THE BALKANS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15463, 16 December 1915, Page 7

THE BALKANS.

THE CAMPAIGN. THE FRENCH •':;• RETIREMENT. ALL TROOPS ON GREEK SOIL. . BULGARIANS NOT ACROSS THE FRONTIER, (Bj Cabi.—Pt«w Association.-—Copyright.) (Received December loth, 0.20 p.m.) PAULS, December 14. An official communique says:— , "All of our troops nro collected on Greek soil. The Bulgarians have not crossed the frontier." BULGARIAN BOASTS. . ENEMY EVERYWHERE BEATEN. INSULT TO BRITISH TROOPS. (Received December 15th. 11.-10 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, December 15. A Bulgarian communique says:— "Tlie enemy has everywhere been beaten. There is not a single Jnenry soldier on Macedonian soil. Tho French set fire to the barracks and hospitals at Ghcvgholi, and blew up the bridge over tho Vardar. "Tho French fought moro bravely than tho British. Wo fought against 97,000 French and 73,000 British troops, who had 600 field-guns and eight heavy howitzers. "Our pursuit has now 6toppcd."

WELL CARRIED OUT. THE FRENCH RETBEAT. GENERAL SARRAILS STORY. ("Tim**"' and "Sydney Suh" StsrieM.) (Received December loth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 14. The Milan correspondent of "The Times*' says that General Sal-rail -was interviewed by Italian newspaper correspondents. Ho said that tho order to retreat was given on December 2nd. He. had net sufficient forces for an advance, but ho simulated preparations for an offensivo towards Uhtibj taking possession of n bridge-head on tho left bank of tho Vardar. Ho easily effected the evacuation of Krivolak, but the immense deposits of material on tho Kavadar sector required time for their removal. Tho retreat to Demirkapa was effected with the loss of only twenty men and no material. The bridges at Vetcharno and Gradsko wero blown up Demirkapu was evacuated on December Bth. The tunnels and railway bridges were blown vp, and the railway lino destroyed from Krivolak onwards. Tho English wero attacked by enormously superior forces in tho DoiranKosturino "sector. They were in grave danger of envelopment, but wero fortunately saved by the arrival of a new division from Salonica. (Received December 15th, 8.35 p.m.) SALONICA, December H. Ten thousand Bulgarians perished in tho Doiran-Kosturino eector, where 1.j.000 British troops held out bravely against an overwhelming horde. The timely arrival of reinforcement, enabled the British to proceed in orderly j retreat. ' j Tho Allies are landine troops day j and night. ! Following en their occupation of Glscvgcli, the Buigarians and Germans to-day entered Greek territory, advancing in a south-westerly direction. . BATTLE OF DEMIBKAPU. j HEAVY BULGARIAN LOSSES, j (Br Cable.— Ptoss A*ss>ciation.— Copyright.) ROME, December 11. The Athens correspondent of the Tribuna"' savs the Bulgarians at the

recant battle at Dcmirkapn were surrounded on three sides, and in a space throo miles in length wcro under the firo of two hundred French guns. A Bulgarian regiment was annihilated, and three hundred men captured. BULGARIANS IN GREECE. (Received December 16th, 12.10 a.m.) PARIS, December I."i. The "Tomps" says the Bulgarians, who are crossing Greek territory in a south-westerly direction, came from east of Lake Doiran. GERMAN WAR COUNCIL. EASTERN COMM ANDERS PRESENT. KAISER THANKS MARSHAL VON M.ACKENSEN. ("Timti" ftnd "Sydney Sun" S«rri«w.) (Received Decomber I,lth, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. December 14. Reports from Copenhagen state that an important German War Council was held on the Eastern front. Tho Kaiser presided over tho Council, at which Marshal von Falkcnheim (Chief of tho General Staff). Marshal von Mackeuson, Marshal von Hindcnburg, and the Turco-Bulgarian siaffg wcro present. Tho German Press thinks that the Allies have been trapped, and that their defeat is a matter of a few days: Tho Kaiser, in a letter of thanks to Marshal von Mackenseh, said:—"You have huceeoded in crushing a brave enemy, overcoming enormous difficulties With great speed. Wo are defeating the enemy on all fronts. 1 shall never forget the debt 1 owe you."'

