THE BALKAN WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 16074, 31 October 1912, Page 7

THE BALKAN WAR.

PROGRESS 0E THE ALLIES. MORE TURKISH REVERSES. RATTLE PROCEEDING. Bulgarian forces aro engaged in movements having for their objective junctions with tho Servians and the Greeks. Foreign military authorities are doubtful regarding the invulnerability of Adrianoplo. The Turks were surprised and routed by the Servians at Kuprili. It is stated at Berlin that Russia and Austria have reached an agreement regarding action to bo taken in the Balkans, but in • view of a possible Austro-Russian conflict a movement for tho unification of the Roles in Russia, Austria and Prussia is spreading. THE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN. A NIGHT ATTACK. BAD TURKISH GENERALSHIP. INVESTMENT OF ADRIANOPLE. FLOODED RIVERS. United Preen Astociation—By Eiectrio TelejTiph—Copyright. LONDON, October 29. Tire Turks at Adrianoplo made a night attack on October 24. The Bulgarians withheld their fire till next day, when a reconnaissance showed that nearly a hundred Turks were killed by their own people. Bunarhissar forms a point in the outer line by which the Bulgarians are enveloping Adrianople. -Meanwhile General Kovatchoff’s army of the Rhodope is advancing along the Mesta Valley. v , The country around Adrianople is inundated by tho Maritza, Tundja aud Arda Rivers, the result of heavy rains, and the floods are impeding the military movements. Sonic foreign military authorities are or opinion that Adrianople may possibly he as vulnerable as Kirk Kilisseh, inasmuch as though Germans planned the fortifications Turkish contractors constructed them, and lienco tho. possibility of their solidity being sufficient to resist artillery fire is doubted. THE BULGARIAN ADVANCE. RAPID PROGRESS. IMPORTANT JUNCTIONS THE OBJECTIVE. A message from Sofia says that from Drama, which has been occupied, tho Bulgarians will proceed to Seres, whore they will effect a junction with the column from Nevrokop aud tho third force coming down Struma Valley. The Bulgarians hope to effect a junction near Salonica with the Greeks from Verio, and tho Servians who are coming by railway from Kuprili. All the Rhodope passes leading to the Salonika and Adrianople railway

line are in Bulgarian hands. With the capture of Baba Eski the Bulgarians will control tho ' new railway from Baba Eski to Kirk Kilisseh. BASHI BAZOUKS’ FEROCITY. WOUNDED BULGARS' MUTILATED. A German Red Cross assistant at Kirk Kilisseh telegraphs to Berlin that after the first Bulgarian reverse in the vineyards the Bashi Bazouks mutilated the wounded, in most instances gouging out the eyes, cutting off tho ears and noses and ripping up the stomachs. MOSLEMS FIGHT TO THE LAST. BERLIN, October 30. A Red Cress assistant at Kirk Kilisseh, describing the final scenes, says that the Christians among the defenders in the forts surrendered in troops, but tho Mosloms fought to the last. WHITE FLAG INCIDENTS. A FIERCE BATTLE. PLIGHT’ OF THE TURKS AT SALONICA. SOFIA, October 30. The Turks north-east of Adrianople repeatedly attempted to deceive the Bulgarians by showing tho white flag and then training tho guns on them, causing the Bulgarians considerable losses. The Bulgarians seized two depots with arms, ammunition and medical stores between Adrianople and Kirk Kilisseh. The battle at Kochana was ferociously fought for three days and two nights. The Bulgarians were greatly outnumbered hut repeated bayonet charges cleared tho Turks from a strong position despite desperate resistance. The Turks at Salonica are short of provisions. The shore batteries have been stripped of their guns and ammunition, which have been sent to the interior. The Turkish troops are being driven in by the allies. ADRIANOPLE TO BE STARVED. • LONDON, October 30. The “Standard’s” Sofia correspondent states that tho Bulgarians have decided to invest and starve Adrianople to avoid heavy lossos. It has been decided that sixty thousand men should carry out the investment. THE SERVIAN CAMPAIGN. TURKS IN RETREAT ON MONASTTR. LONDON, October 29. The Turks are evacuating Kuprili and abandoning the railway line, ’they have retreated towards Monastir. ROUT AT KUPRILI. TURKS IN FULL FLIGHT. Tho Servian headquarters are now at Uskub. The Servian army, surprised and routed tho Turks at Kuprili after » sharp fight,’ and secured much booty. Tho Servla ns are pursuing the Turks towards Monastir and Salonica. MOSLEMS DECLARE ALLEGIANCE TO SERVIA. , THIS BATTLE AT KUMANOVO. (Received October 30, 10.30 p.m.) BELGRADE, October 30. The Ariiaouts in the Ivossovo anc.

