EUROPEAN WAR.

Grey River Argus, 27 October 1915, Page 5

EUROPEAN WAR.

HEAVY FIGHTING IN THE BALKANS } ____ ' SERBIANS FIGHTING MAGNIFICIENTLY FRENCH DEFEAT BULGARIANS V — GERMAN CRUISER TORPEDOED BY BRITISH SUBMARINE RUSSIANS QAIN BRILLIANT SUCCESSES ITALIANS PUSHING HOME THE OFFENSIVE NO NEWS FROM THE DARDANELLES „•".'.■■ »~' " ■* * GOOD PROGRESS IN' WESTERN THEATRE

THE BALKAN THEATRE

rm (Per, Press Association — Copyright.) USKUB OCCUPIED. PARIS, October 25. A Sofia telegram claims that the Bulgarians are in complete possession of Uskub. FRENCH ADVANCE. BULGARIANS SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED. PARIS, October 25. An official statement says : — "The French attacked the Bulgarians on Friday south of Strumnitza and captured Gabrova. BULGARIANS DEFEATED BY FRENCH. ATHENS, October 26. The French, fresh from the battle near Valanvovo, defeated the Bulgarians and are pursuing them to the frontier. TO JOIN FORCE'S. THE ENEMY'S ST'ATEGY. CAN THE ALLIES THWART IT? FURIOUS BATTLE IN MACEDONIA. PARIS, October 24. The "Petit Parisien's" Athens correspondent states that the Serbian success in the north is confirmed. The Austro-Germans have been unable to junction with the Bulgarians, who have assumed the defensive, pending" the coming up of reinforcements. The "Journal's" Athens correspond ent says that a furious battle, the bloodiest and most serious of the Balkans triennium, is progressing near Veles. The Austro-German defeat in North Serbia has now forced King Ferdinand to strike a f heavy .blow in the south. Marshal von Mackensen has given up the idea for the time being of joining up with the armies in the Timok Valley. Picked Bulgarians are attempting a surprise attack in the Ishtib-Veles 1 sector, the success of which means the isolation of the Serbian Army, ■ and the failure of which spells col- < lapse to the concerted German-Bui garian plans. The Bulgarians' ammunition is running short. Advices from Salonika confirm the French success from Krivolalc, in ar--3 resting the Bulgarian attack at Veles. ROME, October 23. » The Allies at Salonika are leaving 5 for the interior daily. ATHENS, October 24. The strategic importance of the • fighting around Veles, is emphasised . by the mountainous country. If the Allies bring up sufficient forces to - junction with the Serbians here they - will considerably lessen the Bulgar--5 ians' chance of success arid alter the • entire situation. LONDON, October 24. a The correspondent" of Reuter's - Agency at Athens says that news from the most trustworthy sources is highly satisfactory, and indicates that c the Serbs are offering a most' stuba born resistance on all fronts. The Austro-Germans are not. expected to >- develop further action until the Bulgarians obtain an important success, d The ' Bulgarians have discontinued the " attack on Veles owing to the French c operations in the Krivolak and Strumnitza. sectors.

