A BLACK HOUR.

ENEMY CROSSES THE DANUBE.

DEFENSIVE LINE OF THE ALT TURNED.

ULTIMATUM TO GREECE.

SARRAIL THREATENS TO USE FORCE.

ABORTIVE CHANNEL RAID.

(3rd YEAR—ll9th DAY.)

ROUMANIA IN DANGER. A SERIOUS MENACE. THIS DANUBE CROSSED. A WIDE IRRUPTION. (By Cablf. —I'rees Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Router's Telegrams.) (Received November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. November 25. A Norman communique says: — "In the Dobrudja the Bulgarians attacked and drove back the Russians. ' General von Mackensen's armv is likewise engaged at other points. "Wc have captured Orsova and Turnu-Scveriu on tho Danube in Wcs* tern Roumania." A FOOTING GAINED. (Received November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. A German communique says: — "The Roumanian rcsistanco on the Lower Alt river has been broken. We have crossed the river there, and Roumanian battalions which: were cut otf from tho main army are stubbornly resisting. „ n , ~ "North-east of Turnu-Severm, the forces of the Central Powers, after crossing tho Danube, gained a footing in Roumanian territory." MACKENSEN MOVING. (Rocoived November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. A German, evening communique says: — "A force of General von Mackensen s army has crossed the Danube at several points."-

BULGABTAN ACTIVITY. (Received November 26th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. A Bulgarian communique says:— "Near Ghifizhen, Grehovo, LomPalanka, and Vidin we occupied islands in tho Danube." Ghigzhen (or Gigem) 16 slightly to the west of tho point at which the Alt river enters tho Danube. Grehovo is north-west of Vidin. Vidin and Lorn Palanka are important river towns opposite Little Wallachia. ALT RIVER REACHED. (Received November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. An Austrian communique says:— "Tho vanguard of our forces, advancing beyond Craiova, reached the Alt river. Tho enemy is tenaciously resisting in the Rimnik sector. THE DANUBE IN FLOOD. , (Australian and. N.Z. Gable Afifiociu-tion.) LONDON, November 24. Concerning the Bucharest reports of an enemy attempt to cross tho Danube at Zimnitza, a Home wireless message states that all the Danube bridges havo been destroyed, including that at Cernavoda. Tho Danubo is flooded, and the Dobrudja population i s without food. Zimnitza is on the Danube, 45 miles south of Bucharest. ROUMANIAN NEWS. RETIREMENT ADMITTED. (Reuter'a Telegrams.) (Received November 26th, 5.40 p.m.) LONDON, November 24.

Three belated Roumanian communiques do not refer to ' tho fall Craiova, but admit a retirement having been made to the east of the town. Apparently the Roumanians from the Jiul Valley are making a stand on the Oltetio river, between Craiova and Slatina. A reference to the fierce enemy attacks on the Cerna proves that the Roumanians are stil] operating in the Orsova region. The occupation of Tashnl and Tatarpalas in the Dohrudja reveals the extent of the Allies' southward advance. Both villages are on the Black Sea, eighteen miles north of Constanza. ADVANCE IN THE DOBRUDJA. (Australian and X.Z. Cabio Association.) ißouter's TelegTams.) (Received November 26th. 0.0 p.m.) LONDON, November 2-1. The Roumanian communique reports that there were enemy attempts to disembark troops near Zunnitza, on the Danube. 4o miles south of Bucharest. In Western Wallachia the Roumanians further retired before superior forces. In the Dobrudja the Russians and

Roumanians advanced their whole front, especially in the centre and left Wing. LANDINGS ADMITTED. (Received November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. A Roumanian communique says:— '■The enemy landed troops at Islazu and Zimnitza, but north of these points their advance was arrested." Islazu is at the junction of the Alt with the Danube. THE DOBRUDJA OFFENSIVE. (Received November 26th 3 5.5 p.m.l .LONDON, November 2-1. A Russian communique says:— "En tho Dobrudja our troops further advanced to the south, their left flank reaching Tashul, ivhile in places they crossed tho river Cartal.'' THE WESTERN POSITION. (Received November 26fch, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. A Russian communique says:— '•In. the Alt Valley tho enemy energetically attacked and pressed back the Roumanians towards the south. "At Kaliinanesht and Moldaroeh, the enemy, from Craiova, compelled the Roumanians to retire behind the river Oletu. "Tho Germane crossed the Danube j near Zimnitza.'' CEREALS DESTROYED. (Australian and N.Z. Oatlo Association.) (Rocoived November 26th, 11.15 p.m.) PETROGR.AD, November 25. The Roumanians who were operating on "the extremo left saved themselves after destroying millions of hundredweights of cereals. THE GERMAN THRUST. AN OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION.

