ADVANCE OF ALLIES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 277, 26 October 1912, Page 5

ADVANCE OF ALLIES.

PROGRESS OF THE CAMPAIGN. FALL OF KUMANOVO AND KIRK KILISSEH. VARIED VERSION OF THE FIGHTING. BULGARIAN PLAN OF ATTACK. [PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT. ] (Received 26, 8.15 a.m.) London, Oct. 25. Gen. Vendergoltz has bestowed much attention on Kirk Kilisseh. The entire Bulgarian general staff in 1911 spent sixteen days studying the ground in the district. The “ Times’ ” Vienna correspondent says it was late during the mobilization that the Bulgarians decided to attack between the Maritza river and Tunja, instead of placing the bulk of the troops at Vernanli on the Adrianople line. The amended plan was a much bolder strategical conception, but it involved grave risks as the Turks could have attacked Mustapha Pacha. The “Reichpost’s” account suggests that the Bulgarians believe that Adrianople is their weakest front in the south.

Sofia, Oct. 25. In the fighting at Arda on Tuesday eight thousand Turks were attacked and retreated in disorder. Many threw themselves into the Maritza and drowned themselves, believing the Bulgarians massacred their prisoners. A USTRIA N CORRESPONDENT’S STORY. Vienna, Oct. 25. Tlie “Reichposl,” whose correspondent seems to be accompanying the Bulgarian march, states that General Wanoff with the first army on Tuesday commenced attacking the outworks of Adrianople. The northern army meanwhile marched on both sides of Tunja with the right wing west of Havaras, seven miles north of Adrianople, and the centre near Arnautkevi, six miles to the north-cast, and the left wing at Musubili, seven miles E.N.E. cf Adrianople. Other divisions attacked the heights cf Chatalja and Arda. On ’Wednesday the Turks with real bravery counter attacked at. Arnautkevi, but were repulsed, though well supported by artillery. The Bulgarian quickfirers mowed down whole detachments. General Diminiff’s array, which is massed east and west of Turnovo, attacked Kirk Kilisseh. HOW SOFIA RECEIVED THE NEWS. Sofia, Oct. 25.

The Turks retired from Kirk Kilisseh to Bunar Hissar. 25 kilometres south-east, leaving sixteen ammunition waggons an<! much food. The first reports of the capture of Kirk Kilisseh. caused vast crowds of demonstrators bearing the flags of the allies to march io the palace and the legations, a party of scouts heading the procession. M. Pams, the Greek Minister, Was carried shoulder high. In the Turks’ rearguard action the Bulgarians were also victorious.

TURKISH VERSION OF THE RETREAT. Constantinople, Oct. 25. The retreat from Kirk Kilisseh .is offieiaily admitted. It is officially explained that three army corps made an offensive movement east of Tunjn with a view fo forcing the Bulgarians to tieploy and disclose their strength.

They were unsuccessful 1 because they encountered the main army, which had left a covering force at Adrianople while attempting to Work to the rear and menace the Constantinople communications at Mankatar, which the advance column attempted to surprise. When they found the Bulgarian strength they did not persist, but retired to the south. It has now been decided to fal 1 back on Babaeski and Luleburg.ts, where seven army corps are conc-ii-trated and four more reserves in course of formation nearer Constantinople.

The gariison of an army corps has! left Adrianople. j If the Bulgarians refuse to act ,>n the offensive, t Nazim Pasha will force a general engagement north of Adrianople. The. retirement from Kirk Kilisseh was purely strategical to enable! Nazim Pasha’s units to concentrate. The correspondents have arrived at I Babneski.

BATTLE OF KUMANOVO

TURKISH GENERAL’S REPORT

(Received 26, 8.15 a.m.) Constantinople, Oct. 25. General Ifkki Pasha advanced hi. division in echelon formation on tinplain outside Kumanovo, 15 miles north of Uskub. Here he learned that a small Bulgarian force was endeavouring to junction with the four Servian divisions. General Ifkkc attacked the Servians, wi;-i fled in confusion, leaving a batter ■> of artillery and their GciicrM's flag, also many prisoners am! wound-- I men.

Meanwhile (ho Bulgarians attcii’p!cd a diversion by means of a flank attack from the Kosiak mountains General Ifkkc turned his division round upon the Bulgarians, capturing four field guns.

OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY

TL RKS RETIRE TO I'SKCB

IN DISORDER

(Rcceit cd 26. 9.35 a.m I

Belgrade. Oct. 2-5.

Three divisions .of Turks defending Kunianovo fought a dept rate battle. The Turkish artillery .advanced m an attempt to destroy the Servian arLllery at Trelt’. but were destroyed themselves, and withdrew to I skuh in great disorder.

ON THE GREEK FRONTIER. TURKS IN TIGHT CORNER. At liens, Oct. 25. A force of 22.600 Turks under Riza Bey were driven from Serfidje, and are now hedged on the east by tlie cliffs of Mt. Bara and to the west by the icy torrent of tlie Haliakmon. of which the highlanders hold the forts, and to the south-west and west by the victorious Greeks. TURKISH BRUTALITY. AV OMEN AND CHILDREN .MURDERED. (Received 26, 8.5 a.m.) Heartrending sights confront cd the Greeks on entering Serfidge where tin* Turkish army refuged after being driven out of E’assunia by tlie Greek army on Tuesday. The Greeks found seventy women and children lying dead on the doorsteps, and in the courtyards, in every position indicating they had tried to save their offsprings. TURKISH DIVISION CUT OFF. Fifteen thousand troops at Janina are cut off from their base. Janina is a town 70 miles north-west of the fortress of Prcvcsa on the Gulf of Art a.

