BALKAN WRANGLE.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1819, 10 January 1913, Page 5

BALKAN WRANGLE.

SEBVIA AND ADRIATIC. Pre6fi Assn—By Telegraph—Copyright London, Yesterday. Reuter states that in order to prove her willingness to sacrifice her interests for peace, Servia has decided to remove her troops from the Adriatic coast immediately peace is concluded, and hopes Europe will not ask other sacrifices.

MONTENEGRO AND SCUTARI. Cettinje, Yesterday. King Nicholas, of Montenegro, congratulated his army on the past prowess and said he was satisfied they would further distinguish themselves should anybody dispute Montenegro's right to incorporate the old capital of Scutari in her borders.

TURKEY'S LATEST. Received 1.20 a.m. Vienna, Jan. 9. It is stated that Turkey suggests a neutral zone between Turkey and Bulgaria, which will include Adrianople.

POSSESSION OP THE AEGEANS. DIVIDED FEELING. Renter's Paris correspondent says the Triple Entente (Britain, France and Russia) is inclined to suppcirt the cession of the Aegean Islands to Greece. The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria, Italy) on the contrary is desirous that Turkey shall retain the Islands near her coast, particularly in the Dardanelles, also Chios, and Mytelene. Austria, he says, lias designs in the direction of incorporating Scutari in Albania, instead of allowing Montenegro its possession.

BULGARIA WANTS RAILWAY. Received 1.20 a.m. London, Jan. 9. Reshid Pasha and M. Daneff (Bulgaria) a week ago were informed that negotiations had approached an agreement regarding Adrianople, but Roumania's intervention caused the Turks to stiffen their attitude. It is understood Bulgaria is willing to dismantle her fortifications and allow Turkey extra territorial possession of the tombs of their ancestors and the moques, but she requires the railway connecting Southern Macedonia and the Aegean ports.

IF WAR IS RESUMED. POSITION AT TCHATALDCHA.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN? ] Writing six weeks ago the correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph with the Turkish army at Tchataldclia said: — "As I have mentioned in a previous despatch," the whole spirit of the army has changed with the arrival of the picked battalions from Erzeroum, Trebizond, and Smyrna. These men have not suffered defeat or privation. They are being well fed, and kept clear of the cholera as far as possible, and in consequence are spoiling for a fight. For them the war has only just begun, and the fact which militates against the pros pects of immediate peace is the evident desire of the regular army to continue the struggle and to avenge Luleh tstirgas. Of the original army most of the weaklings are now under the soil, or else have been sent back to their homes. There is, therefore, concentrated along the lines of Tchataldclia a powerful army, the organisation of which is improving every day. It is stated that quite 100,000 men are in line, but this is probably an exaggeration. "Ia previous despatch I have already described the strength of the Tchataldclia lines. Day by day work has been continued on them, and they are now almost complete. Under these circumstances it would be madness for the Bulgarians, even if they were assisted by large reinforcements of Servians and Greeks, to make any further attempt to take them by assault, and the idea of such an attempt may be dismissed as too highly improbable for serious consideration.

'' Supposing that the negotiations break down, what then will be the future of the war in Thrace? Neither army is in a position to take the offensive at Tehataldcha. The Turks, elated beyond all reason by the events of the last few days, talk of advancing against the Bulgarians and driving them back across the frontier. Tneir armv is, however, in no condition to make a forward movement. They are in a strong position as long as they sit quiet along the lines but if they attempt to advance all the old troubles which broke up Abdullah's army will immediately recommence. They declare that they will boon have enough troops to hold the lines with one army and advance with 100.000 picked men. But 100,000 picked men must be fed, and the Turks lmve no means of feeding them. They were severely taxed, to do so at Hademkoi, and, with five days' accumulation of supplies, they might move forward a short distance, but an offensive campaign on a grand scale is impossible. The railway has been destroyed, the roads, almost impassable at every season of the year, are quagmires during the winter, and even after the little rain of the past few days the commissariat trains are hopelessly stuck. There is another cogent reason which renders a forward movement impossible, namely, the shortage of field guns. So many have been captured or abandoned that in this paramount arm the would be at a hopeless disadvantage if they advanced and met the Bulgarians in the open field.

"Therefore the crnx of the situaton is Adrianople It is over the future ownership of this fortress that the present negotiations are almost certain to break down. As long as the garrison holds out Turkey will refuse to give it over to the Bulgarians, and the latter are equally certain to refuse peace without this prize for their (successes.