BULGARIA'S TERMS

TO JOIN WITH THE ALLIES GERMANY'S PEACE PROPOSALS DEFENCES OF CONSTANTINOPLE BEING PREPARED FOR A LAST STAND FRENCH MUNITIONS OUTPUT A very straightforward statement is made by the Bulgarian Prime Minister: He says that if Bulgaria is given back Servian Macedonia, she will fight so as best to suit the 'Allies. In the Russian theatre there have been renewed attacks on Kovno, and preparations are being made to evacuate Dvinsk. Bombardment is very fierce on the Argonne, and between this and the Swiss frontier there has been activity at many points. A second Zeppelin has been damaged off the French coast by aviators' bombs. According to an Athens message, the Allies on the 7th captured two trenches of great importance on the Krithia front at Gallipoli. ' ' " German reports describe some naval fighting near the 'Aland Islands, in the' Baltic. The Goeben is reported to have been torpedoed and run aground, and there has been an Austrian bombardment of the Italian coast. WAITING TO JOIN THE ALLIES BULGARIA'S TERMS "GIVE US SERVIAN-MACEDONIA" V ; (By Telegraph.- 'Press Association.— Copyright.) (Received August 13, 8.30 a.m.) SOFIA, 12th August. M. Radoslavoff (Prime Minister), in an interview, said that Bulgaria wa* willing and waiting to join the Allies if they guaranteed the realisation of hep national ideals, especially in Macedonia. » v "We are openly negotiating with both groups," said the Premier. "The, Entente requests full military co-operation ; the Central Powers only ask for neutrality. *Bulgaria does not want Constantinople. The fears of some States that they are threatened are groundless. The Bulgarian Army and nation is now better equipped than ever. All we ask is to give us back Servian-Mace-donia, and we will fight in the way to serve you best." PROPOSALS 10 BERVIA AND GREECE. PARIS, 12th August. The Journal dcs Debate learns that th« proposals mad© to Nish and: Athens show that the Quadruple Entente asked Servia and Greece to make concessions of Macedonia and Ka valla in order to obtain Bulgaria's co-opera-tion. The Journal dcs Debats adds "If Bulgaria wants guarantees former cooperation, there is nothing which at present warrants us in committing oursolves to a guarantee." « The Matin, states that the formula submitted to Bulgaria is that* the Quadruple Entente should become depositaries of the ceded territories till peace is declared. NO TURKISH CESSIONS TO BULGARIA. *• l * PARIS, 12th August. ' The Dedeagatch correspondent of the, Temps states that, as the outcome of the Austro-Gerroan victories, the Young Turks, except Enver Pasha, are repugnant against making territorial concessions to Bulgaria. There is a story that at a meeting of the Ministry of War, Enver Paßha ' and field-Marshal yon der Goltz explained the necessity for of taining Bulgaria's friendly neutrality. The meeting rejected their views, while the more Chauvinistic expressed the hope that Turkey would extend her borders, even over Bulgaria's dead body. A BRIBE TO RUMANIA. . . MILAN, 12th August. The Oomere della Sera has published a Bucharest despatch declaring that a representative of Krupp's arrived at Bucharest with an offer of thirtysix batteries with ammunition and a vast quantity of barbed wire, if Rumania would allow the passage of ammunition destined for Turkey. Upon thfe intervention of the British Minister, the offer waa refused. ONLY ONE EVENT WILL MOVE BULGARIA x<4 v *! AUSTRO-GERMAN CROSSING OF SERVIA TO v~ ASSIST TURKEY . (Received August 13, 11.30 a.m.) rt , SOFIA, 12th August. German and Austrian Ministers, visiting M. Radoslavoff, emphasised the nearness of the German offensive against Servia, and promised Bulgaria acquisitions of territory in return for a benevolent neutrality. ( ROME, 12th August. M. Rishtich, in an interview in the Tribuna, referring to tho Powers' negotiations with the Balkan States, remarked that Bulgaria hnd fully decided to do nothing. Only one event would move her and the other Balkan States — namely : an Austro-German attempt to traverse Servia to assist the Turks. This would imperil the existence of all the Balkan States, and would impel Bui- * garia and Rumania to come to the rescue. FOR