GREEK ROYALTY AT THE FRONT. The King and Queen, with Prince George and Princess Marie have gone to Sarissa. about 15 miles south of the Turko-Greek frontier. The King intends to meet the. Crown Prince Alexander of Servia. THE SELGE O I’. SCUT AR I. REPORTED SURRENDER OF THE TOWN. CON TLI CT IN G RE PORTS. (Received 26, 8.15 a.in.) Cettinge, Oct. 25. The bombardment of Tradosche continues. General Martinoviteh captured the heights of Shiroka, a new point fro in whence he can shell Tradoscha. Cettinge, Oct. 25. The Montenegrins have surrounded Scutari. They bombarded the town for a quarter of an hour without doing any- damage. Envoys then proceeded to the town to negotiate a surrender. London, Oct. 25. Later telegrams indicate that tlie Montenegrins were repulsed at Scutari. Vienna wires state the fall of Scutari, also that the Balkan League intends to resist any attempt on the part of the Powers to deprive the Balkan States of the fruits of their conquest. They will endeavour to establish a confederacy with the Customs Union.

MONTENEGRINS JOIN FORCES WITH SERVIANS.

The Montenegrin army is within five miles of the Servians at Sienitza, a town in Turkey in the Province of Kosovo. 27 miles W.N.W. of Novi Bazar. SCUTARI. THE GATE OF THE EAST.” A special correspondent of the Aloriiing Post” recently wrote a very interesting article on Scutari, jin Albania, which is now the prinI cipal objective of the Montenegrin Army. He says “Scutari is indeed the true gate of | the East. As the descent is made from the black mountains of Montnegro, the Mussulman begins to be met with. There are several mosques at Podgoritza across the lake, but here in Scutari Mosleinism is the deciding factor. Already, as one crosses Montenegro, the changing status of woman is noticeable. When 'the Scutari plain is reached she is doing a large proportion of the work of real drudgery. while her master suns himself by day . and, in Ramazam, feeds by night. How true it. is of Scutari that it is the. gate of the ! East may lie seen in its approach i I from the sea. The Bojana runs down I through a narrow passage between I the great hills, rising to a height: of 3000 feet, which skirt the southern side of the lake, and the smaller heights, on one of which still stands the great Venetian fortress which put up a vain resistance to the Turk in the Fifteenth Century. On I lie shores of the Bojana as one goes towards the sea are the ruins of Chris tian churches of the period of the Servian Empire. Here in the tow ii Moslems ami Christians confront one another, and the eternal hostility is manifest everywhere. Tl • races sei the here as in a cauldron. Much of the old Venetian townj which constituted the ancient Chris-( tian port was destroyed when the I Turk came. Crouching under the j fort-crowned hili, is now only the j long, straggling bazaar, which Fn its| general contour and its hrown round-) tiled roofs, resembles an old Kent-1 isli or Yorkshire fishing tillage. j "The fascination of Scutari at the j present moment is that all Europe.' south of Vienna, at least, is watching it. The population here feels i the crisis in in the air; the Turkish Government feels it; von can heuq the clang of the military hammer everywhere, as the work of preparing the town, in a military sense, for , any onslaught, goes on. There is, not one-sixth of the trc.eps here!

that there were two years ago when Shcvket Turghat Pasha was conducting an offensive campaign against the Albanians with an army of 60.000 men. But now the Turks are on the defensive, and the work of Barrack-const meting which 's going on suggests rather a ..Jeter- | initiation to Ik Id than to attn, h. Over at Tnzi. the first villaae <m tin Turkish ‘ ide of the Turco-M<mt e-h ncgrin frontier. there is an a’Tii cii camp, and a nimiini’ is licing Lnih. Three years a g<> I lizi was a quiet : village, relying on the mitur.nl | strength of the Turkish frontier posi- i rion for its defence. That position. [ fortified as it now is. is a very strong i one. which should rend'r an attack I liv lhr Montenegrin's a .tin sir,.

[Tuti has since been captured by the Montenegrins, and to-day tho unconfirmed news is c-ibli■<! of (bo fall of Scutari itself into tlie hand* of the attacking foe. |

GREEKS IN NEW ZEALAND

HOW THEY GAN HELP

Mr. Frank Dyer, Wellington, ViceConsul for Greece in New Zealand, who lias received several applications from Greeks residing in the Dominion desirous of going to the front, in view of t lie w;ir j11 t h<• Bai k ■ tins, communicated with the ConsulGeneral for Greece. Sydney (Mr.. J. R. Love) on tlie subject. In reply, the Consul General writes: "1 beg to say that inariy of tin* younger Greeks have offered their services to figh.t for their country, provided funds are mailable t» send then.) there and to bring them back should they survive the struggle. A meeting of Ilcilinie subjects was held in Sydney, and it was decided to collect money and t<> cable it- direct to Athens. It. was considered much better than sending men, for whnt it would cost- to semi one mail to Greece and provide a ret.uni passage would equip five or more men there. I have not had any eonnuunieat ion from the Hon. the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 1 presume Hellenic subjects are comparatively few, and tlie time occupied in reaching tlie scat of war too long to attract hi» attention Let tlie Greek

community in New Zealand collect all they possibly can and transmit it by cable to the Minister at: Athens, and :■;<> prove their patriotism to their country."