the central cent-ral defense. In the course of the following fol-lowing day, having destroyed by their fire two of these forts, tho Germans, by a series of sanguinary assaults, occupied oc-cupied the ruins, from which they directed their fire against the central defenses. We blew up the bridge over tho Narew and the forts we abandoned in the northern section. A powerful German fleet has been attempting since August 8 to force an entrance into the Gulf of Riga, which would permit them to give assistance as-sistance to their army, which occupies occu-pies the western coast of tho gulf. The Russian official statement indicates indi-cates that they have accomplished their purposes, probably penetrating through the Dlrben channel, which Is the only practicable way for large ships to enter the gulf. Tho Russians asserted that their warships and seaplanes were successful success-ful on the 8th in repulsing tho German Ger-man fleet. |
