RUMANIANS' DRAMATIC COUNTER-STROKE ON DANUBE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 237, 4 October 1916, Page 5

RUMANIANS' DRAMATIC COUNTER-STROKE ON DANUBE.

YON MACKENSEN'S 'REAR THREATENED BY THE CROSSING.

zl CENTRE AND RIGHT IXANX DRIVES BACK.

BUCHAREST, October 3. A communique states:—"On our eouthern front we crossed the Danube between Ruetchuk and Turtukai. : "We attacked along the whole front in the Dobrudja, and repulsed the enemy's centre and right flank." , The crossing of the Danube by the Rumanians is an effective and dramatic etroke affecting the German plans, and threatening yon Mackensen's rear. TlieGerman silence regarding Hermannstadt is considered most significant in view of the arrogant claims made on Saturday by the German reports. Colonel Repington, the "Times" military correspondent; declares that yon Hindenburg's offensives against Rumania are almost the last possible German etroke. They cannot alter the results, but they may prolong the .war unless they are adequately met.

The offemfve against the Dobrudja in the early stages of the campaign •was so vigorously conducted f*at the strongly fortified area of TurtuKai ieu within a couple of days, while Silistria, the strongest fortress in that region, followed a week later. When the Bulgar and German forces attempted to follow up their success, however, they met a greatly reinforced enemy « ntlcr a more able commander—General Avarescu—and were quickly put on tlie defensive, while the present operations, by threatening the flank and the rear, place the invading army in a position of extreme peril. Silistria, the evacuation of which has now been ordered, was formerly a Bulgarian town, but.was ceded to Rumania by the Treaty of Bucharest after the Balkan war ot UIJ. A fortress of the first rank, it was formerly defended :by walls of solid masonry and detached forte, of great strength. .It forme the most advanced point of a quadrilateral, the other posts of which are Ruetchuk, Varna, and Schumla, all Bulgarian. There are,leather and cloth industries, and a. considerable trade in grain, timber, wine, and garden produce. The population, formerly more than 20,000, was, in 1913, 11,500, comprising Turks, Bulgarians, Greeks, and Jews. Silistria has been the scene of many bitter battles in_tne past. There a great victory was gained by the Byzantine Emperor, John Zimiskes, over the Russians in 971. It has played an important part in tne Russo-Turkish wars. Attacked in vain by Bomanzoff in. 1773, it capitulated to Langeron in 1810, was beleaguered and taken in 1829, and on the outbreak of the Crimean war was besieged by Paskievitch with.an army of 80,000 men. On this occasion it was defended by Mussa Pasha and the former Prussian officer Grach, with a garrison of 15,000, and after 39 days' siege and assault, during which two young British officers, Captain B ( utler and Lieutftrant :NaBmyth, displayed incomparable gallantry, the Russians retired with a loss of 12,000 men. In 1877 it again successfully defied the troops of the Czar, but was occupied by them in 1878, when its fortifications were razed. :* It was, "however, again strongly fortified by the Bulgarians.