LAST STAND AT CONSTANTINOPLE - > TURKS' FEVERISH PREPARATIONS DEFENCES PERFECTED BY GERMAN GENIUS (Received August 13, 8.30 a.m.) * NEW YORK, 12th August. Thd United Press Agency's correspondent, who visited Turkey, says the Turks continue to make feverish preparations for a last stand at Constantinople. The best German genius has perfected the trenches west and north. A Russian landing from the Black Sea will be met with determined resistance. A hundred thousand Christians constructed the defences, only Mueluhnans being employed in the fighting line. Strategic .railways ar# being constructed in many directions to , assisting J^-the defence of G&Ilipoli, and &ttti^a^.4^^i&J^ttaatiuQßk> - 3

TYPHUS IN TURKISH CAPITAL HUNDREDS OF DEATHS DAILY (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) (Received August 13, 8 a.m.) ' LONDON, 12th August. Typhus is ravaging Constantinople. There are hundreds of deaths daily. Ismael Bey, a near relative of the Sultan, is among the victims. Th« Mohammedans accuse the Germans of poisoning the cisterns. I (Press Association.) THE FRENCH ARMY READY TO REPLY TO ANY BLOW MUNITION MANUFACTURE BEING SPURRED ON (Received August 13, 8.30 a.m.) PARIS, 12th August. Mr. Thomas (Under-Secretary for Munitions), in an interview, said : "France is making a fresh effort, which is comparable with England's. Scores of new munition factories haye been started, and tens 6f thousands of workmen have been placed at the manufacturers' disposal. Even now the army is equipped to reply to any blow, and take a strong offensive. Every day increases the Franco-British output. Our resources assure victory." GERMANY'S PEACE PROGRAMME THE OFFER TO RUSSIA FREE HAND AGAINST HER ALLIES PETROGRAD, 12th August. The Novoe Vremya declares that the peace terms suggested by Germany included the restoration o£ all the territory occupied and the opening of the Dardanelles, while all Germany asked for was a free hand in Egypt and against Russia's Allies. OPINION IN AMERICA SEPARATE PEACE UNTHINKABLE (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) (Received August 13, 8 a.m.) LONDON, 12th August. A Times correspondent in Paris says that from all sides come repjorts of increased pacific action by the neutral States and by pacifist internationalist bodies, but the French people simply turn a deaf ear. The Times correspondent at Washington says # that the German peace talk has not been particularly successful except in obvious quarters. ' The Hearst journals publish a flamboyant article, advocating neutral mediation. The Staats-Zeitung says that Germany does not desire conquest. The Anglophobe Washington Post swallows the German bait, but the responsible press scouts the idea of a premature peace, and gives cogent reasons why separate peace is unthinkable. \ Cfress Association.) ' THE POPE'S APPEAL. LONDON, 12th August. The Time* Milan correspondent states that Germany is^making preliminary overtures to obtain the Pope's mediation for the discussion of peace on the basis of the restitution of Belgium. The Catholic Bishop of Limerick has written to Mr. Redmond, urging him to use his efforts to support the Pope's peace appeal. THE GERMAN AIM TO REACH THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL FACT TO BE RECOGNISED ————— V PETROGRAD, 12th August. General Menschikoff, in an .article in the Novoe Vremya, states that the objective of the German offensive js Petrograd. The distance does not offer insuperable difficulties, and it is necessary boldly to recognise the fact. ATTACKS ON KOVNO THREE GERMAN BATTALIONS ALMOST ANNIHILATED PETROGRAD, 12th August. Official.— On the night of 9th-lGth the Germans persistently attacked the eastern woflss at Kovno. Counter-attacks almost annihilated thrtee German battalions. We took prisoners numbering one hundred. On the whole of the Bug front we have been reinforced., and are resisting vigorously. The Germans advancing from Kholm have been driven back towards the river Ukharka. The Austrian^ in the region of Stryfia are using explosive bullets. PREPARATIONS TO LEAVE DVINSK. PETROGBAD, 12th August. Civilians are evacuating- Dvinsk, and the Government institutions are preparing to leave.