Priatina districts arc resuming their occupations, and Moslems are hastening re declare their loyalty to tho Ser•mns. Hundreds of carts decorated v ‘ith the Servian colours and filled with woman and children nro returning. Reuter’s correspondent reports that the Turks at Kumanovo numbered 30,000. The Turks lost 10,000 killed or •rounded. The Servians lest 500 killed and two thousand wounded. The latter include Colonel Bowincvitch, commander of the Danube Division. Lieutenant Milich, commanding a company of infantry, committed suicide by shooting himself with a revolver rather than obey an order to retiro from an exposed position. Witnessing his example, his soldiers hurled themselves desperately on the Turkish positions and annihilated them. Dash and equal bravery were shown by the cavalry under King Peter’s brother, Prince Arsens, while the Crown Prince waii frequently in the firing line, and entered the town while the battle was in full swing. DEADLY ARTILLERY FIRE. TURKS MOWED DOWN. CORPSES BURNED ON BATTLEFIELD. (Received October 31, 12.35 a.m.) BELGRADE. October 30. During tho pursuit of the Turks from Kumanovo towards Uskub. the Servians’ deadly battery fire mewed down wholo companies. The Turks threw away thejr rifles and knapsacks and climbed the hillsides, trying to hido in depressions in the ground and behind trees. Everywhere the merciless shrapnel hurst over their heads, strewing the hills and reads with corpses. Where it was possible to make a momentary stand, the Turks in search of cover piled 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. The Servians, using paraffin, burned the corpses on the battlefield, there being no time to bury them. MONTENEGRIN CAMPAIGN. TURKISH GARRISONS AT SCUTARI AND TARA BOSCH. M ONTENEGRIN BOMBARDMENT. LONDON, October 29. A message from Cettinjo says that 6000 regulars and 18,000 Mohammedan Albanian Volunteers form the garrison at Scutari, and 2500 regulars and 15,000 irregulars garrison Tarabosch. Tho Montenegrins are bombarding Tarabosch from three steamers on the western side of the lake. They also routed the Albanians in the Maranaj Mountains, to the north-west of Scutari, killing several hundred. THE GREEK CAMPAIGN. IMPORTANT CAPTURE. LONDON, October 29. The Greeks have captured tho Tripotamos defiles, which command Veria. ANTI-TURK FEELING IN EGYPT. LONDON, October 29, ANTI-TURK FEELING IN SYRIA. A Cairo message sayS that 10,000 circulars have been seized at Alexandria summoning the Syrian Roman Catholics to unite in an orthodox antiTurk struggle. STRENGTH OF THE ALLIES. A THREE.HOURS’ FIGHT. (Received October 30, 10.30 p.m.) ATHENS, October 30. The allies have a hundred and sixty thousand more men at the front than hitherto has been announced. Tho Turks killed the Greek archpriest at Janina, The Greeks after three hours’ fight occupied Exaterini. The Greek left wing, defeating the Turks, pursued them to Nalbankeny, capturing the standards of two Turkish battalions after desperate fighting. THE TURKISH FORCES. IMPORTANT BATTLE IN PROGRESS. LONDON, October 29. A Constantinople message says that it is officially announced that Kaimil Pasha has been appointed Grand Vizier of Turkey.' Nazim Pasha announces that .an important battle is going on along tho Turkish front, and his troops aro gaining ground. NAZIM PASHA’S REPORT. TURKS ADVANCING. (Received October 31, 12.30 a.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, October 30. The departure of foreign military attaches for the Turkish front lias been postponed. Nazim Pasha reports that two Bulgarian battalions were cut off between Kirk Kilisseh and Visa and sustained heavy losses. Ho adds that the Bulgarians began an attack along the Erkene River at noon. The Turks vigorously repelled it, aud the battle continues with great violence. The Turks arc advancing. ATTITUDE OF THE POWERS. AN AUSTRO-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT. COAL PURCHASES. UNIFICATION OF THE POLES. (Received October 31, 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 30. Russia, Germany and Italy are buying largo 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 compose the differences of the various Polish parties and unite all twelve million Poles in Russia, six million in Austria, and four million in Prussia. BERLIN, October 30. The Foreign Office states that Russia and Austria have reached an understanding concerning the further treatment of Balkan questions. AUSTRIA’S POLICY. (Received October 31, 12.35 a.in.) VIENNA, October 30. The Austrian Premier in tiio Reichsrath, referring to the Balkans, said that Austria-Hungary’s policy had been consistently peaceful throughout. All the negotiations with the interested Powers heretofore justified the

hope that tho greater peace of Europe would he preserved.

RUSSIAN ASSISTANCE. ST PETERSBURG, October 30. The prefect of police protested against the municipality voting £IO,OOO to 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 with fifty beds, to the front. The “ Novoe Vremya” protests against efforts to stifle Russians sympathy with their blood-brothers.

THE GREEK WAR FUND. BRISBANE, October 30. The Greek residents have cabled £7OO, the first instalment, to the war fund. (Received October 31, 12.35 a.m.) MELBOURNE, October 30. Greek residents hare cabled £SOO for the war fund. Seven Greeks have left for the front. GREEKS IN NEW'. ZEALAND. FUNDS TO BE RAISED IN AUCKLAND. [From Ouh Correspondent.] AUCKLAND, October 30. The guns that are booming in the “Cockpit of Europe” are calling home sons of the Balkan Peninsula from all parts of tho world. One of them, Policaudreotis by name, a Greek Naval Reservist, is leaving Auckland to-night bv the Main Trunk train, eu route for Heme by way of Wellington. There aro about 200 Greeks in New Zealand, between twenty and thirty of that number being resident in Auckland, about 100 live in Wellington and it is possible that other reservists will bo proceeding from that city for their home by the margin of the sunny Mediterranean Sea. Others, who are held back by family tics, are sending tho sinews of war from Auckland. They aro about to raise subscription funds among their own countrymen. They are keenly enthusiastic in watching the doings of their fighting, compatriots and the cables contained in the daily Press are eagerly scanned by them. If hostilities continue, still more of them may return home. Tho prompt action of Policandreotis. is typical of the patriotic fervour displayed here. He has been in Auckland for a couple of years, having been engaged as a fisherman. A day or two ago he decided to go back home, and rejoin the naval forces, in which he received a thorough training. Since then, ho has sold his fishing boat and apparently his mood is one of thankfulness for having accumulated sufficient substance to enable him to go to the assistance nf his country in time of peril. Locally be is known as “ Arthur.” He is a stalwart fellow, aged about 32. possessing good health, and having all the appearances of a hardy saiior. Ho proceeds to Athens, from whence ho expects to, be. told off for duty on one of the Grecian warships. For tho rest, that belongs to the great uncertainty of war.