THE BALKAN WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 15020, 31 October 1912, Page 6

THE BALKAN WAR.

A SIGNIFICANT SILENCE, BUT A VIOLENT BATTLE REPORTED ALONG THE WHOLE TURKISH FRONT. HOW KIRK KILISSE WAS TAKEN THE FIGHTING AT KUMANOVQ. COUNTING THE KILLED BY THOUSANDS. FEROCIOUS SLAUGHTER AT KOTCHANA. CONFLICT LASTING FOR 60 HOURS. THE BULGARIAN ADVANCE. THE POSITION REVIEWED. STRENGTH OF THE TURKS AT ADRIANOPLE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 30. (Received October 51, at 8.10 a.m.) The significant silence on both sides in relation to the real situation at Adrianople. coupled with the detention of the first Bulgarian army there, is interpreted in some circles to mean that an unsuccessful attack has been delivered. The fact of the. Bulgarians suddenly mobilising their last reserves is also commented on. The strength of the second Bulgarian army, now operating beyond Kirk Kilisse. is estimated at four divisions, whereof the columns are moving parallel with the coast towards Constantinople. They consist of cavalry, supported by mixed detachments, and their purpose is to menace the capital and to keep Nazim Pasha on the defensive, and so free the first army from his unwelcome attentions while the attack on Adrianople is again pressed home. It is surmised that a division and a-half of Turks from Kirk Kilisse reached Adrianople, leaving behind a force whose remnant the Bulgarians are now pursuing. 'lf this is so. then the Turks at Adrianople number 50,000, while Nazim's troops, apart from Adrianople, number 220,000. As Adrianople is short of food supplies, Nazim possibly has begun hi* march thither to relieve the garrison, especially as the Greeks, by capturing fire vena, are placing the Turks between two tires. According to the • Standard,' Turkey unsuccessfully , attempted to borrow £4.000,000 from England, France, and Germany successively. RETREAT FROM KIRK KILISSE. DISORGANISED. ILL-FED, AND HUNGRY TURKS. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 30. (Received October 51, at 9.52 a.m.) The divisions under Mukhtar Pasha and Prince Aziz are mainly Redifs. They arc under-officered, ill-trained, and ill-fed. Several of the regiments had no food for 48 hours. The officers did not know the country around Kirk Kilisse. Mukhtar Pasha endeavored to arrest the flight of his men, and shot many with his revolver. Prince Aziz joined in the flight. Mukhtar, after consulting Abdullah,, ordered a retreat, but General Hilmi refused, fearing a debacle, and gallantly occupied the fortifications to the northwest in order to cover the retreat. Some of his troops fled, whereupon Hilmi shol several of them. Eventually he retired in comparative order, while the main body retreated in wild confusion.

The Bulgarians, however, were not aware of the retreat, and lost eight hours in occupying Kirk Kilisse. When thev appeared the population fled in terror. The troops who were left were without rifles. Order was restored on Sunday, when the offensive was resumed. ANOTHER VERSION. BERLIN, October 30. A Red Cross assistant at Kirk Kilisse. describing the final scenes, says a number of Christians were among the defenders. The forts surrendered, but the Moslems fought to the last. FIGHTING NEAR ADRIANOPLE. SOFIA, October 30. The Turks to the north-east of Adrianople repeatedly attempted to deceive the Bulgarians by the use of the white then training their guns and causing the Bulgarians considerable losses. The Turks, while retreating after a sortie, abandoned a battery with ammunition and waggons.. The Bulgarians seized two depots containing arms, ammunition, and medical stores between Adrianopie and Kirk Kilisse. TO BE INVESTED. LONDON, October 30. The ' Standard's' Sofia correspondent advises that the Bulgarians have decided to invest and starve Adrianopie, so as to avoid heavy losses. It is stated that 60,0C0 men can carry out the investment. TURKISH GENERAL'S REPORT. BULGARIANS CUT OFF. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 30. The departure of the foreign military attaches for the Turkish front has been postponed. Nazim Pasha reports that two Bulgarian battalions were cut off between Kirk Kilisse and Visa, and sustained heavy loss. He adds that the Bulgarians began an attack along the Ergent at noon. The Turks vigorously repelled the attack, but the battle continues with great violence. The Turks are advancing. A THREE DAYS' BATTLE. SOFIA, October 50. The battle at Kotchana was ferocious, and lasted for three days and two nights. The Bulgarians were greatly outnumbered, but by means of repeated bayonet charges they cleared the Turks from a strong position, despite desperate resistance. The Turks at Salonika, are short of provisions. The shore, batteries have been stripped of their guns and ammunition to send them to the interior. The Turkish troops are being driven in by the Allies. ON TO CONSTANTINOPLE. VIENNA, October 30. (Received October 31. at 9.25 a.m.) The 'Reichpost' states that a Bulgarian force is--moving via Istrandjea and Terkos towards Constantinople..

