NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17099, 23 February 1916, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR.

Stories of conflicts between Germans and Bulgarians have been current, coin in Salonika for weeks past, and' they are scarcely worth a moment's attention. More important—provided they have any reliable basis'—are the reports that come front Rumanian correspond? onts of differences between German and Bulgarian officers on the respective functions of the two armies in the Balkans. The first story of the kind was to the effect that the German authorities had ordered certain Bulgarian troops into garrison in Hungary, where they replaced troops that had been snnt into Serbia. Orsova was stated to be garrisoned by Bulgarians as a commencement', and the movement was being continued. The Bulcarian Government is said to have- protested that its army had not been mobilised for foreign service, and that it objected to the suggestion that Bulgarian troops should he sent to Galicia. t The German explanation was that it was intended to give picked Bulgarian regiments experience on other fronts.

Another sharp difference of opinion, according to Rumanian reports, arose out. of the. German desire to employ Turkish regiments in Serbia and also on the Macedonian front. The Bulgarians objected to the presence of Turkish troops in their country, but their real fear was that the Turks would be. concentrated for the advance on Salonika and that if that port were occupied: Bulgaria would he excluded from participation, and consequently would be able to advance no claim to it after the war. Then came the storv that, the Bulgarian Government had refused to co-operate in the advance on Salonika unless a guarantee were given that the port and the Greek territory east of it would he handed over. The German authorities promptly observed that any promise of the kind might reach Greek cars and would bring Gree;e into the war. Obvioush such a rcuort as this cannot have been well founded, and consequently one is inclined to discredit all stories of the kind.

The day's Paris communique is concerned very largely, with air raids and counter raids, and much the most interesting item of news in tli is department is the bringing down of a Zeppelin. The dirigible seems to havo come from Mote, and passing St. Menehould it would be on the direct route to Paris. It was a rare piece of good work on the part of the French gunner* to bring the Zeppelin down. Dirigibles have been driven back to their own lines in a damaged condition, but this is the first instance in which one has beeon wrecked inside the French lines. Brabant-le-Roi, where the dirigible fell, is a village a few miles north of the Marne, north-west of Bar-10-Duc.

A brief message stating that Greece has offeied Italy an apology in connection with criticisms made in the course of a. debate in the Greek Chamber is the first news that comes through of what seems to have been an unpleasant, little incident. From other sources it is apparent that there has been feeling for some time between the two Powers over the Italian landing in Albania. Naturally the Allied occupation of Coifu did not mend matters. The Greeks claim the southern half of Albania and are actually in occupation of the Janina district, and they are watching jealously the Italian movements at Avlona, hecause Italy is the rival thai they have to fear in the region.

A recent message from the Rome correspondent of the "Daily News" suggests that the course of the official conversations on the subject did not run altogether smoothly. •' I have reason to "believe." he says. "that when replying to Greece's inquiries as to the. extension and scope of the military operations in Albania, especially in the region of Valona, the Italian Government explained that they were intended to aid Serbia, and were rendered indispensable owing to Greece's interpretation of .the Greeo'-Serbian Treaty of Alliance. Abandoned by their Greek Allies, the Serbians, if was pointed out, were compelled to seek refuge in Albania, where Italy is determined to afford them, every possible help as in duty bound by their treaty of alliance. It was added that Italy's intervention is likewise ueeessary in defence of Albania's independence and territorial integrity, which the Allies have determined to uphold."