ROMANIA'S DANGER.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15767, 7 December 1916, Page 7

ROMANIA'S DANGER.

BIG ENEMY SUCCESS

17.000 PRISONERS SECURED,

(By Cable—Preee Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) tltouter'e Telegrams.) (Received December 6th. 7.5 p.m.i LONDON, December 5. A Berlin communique says: — "General von Mackensen is pursuing and breaking the resistanco o? tho enemy's rearguards. Ho has crossed the railway from Bucharest to Tcrgovistea towards tho oast. "The number of prisoners taken hero on December 3rd has increased to 12,500, while 450!) wero taken elsewhere." A RUSSIAN MESSAGE. LONDON. December 5. A Russian communique states?— "Roumanian attempts to check the enemy on the roads between Hoosci and Bucharest were unsuccessful, lhe Roumanians are retiring east from Titu toward Bucharest, and west and south of Stopitza, under .incessant attacks by superior enemy forces. "We captured another range ot heights on the Moldavian frontier, but were compelled to retire from a height south of Voroucsska in the wooded Carpathians." • A GER.MAN SUMMARY. AMSTERDAM, December 5. A Berlin despatch claims that the Roumanians los't 25.000 men between November 29th and December 3rd. The Germans now occupy 45,000 square kilometres of territory, while the Alt Valley contains numerous herds and great stores of grain, which will be converted to the use of the German people as soon as possible.

A BLACK OUTLOOK. AT THE DOORS OF BUCHAREST. ENEMY'S HAUL OF BOOTY. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, December 5. The situation before Bucharest is black indeed if the German claims are accepted. A decisive battle was fought on tho river Arges on Sunday, in which the Russians and Roumanians were defeated. Tho Germans also recovered the ground lost to tho south-west of Bucharest, where they were driven back on Saturday by tho Roumanian offensive. Tho Germans aro now within range of Bucharest's big gunß. General von Mackensen, who has assumed chief command, claims that the Roumanians suffered bloody losses. The advance to the plain has also simplified the German commissariat problem, as the greater part of tho Roumanian maize crop has been captured, in addition to largo stocks of wheat and petrol, wood, metal, and salt, much of which was in loaded carts. The German ndvanco oil Tergovistca brings them to the outskirts of the oil ] area. The richest oilfield is in tho Prahova Valley, between Plocsci and the Prodeal Pass. During 1915 Roumania exported 429,000 tonß of refined oil products, practically all to Germany and Austria, but only 3 per cent, of this was petrol, which the Roumanians treated as ' contraband. Tho present stock of petrol in Roumania is about 1,000,000 tons. If tho Roumanians were able to demolish the wells and machinery, it will be six months before the Germans will be able to extract oil. The only redeeming feature of the news is the fact that the Russian Army has effected a junction with the .Roumanians before Bucharest, and it must bo hoped that the Russians will be able to throw in further reinforcements at the danger points. THE RUSSIANS CHECKED. (Keutcr'B TelegTame.) (Received December 7th, 1 a.m.) LONDON, December G. An Austrian official message says: — "A n Austrian and German counterattack in the Carpathians deprived the Russian* of all their recent local gains. "Russian attacks ou the Moldavian frontier were repulsed with heavy loss."