SECURING THE LINES AT SALONIKA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2671, 18 January 1916, Page 5

SECURING THE LINES AT SALONIKA

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGES SENSATION, IN GREEK CIRCLES BxTeleeraph—Pietß Aisoolatloa— Copyright nil j. ,n i .1 ' . -, London, January 16. Reuters agent at Salonika reports that the destruction of the railway bndge at pemirnissar caused a sensation in Greek circles, as it almost cut's oft communication with Eastern Macedonia. The population of Seres and the Greek troops m that region are lately dependent on Salonika for supplies ™| g are now faced with the problem of revictualling, and may be compelled tHat J att'bndges'«& viaducts on.'the Demirhissar lino be. yond Kihndir havo been blown up. and the telephones and telcranhs severed, >=> i the general opinion Is that the Allies hatl the best reasons for these measures of precaution. GENERAL SARRAIL EXPLAINS. General Sarrail, explaining the blowing up of the n Demirhisqar y br'irln-o says that in face of the declaration-that the Hellenic forces would withdraw when the enemy appeared, he could not possibly expect that sector to be detended by the Greeks. POSSIBILITY OF, ATTACK DOUBTED. r '+^ t T ens ' T . ele eraphV' Salonika not believe that an attack is -imminent. The Allied army has been largely reinforced with men, and especially with guns of the heaviest calibre. The' enemy would require at least 400,000 troops if he is to hope for success. The consensus of opinion is that he does not possess such a force, The Frenoh commander believes that the enemy may try a "bluff" attack. 1 " " — FATE OF SERBIA RESTS AT SALONIKA . STATEMENT BY THE SERBIAN PREMIER. " *\ ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" .Services.) At Salonika, M. Pasitch (Premier), who atcompaakd"' o*' Serbia, states that the fate of Serbia will be decided at SalouL, to which the bulk of the Serbian troops are being transferred, there being no further need for them in Albania owing to Essad Pasha and the Italians being able to check the enemy. The absence of roads and the means of transit in Albania have made the offensive difficult, ■ whereas Salonika is a splendid base for the restoration of ruined Serbia. ( „ , King.Peter stated! "I would'''wish 'to return to Belgrade -via Sofia but Salonika is nearer." > uuu •j BRITISH KING'S CHEERING MESSAGE, tr- r\ •!. -, , ... „ London, January 16. King.George has sent a message to King Peter, of Serbia, as follows"I am iully convinced that the Allies, together with the heroic Serbian Army, are m a- position to win back for your people their complete independence, and to secure for our arms the final victory."

"WE WAITED THREE WEEKS—BUT NO' ONE CAME." (Bee. January 17, 5.5 p.m.) The "Petit Parisien's" correspondent conversed 1 1' • fte retreat. ThoKin, sadly marked: -fliey said: 'WaitTghf days'"we waited three weeks, but no one came. My soldiers fought bravely If X™ v j been no Bulgarians we would have smashed up the Germans." THE SERBIANS' INSTALLATION AT CORFU (Rec. January 17, 11,25 p.m.) The installation. of , Serbians at Corfu, is prooeS^Xt^rily 'at AcMleion. The Kaiser's Palace is not occupied, but merely under surveflThe Serbian Government, with the Allied diplomats acc?^itS M t7 King Peter, liave arrived at Bnndisi. , ° AUSTRIANS OCCUPY CETTINJE WHY MONTENEGRO WAS-LEFT TO HER FATE. it i i • - .. Amsterdam, January 16. An Austrian communique states:— •' "Cettinje, the capital of Montenegro, has been occupied." , NO SEPARATE PEACE. The Italian journal "La Tribmia" is authorised' that Montouegrp will not make a separate peace. M. Barzilai, Minister of State, in .a speech, said that the resnonsihilifv for the fall of Mount Lovchen—tlio importance of-which had been evi" prated bccausc it was impossible to bring heavy guns t 0 the summit owing l?„ ?U a ,- r^ d f V Vi ' S r'" C ' f?r WaS !l ° In P ora J.V sealing of Montenegro's fate by tho Allies' failure to settle on a common, far-seeino-the Balkans. As one of the Allied Ministers, he recognised that I?T w s not most responsible for that failure. Closer co-ordination was essential to prevent further paralysis of the Allies incontestable* superiority in men econonuc_and financial resources, arms, and ships. Happily,- thoro wit* nnw every pireat progress m the conception of a, sihglelvonL a ain. . we wAr» and a common aam.

