THE BALKANS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1915, Page 2

THE BALKANS.

SERBIAN ARMY NOT A

REMNANT

TURKEY AND BULGARIA

HUNS WAITING FOR RUSSTA

BULGARIA WAIVES CLAIMS

LONDON, Dec. 1

An authoritative statement has been issued, that the Serbians havg not been reduced to a'scanty remnant. One section is retreating in good order on the Albanian ' and Montenegrin frontier, while the other is retreating 7in a south-westerly direction. Serbia has still available

250,000 first-class fighting men, though* they require arms. .It is positively known that the Germans' Josses have been extremely heavy, ,and! that the successes have been achieved at o terrible" cost. The Serbs still retain their former fifty: thousand Austrian prisoners. . The Times's special correspondent in Serbia states that the Turco-Bulgar tension has increased. A popular agitation, whicji German agents are. encteaybring to soothe, prevails in Bulgaria on the. subject of the claim of Turkey-to the retrocession of the districts in Thrace recently given .to Bulgaria. Constantinople assertsthat Bulgaria will be aggrandised by the conquest of Serbia owing to Turkey's friendship, but the Bulgarians will not be satisfied with'a ..post-war settlement which does not include the cession of Adrianople.

The Petit Journal publishes a report from Bucharest that M. Bratianuj the Premier, is ill because he has failed to strengthen the Cabinet. The situation gro.ws more and moi>e strained.,; Some people assert that, the compact with Rv ' ; s dsfinite. The'■Austro-C!-ermans''ar-e :.. .sinp: war materials on the frontier, and the Russian effort will need to be great. ■ ■Germany, undertook to pay Bulgaria tho expenses of the campaign. The objects of M. Toncheff's (Finance Minister) visit to Berlin and. Vienna were to obtain 250 million francs and a second option on a loan of 500 millions. He also arranged for the immediate payment of , 250 million francs.

Sofia has agreed, apparently acting on instructions from Germany, tv waive the- national claim to Kavala and Dobrudja, in order to secure the neutrality: of Greece and Rouirtania. It is suggested.that: Bulgaria should acquiesce in the transfer of Doiran and Ghevgheli^to Greece, - and even Monastir, if King Constantine joins the Central Powers. M. Radoslavoff (Bulgarian Premier)' is said to have agreed. The Government will be compelled to summon the Sobranje for December 23th.

[Kavala is ■ a seaport on the Gulf of Kavala, in the iE-gean Sea, behind, the Island of Thasos. Dobrudja is a district of Roumania embracing, .and stretching south from tlie Delta of the Danube.]