GREAT BATTLE IN PROGRESS. 300,000 MEN"ENGAGED. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 30. (Received October 31, at 11.50 a.m.) Nazim Pasha telegraphs that a great battle has been in progress since yesterday. One hundred and fifty thousand men are engaged on both sides." The Turks are in a favorable position. The Bulgarians were repulsed at Visa, the Turks losing 800 men. The Adrianople army made a sortie to the west towards Murash and forced the Bulgarian brigade to retreat. Nazim's headquarters are at Tcherkesskeuy. THE SERVIAN ADVANCE. LOSSES AT KUMANOVO. BELGRADE, October 30. The Arnauts in the Kossovo and Prishtina districts are resuming their occupations. The Moslems are hastening to declare their loyalty to the Servians. Hundreds of carts decorated with the Servian colors and filled with women and children, with their flocks, are returning. Reuter reports that the Turks at Kumanovo numbered 80,000. The Turks are eaid to have lost 10,000 killed or wounded, while the Servians lost 500 killed and 2,000 wounded. The latter include Colonel Bowinovitch, the commander of the Danube division. Lieutenant Milich, the commanding officer of a company of infantry, committed suicide with a revolver, declining to obey an order to Tetire from an exposed position. Fired by his example, the soldiers hurled themselves desperately on the Turkish positions, and annihilated the Turks. Dash and equal bravery were shown by the cavalry under King Peter's brother, Prince. Absene, while the Crown Prince was frequently in the firing line. He entered the town while the battle was in full swing. PURSUING THE TURKS. SERVIAN CLAIMS. , BELGRADE. October 30. During the pursuit of the Turks from Kumanovo towards Uskub the Servians put in a deadly battery fire, mowing down whole companies. The Turks threw away their rifles and knapsacks, climbed the hillsides, and tried to hide in depressions in the ground or behind trees. Everywhere merciless shrapnel fire burst over their heads, strewing the hills and roads with corpses where it was possible to make a momentary stand. The Turks, while in search of cover, piled up heaps of dead bodies, using the corpses of friends and foes alike. The Servians jumped upon these human ramparts, and a hand-to-hand fight ensued. By the use of paraffin the Servians burned their corpses on the battlefield, as there was no time to bury them. THE CAPTURE OF KUPRILI. RUMORS OF TURKISH QUARRELS. BELGRADE, October 30. (Received October 51. at 9.54 a.m.) The Turks at Kuprili strenuously opposed the Servians until the arrival of the cavalry, which, aided by the artillery, cut the Turkish forces in two, and compelled the evaluation of the town.

Reports from Uskub state that after the fighting at Kumnnovo the Turkish leaders quarrelled, whereupon Zekki Pasha ordered a retreat. A few officers, acting on their own responsibility, ordered the resistance at Kuprili. It is stated that the commander of the Monastir corps was killed by his own officers for ordering further resistance. THE MONTENEGRIN ADVANCE. ABUSE OP THE WHITE FLAG. CETTINJE, October 30. (Received October 51. at 9.34 a.m.) The Turks, under cover of a. white, flag, approached the Montenegrin positions to the east of Scutari, and then fired on them. Three hundred Montenegrins were thus killed and wounded. The Montenegrins afterwards surrounded and exterminated the attacking Turks. THE SANJAK FREE OF TURKS.' MONTENEGRINS AND SERVIANS JUNCTION. BELGRADE, October 30. (Received October 51, at 9.34 a.m.) The Montenegrins reached Plevlie within half an hour of the .Servian occupation, amid a scene of great enthusiasm. The Sanjak of Novi Bazar is completely cleared of Turkish troops. Groups of Arnauts took refuge in the houses at Kumanovo, and refused to surrender. They were all killed. GENERALS JOIN FORCES. LONDON, October 30. (Received October 31, at 9.25 a.m.) General* Zunilo's and Martinovitch's columns effected a junction on the eastern side of Scutari. THE CREEK ADVANCE. A DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT. ATHENS, October 30. The Allies have 160,000 more men at the front than hitherto announced. The Turks killed a Greek archpriest at Janina. After a three hours' fight the Greeks occupied Exaterini. The Greek left wing defeated the Turks, and pursued them to Nalbakeuy, capturing the standards of two Turkish battalions, after desperate fighting. SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND. MORE STORIES OF MASSACRE. ATHENS, October 30. (Received October 31, at 9.34 a.m.) The railway is cut between Verria. and Monastir. A Greek privateer which arrived at Larnaca sails to-morrow. J.wo Austrian steamers were seized at Corfu. They were bound for "Santi Quaranta, but were released after a quantity of contraband was removed. Twenty Greek villages in the neighbor hood of Janina were found to have been burnt and looted, and the inhabitants massacred by the Turks. THE"HORRORS NEAR JANINA. LONDON, October 30. (Received October 51, at 9.25 a.m.) .ihe Greeks who are pressing on to Janina send horrible accounts of the retreating enemy, who are burning villages and massacring the inhabitants. PATRIOTIC GREEKS. BRISBANE,, October 30. _The Greek residents here have cabled £7OO as a first instalment to the war fund. MELBOURNE, October 30. The Greek residents have cabled £SOO to the war fund, and seven Greeks have left for the front. THE GREAT POWERS PREPARE. AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED. LONDON. October 30. Russia. Germany, and Italy are buying large quantities of Cardiff coal. * ' The 'Daily Mail' states that, in view of a possible Austro-Russian conflict, a great .movement is spreading throughout Galicia

to reconcile the differences of the various PoLish parties, and to unite the 2,000,000 Poles in Russia, the 6,000,000 in Austria, and the 4,000.000 in Prussia. BERLIN, October 30. The Foreign Office announces that Russia and Austria have reached an understanding concerning the further treatment of Balkan questions. PEACEFUL AUSTRIA. VIENNA, October 30. Addressing the Reichsrath, the Premier, referring to the Balkan War, said that Austria-Hungary's policy had been consistently peaceful throughout all their negotiations with the interested Powers. This justified the hope that the. greater peace of Europe would be preserved. RUSSIAN DISAGREEMENTS. OFFICIALS AND SLAV SYMPATHIES. ST, PETERSBURG, October 30. The Prefect of Police has protested against the municipalities voting £IO,OOO for military hospitals in the Balkans. A similar protest, in accordance, with orders from St. Petersburg, has been made at Moscow, whose municipality is sending four medical detachments, "each of 50 beds, to the front. The "Noyoe Vremya' protests against efforts to stifle Russian sympathy for their blood brothers.