THE RELIEF OF KUT-EL-AMARA AYLMER'S FORCE WITHIN 25 MILES nre •li n 1 1 I 1 t , Delhl > January 16. . Official: Colonel Aylmer, on January 13, attacked the Turks at Orali, 25 miles from Kut-el-Amara. There was a heavy, day-long battle, and the Turks retreated, closely, pressed, east and north. ' "AN IMPORTANT SUCCESS." . (See. January 17, 8.25 p.m.) London, January 17. The newspapers characterise Colonel Aylmer's advance as "an important success." RESCUERS' TASK AHEAD. (Rec. January 17, 11.25 p.m.) London, Jannary 17. The "Daily Mail's" Athens correspondent states that German, military action at present is concentrated against the British in Mesopotamia. Colonel Aylmer will likely be compelled, eays the writer, to pierce strong bodies of the enemy. .VON DER GOLTZ AT KUT-EL-AMARA. (Rec. January 17, 10.20 p.m.) . London, January 17. Mr. Chandler, the war correspondent, states that Turkish prisoners at Sheik Shad report that four of their regiments had lost fifty per cent, of their strength.. .... Field-Marshal von Der Goltz has visited Kut-el-Amara on a tonr of inspection. ' / RUSSIAN SUCCESS IN THE CAUCASUS CRec. January 17, 10.20 p.m.) N j Petrograd, January _ 17. A Russian official oommunigne states: "In the Caucasus on Friday we captured twenty officers, four hundred men, six guns, and. much ammunition." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. ' London, January 16, 12.35 a.m. . "Fighting on the Kjangavar Road in the direction of Kermanshah (Western Persia), the Russians took some prisoners." ARABS DISPERSED BY A BRITISH COLUMN BRUSH ON JANUARY 13. \ (Rec. January 17, 11.25 p.m.) Cairo, January 17. Official: "A British column on January 13 dispersed four hundred Arabs forty miles from Matruh. . - "There were no British casualties." > A POOR RESPONSE-GERMAN VOLUNTEERS FOR EGYPT London, January 16. Router's agent at Amsterdam reports that the German commander in Belgium called for volunteers for Egypt, offering them twenty days' furlough. The call met with the poorest response. THE EVACUATION OF GALLIPOLI : WHAT THE TURKS CLAIM AS BOOTY. London, January 15. A Turkish communique states that the hooty at Anafarta and Ariburnu includes ten guns, thirteen mortars, 2000 rifles and bayonets, 6750 shells, 4500 cases of ammunition, 45,000 bombs, 221 wagons, 67 lighters and pontoons, , much petrol, 21,000 tins of meat. 5000 sacks of corn, and 12,500 spades and' pick-axes. V ' .WHAT THE HOSTILE-PRESS SAYS. / London, January 15. Tho Bulgarian and Gorman Press, commenting on; the evacuation of Gallipoli, says the prestige of the Allies is melting like butter in the sun, but the jubilation is perfunctory and. half-hearted. The writers liavo obvious difficulty in reconciling the facts 'with the Turkish fictions of victory. . The Berlin "Lokal Anzeiger" is surprised to hear that the troops were removed with small losses. Certainly the Allies did not lack ships for the embarkation of the luckless remnants of the expedition. GERMAN DIPLOMATIC SUPERVISOR FOR THE BALKANS. ■ Milan, January 15. The journal "H. Seoolo's" correspondent at Bucharest states that Germany is sending the Grand Duke of Mecldenburg on a special mission to assume the direction of all the Legations in the Balkans. The German Minister left last week, and will not return.