GREECE AND THE ALLIES. AGREEMENT SAID TO BE NEAR. SEMI-DEMOBILISATION OF GREEK ARMY.

(Received December loth, 8.35 p.m.) ATHENS, December 14. The newspapers indicate that an agreement with tiic Entente Powers is imminent, involving semi-demobilisation of the Greek army. KING CONSTANTINE'S ATTITUDE. TREATY WITH BULGARIA DENIED. ("Times" and "Sydney Sua'' Service*.) LONDON". December 14. King Constantino, after having perused "The Time*" interview, requested that tho following amendment should bo made: "Tho King emphatically denies tho existence of any Gkoco-Bul-garian Treaty. Greece refuses to bo dragged into tho war even against her hereditary enemies." (Received December loth, 8.0 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, December 14. German newspapers attach great importance to the report that King Constantino twice received the Bulgarian Minister—for two hours on each occasion —before handing his reply to tho Entente. They regard it as significant, also, that thert> have been repeated conversations between tho Bulgarian Minister and M. Skouloudis, the Minister of "War, the Chief of the General Staff, and the Minister of Homo Affair??. SALONICA ZONE CLEARED. GREEK SHIPS RELEASED BY ALLIES | ATHENS, December 14. The Greeks have now withdrawn from the whole iine oi tho Allies' retreat, leaving the roads clear lor their guns und transport. There is some uncertainty as to whether the Bulgarians, in aduition to tho ■jrermans, will endeavour to follow them into Greece, but tho German forces, ivithout tho Bulgarians?,. will bo too jmall to create uneasiness. The release of the Greek ships which iiare been detained in tho Entente Jorts has caused intense relief at Athens and Piraeus, where the shortifio of coal threatened to cause a stoppage of the gas and electric light companies, whiie a bread famine was

[momentarily feared through the nonj arrival of grain hhips. \ (Received December loth. 8.35 p.m.) MALTA, December 14. It -is understood that fresh instructions hove been rectirt-d, releasing some Greek ships which were held up here. THE OCCUPATION OF MONASTIR. CONTROL OF THE RAILWAY. LONDON. December 14. The Turco-Gcrman Press at Athens says that the military administration of Monastir has been handed over to Austro-German and Bulgarian officials and the civic administration to a commission of citizens. The Greek flap; has been added to those of the four allies' (Austria, Germany. Bulgaria, and Turkey), which are living over the town. The Greek Sap alone flies over tho railway station, which, with the section oF the line from Monastir to the frontier, is now recognised to be purely Hellenic property. Railway traffic has been restored. "IRREVOCABLY BULGARIAN." (Received Decern her IGth. 1.5 a.m.) : SALONICA, December 15. Germany "has thrown off the mask concerning "Tonastir. having .allayed Greek fears until Serbia was conquered, &ho has now established a Bulgarian Administration at Monastir. Tho German Minister at Sofia declares that the town is irrevocably Bulgarian. ITALIAN ASSISTANCE. TROOPS FOR ALBANIA. (Received December loth, 8.15 p.m.) ROME. December 11. It is reported that Italy will shortly be able to laud £0,000 troops iu Albania. ROUMANIANS ATTITUDE. THE QUESTION OF INTERVENTION. ("Time*" and "Sydney Sun" S«rrices.l j (Received Decemljer 15th, 5.5 p.m.) j LONDON. December 14. j The King of Roumania was asked by j tho poet Estill whether he would have time to complete a drama before Roumanian intervention in the war. Tho King characteristically replied : "Finish your labour tranquilly. You have until April." Representatives of the Paris newspapers interviewed M. Filipesco's son Gregoiro, who said that Roumanian confidence in tho Allies was stronger than ever. Roumania could exercise a decisive influence, but the Germans had exerted the most violent pressure at Bucharest by threatening to attack "Roumanin. The Interventionists were preatly satisfied with the decision of tho Allies to remain at Salonica. A retreat would have profoundly affected the Balkans situation. Tho Interventionists were, faced with new difficulties since Serbia had been overrun. It was necessary for tho Allies, including Russia, to pour troops into the Near East.