IMPORTANT GAIN'S CLAIMED. (Australian attd N.Z. Ca&lo Association.) (Received November' 2<3tli. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 24. The German Government's wireless news from Berlin states that the Austrians and Germans dominate tho situation in tho western part of Roumania, called Little Wallachia. ' The Roumanians endeavoured by every means to impede the irruption into this section of the Wallachian plain, as was proved by the great efforts made near Orsova and by the extraordinarily stubborn resistance in the Jiul Valley. General voh Falkenhayn's army, after conquering tho Szurduk and Vulcan passes, made a new thrust on November 12th southward of the frontier, and pushed back the enemy to a stronglyfortified position near Dustcni. Wo again pushed him back on November 14th, and defeated him decisively on the 18th near Tirgu-Jinliu, together I | with all his reserves. The Orsova-Craiova railroad fell into our hands on the 20th, and Craiova was entered on tho 21st. This means the conquest of 11,000 square kilometres of wheat soil. The occupation of Craiova is of high strategic importance. Two Danublan railroads converge there, and the communications of ;all -tho Roumanian troops wesward of Craiova are cut. whilst the Central Powers' reinforcements, which arc advancing on all sides, are easily transportable. A network of roads radiates from Craiova, and these are most important, inasmuch as the chief strategic railroads from tho Rotherthurm Pass to tho Danube are only forty kilometres distant. Finally, Craiova, being the kev to Western Roumania, is an excellent base for fresh operations to the eastward. A SECOND BELGIUM

KEEN DESIRE FOR REVENGE. (Received November 26th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. Messages received via Amsterdam show that plans for an increased concentration of troops in Roumania aro being hurried forward. Germany is determined that tho campaign shall serve as an object lesson to the neutral world of her invincibility. Germany calculates that she will be able to transform Roumania into a second Belgium. As a result of the new industrial conscription, by which the Germans hope to obtain millions of men, the Roumanian campaign will be continued throughout the winter.

THE ALLIED VIEW

THRUST ONLY A RAID

j JUDGMENT TO BE SUSPENDED. (Tteut-er's Telegrams.) ißeceived November 26th. 5.40 p.m.) LONDON, November 24. Experts point out that General von Falkenhayn failed to cut off Roumania from Russia in the Moldavian defiles, and was then compelled to' abandon his march on Bucharest through the Predeal Pass, while the unexpected forced march on Craiova is merely a raid intended to crcate alarm. As an enemy ba-se it is too remote to enable him to crush Roumania. The experts tnercfore urge the public to await developments before jumping to the conclusion that the Roumanian defence has proved a failure. NEWSPAPERS ALARMED, 'Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) (R-eceived November 26th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. The newspapers insist upon the importance of the news of General von Mackensen being across the Danube at several points, of which one is clearly Zimnitza. Apparently General von Maekensen's troops have been brought from Ceniavoda. Tho effect of the invasion if unchecked will be to turn tho lino of the Alt river. NOT SO BLACK AS IT LOOKS. LONDON, November 24. Colonel Ilepington, the military correspondent of "The Times," points out that the Roumanians at Orsova had a week in which to retreat ninety miles in order to avoid being cut off bv the Germans at Craiova. Probably the Orsova army has been successful in doing this, though tho division forming the rearguard may be caught. Marshal von Hindenburg's chance of a great coup depended on his forcing the passes between Buzeu and Torzburg, in order to denloy on the plain to the southwards. This might have involved two Roumanian armies in disaster, but the Roumanians held firm in the Central passes, and the Austrian* and Germans are now obliged to attack from the west, and to do that have to cross rivers in flood flowing from the north to the south and south-east. If the Roumanians hold firm the enemy attack will constantly be at the disadvantage of having to fight ordinary battles, instead of throwing for a groat coup. General von Falkenhayn at the present moment has only his western columns available for action on tho r>lains. The others are huncr up in the defiles. Though tho loss of Western Roumania would be a bad blow, the situation may be much less black than it appears on the sur- I face.