DEBATE IN ROUMANIAN PARLIA MENT. OPPOSITION DEMAND INTERVENTION. BUCHAREST, October 25. I M. Filipesco, a Unionist, in a sensational speech, accused the Government of evasion concerning military supplies. He pointed out that the German Treaty with Bulgaria was concluded in August 1914Roumania, having arranged an alliance with Greece and Serbia, ought to go to Serbia's assistance. M. Takejoniscu said that the Opposition could no longer support the Government in delaying participation in the war, which was materially and moraly necessary* INVASION OF SERBIA. THE NORTHERN OPERATIONS AUSTRIAN CLAIMS. VIENNA, October 24. A communique states : — "The Austro-Hungarians opposite Orsova captured a mountain position on the southern banks of the Danube and the Elizabeth forts near Takia. The Serbians at many points on the frontier were broken up, and dispersed and are retreating southward. We are pursuing- them. "We dislodged the enemy from heights eastward of the Drina, near Visegrad." THE BULGARIAN ATTACK. PART OF USKUB CAPTURED. AMSTERDAM, October 24. A Bulgarian communique says: — "We are advancing -between "Kniasnevatz and Zeatchar, and reached the left : bank of the Timok. Fighting for the town of Kniashnebatz continues. "Our troops in Macedonia, after a 1 violent battle, captured the greater part of the town of Uskub. Fighting t continues there. We are continuing t the offensive on other fronts." THE STRUGGLE FOR VELES. j PARIS, October 25. x A Salonika telegram says the Serbians on Saturday counter-attack-ed and recaptured half of Veles : while the remainder of the town liei under their artilery. ■ # A REQUEST TO THE SERBIANS s (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) ■ . LONDON October 26. l It is understood that the Anglo French have asked the Serbian head quarters to resist five more days 1 when effective aiH will be forthcom , ing. " The Serbians are keeping up s 1 vigorous defensive and" deliver count - er-attacks to gain time. j NISH, October 26. A communique states : Threi enemy battalions crossed the Drini 6 near Itishgrad. >* The Bulgarians are strongly press *• ing towards Khiagevatz. — We had taken up a position an ►'» immediately defended the town am ri- crossed to the left bank of. th Jj Timok. /

GERMAN LOSSES CAUSE DELAY. ATHENS, October 24. 1 The postponement of the German advance in Serbia is attributed to considerable losses and the lack of reinforcements. ROME, October 26. A communique states: We captured positions in the Adige zone, completing our hold on the road to Riva, capturing also a great quantity of material. We repulsed attacks at Merzli and carried strong entrenchments in the Plava zone. THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION. LORD CROMER'S VIEWS. (Reed. 10.35 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. Lord Cromer writes to the "Times" that Germany's success against Russia has induced King Ferdinand to join Germany. King Constantine will ignore the Serbian Treaty, and it is doubtful whether the most skillful diplomacy could have availed and recriminations are 'useless. We should" grasp the situation as the stands. The Germans, having failed against France and Russia, and now seeking to carry out a pan -Germanism programme prepared long before the war, namely the establishment of a German Empire from the Persian Gulf to the Baltic. We will make a great mistake if we fail to recognise the centre of gravity has temporarily shifted. Lord Cromer . doubts the efficiency of a Cabinet or twenty-two to grapple with the situation. The War Committee will not do much improvement and some more drastic change is required. GERMAN PLOT DISCOVERED IN THE UNITED STATES. INVENTION TO WRECK MUNI TION STEAMERS. ! 1 (Reed. 2.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 25. Fay confessed to being a lieutenant in the German Army. He arrived from Germany recently to experiment with a machine intended to be fastened to ships rudders when leaving New York to blow up their steering geai and compel them to return to the nearest port. Two other conspirators are under examination by the police. Fay has confessed that knowing the damage done to factories could be ensily repaired he fcoacfctvefl the i of attacking munition ships. Therefore he left Germany with his invention in order to- wreck Allied ships from New York. He had seen tEe terrible effects o r French artillery fire in the Champagne district and thought that he would be able to explode mines Vithout wires. He arrived in America in a steamer from Rotterdam, on April 23rd, and spent the time since perfecting his invention. Fay admitted that he was working in conjunction with the German Secret Service, which he admitted, was very active in the United States encouraging attempts on factories and ships. THE CONSCRIPTION, QUESTION. THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST. (Reed. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, October 25. Messrs E. E. H. Hobhouse, C. P. Allen and J. H. Whitehouse, on behalf of the anti-conscriptionisf commoners, have issued a manifesto giving the reasons for their belief that conscription will be disastrous to a successful prosecution of the war and destroy the basis of national unity. Britain has five duties in the war — maintaining- an impregnable and inviolable navy, manufacturing munitions for herself and her Allies ; financing her Allies -financing the Dominions ; raising and maintaining an army running into millions. We have already suddenly withdrawn something like three million men from the industries of Britain and an indefinite increase will' entail a heavy increase of expenditure and hamper our Allies cause by reducing our capacity to assist them. The mere attempt to introduce conscription will bring the gravest consequences and destroy national unity. Organised and determined to resist are three of the the greatest labour bodies who are prepared, for a corporate action. The war, even if prolonged through lack of conscription, must be won by our financial and industries strength. We must remember the deep suspicions attaching to some of the influences behind the conscription campaign; also Ireland's opposition. LOSS OF BRITISH OFFICERS. LONDON, October 26. For the fortnight ended on the nth the British officer losses are as follows ; — Killed 368, wounded 648, miss ing 107, including Majors-General Thesiger and Capper, two Colonels, two Lieutenant-Colonels dead and two Brigadier-Generals wounded and one missing. The losses of officers since the beginning of the war are 5550 killed, 11,115 wounded and 1536 missing. OFFICIAL NEWS. The High Commissioner reports as follows:— ■ v . >. London*, October 26th, 7.3S p.m. On the left bank of the Dvina six German attacks were repulsed. At east Illuxt there was terrific fighting against a German advance, which was unable to develop. - There were ferocious attacks east of Chartorisk. During a counter-attack we made prisoners of 1000. . ,4^.- :*■: **-V.

