Interesting War Notes.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1073, 28 March 1917, Page 8

Interesting War Notes.

THE STORY OF SERVIA.

Her Struggle for Liberty. The ancient Serbian kingdom reached the zenith of its power under the redoubtable Stefan Dusan, who .reigned from 1331 to 1355. Before his dav the history of Servia was the history of the gradual growth of strong nationality through age-long struggles for independence—now against Byzantium, now against Bulgaria, and now.against Hungary. Power grew with the union of the Serbian tribes under a succession of brilliant leaders, until at the close of the twelfth century Servia was in a state of considerable importance in Eastern Europe, and was strong enough to flout Byzantium and to attack Bulgaria. When, in 1330, the Servian king met the allied forces of the Byzantines, the Bulgars, the Rumans,* the Tartars, and the Bessarabians at the field of Velbuzd and overwhelmed them in a common defeat, Servia became state paramount in Balkania. The Golden Age of Servia. The Machiavellian statesmanship and almost Napoleonic strar tegy of Stefan Dusan-raised Servia to first rank among the king- : doms of Europe. Great fortresses' and castles arose on the hilltops, in the defiles, and on islands in the lakes, and the Servian army included mercenaries from Germany, from Italy, and -even from far-distant France. Stefan, "Tsar and supreme ruler of Servia and Greece, of Bulgaria and Albania," not onl-' extended the Servian power by force of arms, but founded churches and monasteries, encouraged literature, spread education, and drew up a code of laws which became famous throughout Eastern Europe. Commercial treaties were signed with Venice, Ragusa, and Byzantium; agriculture was fostered by the State; gold, silver, and other mines were opened up, and the Servian Empire was one of the most prosperous in Europe. It was, perhaps, the "Golden Age" of Servia. Stefan died on the march, when his armies were moving yet once more against Byzantium. His son's weakness; immortalised in his nickname of Nejaki (a nobody, a "nithing"), led to the revolts which heralded the decline of Servia's power. Gut of the civil war which followed there emerged a strong man, Lazar Grbljanovic, who for a time governed what mained of the old Servian kingdom after the revolt of her conquered provinces. When the Turks swept across Balkania with all the irresistible force of Islam, the Servian army ranged itself on the side of Byzantium. The defeat of 1371, "the Servian death," was followed in 1389 by the great fight of Kossovo, on the feast of St. Veit. At Kossovo the Servians were completely routed, Lazar was taken and beheaded, his country passed under the sway of the Turks and paid tribute to Sultan Amurath at Adrianople (1389).

Under the Turkish Yoke. Like other conquered lands, Servia was divided amongst the Turkish leaders, who were masters of the soil and "held the power of life and death" over the Servians in return for military service to the Sultan. Three times a year came Turkish taxgatherers to collect the moneys wrung from an impoverished people by every imaginable process of extortion. From time to time levies were made upon the youth of the land to swell the army of Islam. Christians were subjected to unspeakable enormities at the hands of their Moslem masters. With the approaching decay of Islam and the crushing defeats of the Turks by Charles of Lorraine, came a ray of hope for the nations groaning under the oppression of Constantinople. Kara George ,aided by Russia, succeeded in securing temporary independence for his country at the Peace of Bucharest, 1812, after eight years of terrific struggle. Next year the Turks again attacked Servia, and after terrible fighting entered Belgrade. Kara George had been forced to flee across the Danube into Hungary, only to be imprisoned at Graz,

A ZEPPELIN RAID IN 1870.

The Adventures of a German Patrol. Zeppelin is a familiar word in the present war, but it has already been heard of in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71; As is the custom with the Germans, their forces were ready and assembled in good time albn the frontier, waiting for the of portune moment to strike, but a they had no knowledge of th. enemy's latest position or: its strength, they were afraid to ven-

ture, so a reconnaissance was detided upon, organised by and entrusted to the Wurtemberger cavalry captain, Count who chose for his companions fourT- ? officers and seven troopers drawn from two regiments of Baden Dragoons, each one of them being well acquainted with the country into which they were going. , : All the men composing the little band were well mounted, arid, although lightly equipped carried with them some tools, explosives; provisions and forage for tw'V; ilays. They started on the July, 1870, only a few days aftei. the declaration of war. Their first exploit after crossing the frontier • was to rush at full gallop through the French frontier town of Lauierberg; this was done so unexpectedly that the pickets at both gates were taken bv surprise and were unable to raise the drawbridge or stop them, nor could they-collect themselves in time to use their arms with any effect be-* fore the little. German band was well out of the town and away again on the high road of Hagueanau to Strasburg, where . they cut the telegraph wire that was running along this road. The First Shot of the War.

At noon both men and beasts were able to take ap hour's, respite for refreshments. Resum* ing their journey, they came to a place called Krotwiller, where the first encounter between Frenchmen and Teutons took place and where, also, the first shot was fired in that war. Notwithstanding that the village was occupied by a few French lancers and gendarmes, the Germans boldly charged, them and were even able to drive them back, wounding two men and keeping them prisoners. In this encounter the German leader had his horse shot under him, but he was able to mount the charger of one of the wounded Frenchmen, this al- • lowing him to continue his daring journey with his companions j as " far as the railway station of Hanspach, on the line between Wis-~ semburg and Haguenau. Here no time was lost in destroying the telegraph instruments as well as the railway lines and levers at the points. After this pastime, the - party made their way towards a large wood; from this place the two prisoners were sent to Germany under the escort of one officer and two troopers, while tbife* others took refuge in the forest, and rested there for the night. Count Zeppelin's Escape, <T Early the next morning the ad % venturous patrol went* to Woerth, % only to learn that a strong force . of French cavalry was quartered in some of the villages and hamlets of the neighbourhood. Undaunted by this news, they rode to a place not very far away, bur nearer to the frontier, called Shirlenhoff, and after making quite sure*that there were no enemies about, took their horses to drink at the village fountain, then led them to the stables of the inn. -After this they made themselves quite comfortable for a good meal and a well-needed rest. This was not. however, to be enjoyed for very long, as suddenly, while the officers were at lunch, in a style which is peculiar to German offcers in an enemy's country, the sentry posted at the door caught sight or a strong detachment of French light cavalry swarming into the village, and while giving a warning shout was able by a well-aimed shot to bring down the leading man, who happened to be a sergeant; this was, however, to be his last shot, as , he was soon overpowered by the French. But the alarm had been heard, and the Germans inside had time to spring to their firearms, and started firing from the windows. On this occasion* one of the very few in that terrible war, the French were in overwhelming number and soon managed to reduce the raiding - party to submission. First one of the officers were shot dead, while another fell wounded; the remainder," with one notable exception, were taken prisoners. / The exception was the chief of the party, who managed in the scrimmage to find his way out by a back door, and, by catching and jumping on a French horse and also sending a parting shot at his nearest pursuer, was able, bttgtftaMg loping as fast as he coffl 1 reach a wood nearby, whaMHI succeeded in misleading ma would-be captors and after a time reached his own lines, bringing with him the information that the French were neither prepared nor ; were they in force. •■:%&

. Bill—"It is said that Alexander the Great, when on a campaign, ate the rations of a common soldier." Jill—"And did the*" poor vsoldier get nothing P"

"I wonder what causes the flight of time," echoed' the fair maid. "It is probably urged on by the spur of the moment," rejoined {the brilliant young man. . , "

Why is a jest like a, fowl?— Because it contains a merry thought.