THE RUSSIANS

Evening Star, Issue 16049, 28 February 1916, Page 6

THE RUSSIANS

ADVANCE FROM ERZEROUM. ADYANCE FROM ERZEROUM PETROGRAD, February 27. A communique states: Our losses at Erzeroum -wore comparatively insignificant, atrd_ we captured 235 Turkish officers'! 12,703 men, 323 guns, and large stores of miinitdons, arms, and provisions. We threw back the enemy rearguards 50 miles westward of Erzerouni, and occupied Aschkala. TURKISH LOSSES PROBABLY OYER. HALF A MILLION. London ' Times ' and Sydney ' Sun ' Sen-ices. LONDON, Februarv 27. The paper 'J] Secolo' publisb.es a"careful examination of Turkish losses, and estimates them at half a, million, excluding the Erzeroum losses. It points out that, despite Enver Pasha's iron hand, discontent m Constantinople has reached a dangerous point. RUMANIA V/ARMING UP. FIRST LTXE TROOPS READY. BUCHAREST, February 27. (eßceived February 28, at 8.5 a.m.) The Rumanian first lino army of a, quarter of a million men, fully trained, lias been placed on a war footing. The influence, of tho interventionists is growing daily. Many prominent Socialists and Democrats have joined tho war party. M. Filipescu has gone to l\>hograd on'a secret mission. ; BULCAR FEARS. i ~ ! London 'Times' and Sydney 'Sim' Services. I ■ ( LONDON, February 27. Sofia is enormously impressed 'by the fall of Erzeroum, Bulgars fearing a Russian invasion in the near future. The majority of the German troops have been withdrawn from tho Balkan frontier. A small Bulgarian squadron, comprising 10 torpedo boats and some 'barges, attempted to enter the Black Sea, but were forced to take refuge in Yam a, where they am bottled up. DARDANELELS AFTERMATH. ! GREECE AND GERMANY. I London ' Times' and Sydney ' Sun' Services. ' LONDON, February 27. I In the House of Commons, Mr Outhwaite stated that three mccessive Greek Premiers Tiad indicated that Russia had Greek Government's offer to land forces and participate in a proposed attack on the Dardanelles, because there was no Greek port within 50 mile.s of Constantinople. Sir Edward Grey did not rcplv to this statement.

ALBANIA. ITALIANS COVER WITHDRAW AT,. ROME, February 27. (Received February 8, at 9.45 a.m.) ( .Semi-official.—The- withdrawal of the Serbian, .Montenegrin, and Albanian troops from Albania is now completed, 'and the Italian brigade at Durazzo has reembarked. HOW USTRIA PUTS ST. LONDON, February 27. (Received February 28, at 9.45 a.m.) An Austrian communique states:—We defeated tho Italians each of Duzarro, and are pursuing them seawards. We bombarded tho harbor works of Durazzo, hindering the embarkation. Italian -warships tried to interfere, but failed. RUSSIAN VETERAN'S COMMAND. PETROGRAD, February 27. (Received February 28, at 8.50 a.m.) General Kuropatkin has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of tho northern frontill Russia. BALTIC PROVINCES. PEASANTRY STARVING. PETROGRAD, February 27. (Received February 28, at 9.10' a.m.) ■ Tho situation, of the inhabitants of Suwalki, Kovno, and Grodno, provinces is lamentable. The people ore literally dying of starvation, but the Germans are utterly indifferent to their plight, and are requisitioning all food. LORD CREWE'S SUCCESSOR. LONDON, February 27. (Received February 28, at 8.5 a.m.) Tho Right Hon. Sir Francis Hopwood succeeds Lord Crewe in the chairmanship of tho new War Trado Committee. DRASTIC ECONOMIES. PUBLIC SERVICE RETRENCHMENT. LONDON, February 27. (Received February 28, at 8.50' a.m.) The Committee on Public Service Retrenchment do not consider pay is overhigh or the staffs are overmanned, but recommend that vacancies should not bo filled. They also recommend the reorganisation of the circuit county court system; the simplification of the Insurance Act; the temporary suspension of old ago pensions where the recipients aro earning over the statutory limit; the reduction of unremunerative postal facilities; and tho institution of a minimum age of six vears for the admission of children to schools. SUEZ DEFENCES. SYDNEY, February 28. (Received February 28, at 9.45 a.m.) The State Commandant has been advised that no more sandbags arc required in Egypt. A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION. MELBOURNE,. February 28. (Received February 28, at 9.45 a.m.) Mr Budden, Commissioner in Egypt in connection with the Comforts Founds," emphatically supports the Army canteen system as being of greater general benefit than gifts. He estimates that the spending capacity of the Australian forces is £3,000 per day. The caneen profits amount to £33,000 a month, which might be placed after the war in a fund for the benefit of soldiers' dependents, instead of benefiting an uncertain neutral nation. MARINE INSURANCE. HIGHER PREMIUMS. SYDNEY", February 28. (Received February 28, at 9.40 a.m.) Marine underwriters have been advised that the war rates have been revised. On sailing vessels from the United Kingdom, America, and Canada (east coast), to Australia the rates on belligerent-owned vessels are 5 per cent, higher, those on neutrals being unchanged. On steamers via the Capo of Good Hope route a 3 per cent, increase is announced. AMERICAN SHIPPING. PROJECTED EASTERN LINE. London ' Times ' and Sydney ' Sun ' Services.

LONDON, February 27. Now York reports that a new snipping company, with a capital of 5,000,000 dollars, has boen formed to run ft line of steamers between New York, China, Japan, and Russia under the American flag. ENEMY TRADE. [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 28. Warehousemen's Association cordially endorsed the action taken by* the Christcliurch conference, and approved of the formation of an All-for-Empiro League for the elimination of enemy trade. CHAPLAINS AT THE FRONT. Tho latest story from the front is not a military but an ecclesiastical incident An Anaheim chaplain and an Irish Roman Catholic priest, working together at tho front, had been drawn together bv the necessity for mutual arrangements and assistance. Later, when separated, thev exchanged letters, and from union in secular arrangements their correspondence extended, to questions of spiritual community. At last the Irish" priest wrote that ho did not think that their correspondence could profitably go further in this line, adding : " Tt should be enough thai we are both working for the same end and tor the same Master— vou in vour way and we in His." Tho locomotive repairs staff mid us £1 their fortnightly contribution to the Belgian relief fund.