BRITISH PARLIAMENT INTERESTING DEBATE EXPECTED. (Reed. 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, October 25. It is doubtful whether Mr Asquith will be sufficiently well to attend the Commons before Thursday. It is expected that the House of Lords debate on the Salonika landing, -will be most interesting. Recruiting in London is more ani- ' mated than for months past. The Court has ordered the destruction of the documents of the Independent Labour Party cabled on September 13th. WOUNDEtfsOLDIERS ARRIVAL OF THE TOFtTA. DUNEDIN, October 26. The Tofua arrived from Alexandria at 5 p.m. with invalided soldiers. The vessel had a fine passage all the way, but a fog was experienced south of Australia. - Private Hall, Canterbury Battalion, was taken to the hospital. He became a little feverish a few days ago, but he is not thought to be seriously ill. All the others appear remarkably well after the sea voyage. Hons. J. Allen and G. W. Russell were present to receive the men. The civic reception takes place tomorrow morning. IN EGYPT PREPARING TO MEET THE TURKS. SULTAN RAISES 500,000 MEN. CAIRO, October 25. The Sultan has undertaken to raise half a million troops in readiness for a Turkish attack. BRITISH OFFER FORESTALLED, ROME, October 26. Doctor Dillon states that King Constantino promised the Kaiser to maintain neutrality, the Kaiser guaranteeing to reward Greece with Cyprus and coveted portions of Albania. In view of this understanding Dr Dillon regards that Britain lost valuable time in making an offer" which included more than Cyprus. He adds that a powerful Allied army in Serbia would attract Roumania to the Entente. ' BUCHAREST, October 26. A communique denies M. Filipescus's allegation and declares that no explanation of the external question will be given until the proper time. It threatens the proclamation of a state of siege if order is disturbed, and prohibits processions and demonstrations. GERMANS ADMIT LOSS OF A - CRUISER. BERLIN, October 26. The Admiralty admit that the Prinz Adalbert itself was sunk on the 23rd by two shots from a submarine. Only a portion of the crew were rescued. THE WESTERN THEATRE THE FIGHT FOR THE HOHEN- . ZOLLERN REDOUBT. LONDON, October 25. Router describing a visit to the Hohenzollern Redoubt, states that there is debris of" the fighting everywhere. • Broken rifles, blood-soaked clothes, bayonets and innumerable articles of equipment are on the ground. From the Redoubt to the old British lines lie bodies of many of our brave men which must be recovered by stealth by burial parties. They bring back one by one, and a cross with the name is erected on the graves for identification after the war. Reaching a point within thirty yards of the German trenches and using" the periscope he saw heaps of German bodies, many half buried in the ruined trenches. Within the past week we nibbled several pieces of the enemy's line tending to improve the position. FRENCH COMMUNIQUE. PARIS, October 26. A eonunmiique states: — We repulsed a very violent counter-attack at Courtine and remain in possesion, except a portion of the trenches in- the centre. "Le Temps" states that the Serbian resistance deserves more rapid and more energetic help. Britain has to consider how she is going to oppose the German advance on Constantinople, which is intended to strike the British Empire by land. If England, which does not lack the necessary men, does not leave the necessary sacrifices till . too late, the Austrian attacks will fail. THE KING GOES TO FRANCE. (Reed. 9.5 P-m.) LONDON, October 26. The King has gone on a visit to France. GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Reed. 9-25 P-m.) AMSTERDAM, October 26. A German communique states : We repulsed Russian attacks south-east of Riga. Our weak forces, which crossed th Ilukst, were withdrawn to the western bank before a superior enemy. Russian attacks, north of Lake DrisviatVj were successful. The Austrians, west of Komarev, on a'4-ii kilometres' front, penetrated the enemy's positions. General von Koevess reached the line from Lanzarevac to north Harangelover and Rabova. 1 ' '" General von Gallwitz stormed and captured Livadsea and-Zitboari and advanced to Presedna, a height south of Peterovar We occupied heights west and , nori^-wes,t-o|,K^chevo, .. ; , . :

ITALIAN>IHER SUNK BY GERMAN SUBMARINE. SALONIKA, October 25. A German submarine in the Aegean Sea, sank the Italian liner Sisilia without warning. WHERE THE WICKED CEASE TO TROUBLE. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 25. Baron von Wangenheim, Ambassador, is dead. He was Minister at Athens for several years, and there the Kaiser's sister gave him a tremendous advantage. : Baron von Wangenheim went to Turkey in 191 2 to frighten Turkey into the Austro-German alliance. He lived in sumptuous style, and his pockets were stuffed with German gold. He was surrounded by a retinue of Turkish experts. Baron von Wangenheim transferred to Sofia this year where lie secured the Bulgarian alliance. IN THE DARDANELLES THE FLEET'S GOOD WORK. VALUABLE VESSELS REMOVED. LONDON, October 26. The Fleet has an enormous responsibility in guarding the flanks of the Army. After the Goliath was torpedoed the Army's right wing was left to take care of itself at nighttime and the warships withdrawn from v dangerous points in the Straits. The German submarines had a wonderful chance of sinking British warships, and one admires the enterprise of the commanders, but this is certain that British submarine commanders with similar opportunities would have done better. The Admiral continually transferred his flag to smaller and less valuable vessels. **' All the ships remaining carry out their duties with the same precision and coolness as the earlier vessels though, " they are twelve to twenty years older and would have been on the scrapheap but for the war. THE ZEPPELIN RAIDS DEATH OF FURTHER VICTIMS. (Reed." 1.55 p.m.) LONDON, October 25. There were further air raid inquests on two victims who since succumbed. An elderly platelayer and a girl took refuge on an hotel where eight were killed by a bomb. Twelve yards away windows and woodwork were blown in and a man's leg broken. The bomb made a hole in the road nine feet wide and five deep opening a sewer. A girl died of blood poisoning, as the result of a wound from a fragment of bomb. WAR TROPHIES ON VIEW. LONDON, October 25. The German guns captured at Loos will be placed on public view in the Horse Guards' parade after Wednes. day. THE MABTYB. NURSE. LONDON, October 25. Tlie National Liberal Club passed a resolution praying the King to appoint a day for the Empire J s homage to Miss Cavil! *s memory- . ' There are great preparation for the memorial service to Miss Cavell at Saint Paul's. It is expected that 2500 uniformed uurses and the King aud the Queen may attend. GERMANS' LAME JUSTIFICATION. NEW YORK, October 25. Herr Zimmerman, German Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, in a message from Berlin, states that the female sex in law has only one preference, namely, that woman in a delicate condition must not be executed, otherwise there is equal treatment for men and women. The evidence of Miss Cavell "was so clear and convincing, proving a well considered, world-wide conspiracy, ren, dering nine months of the most valuable service to the enemy that no court martial in the world could have given any other decision. There Avere several girls among our, Russian prisoners, and if these had been killed in battle the world would not have called us cruel. We are heedless of the. world's verdict, and we must travel the hard road of duty. He denies that a 1 officer revolvered Miss Cavell. The official report states that the 'execution was in accordance with the regulations and the firing party did not fire faultily. The physician attending testified thu-t death was instantaneous at the first volley..