THE BALKANS SITUATION

North Otago Times, Volume CII, Issue 13461, 4 January 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS SITUATION

AT SALONIKA. ARREST or ENEMY CONSULS, ' TAKEN. TO UNKNOWN. DESTINATION. " " ACTION JUSTIFIED.AH ACT OF ' SALONIKA, January The ouemy Consuls with their suites, numbering 51, have : been sciil on a steamer to jiii-unknown Ucatmation. .General Sarrail dei'liires ilml he acted a.i'ler full .consideration, and merely earned bni' au" act of Svar, .'." Greece, iit additibirto' theprotest-, has asked for a return of the consular archives. . • - - j, Sonic denounce tho act as violation uf "Greece'B'Kovorefgn rights, The Entente prcssjustilies it as a reply to aeroplanos .bombarding neutral unfortified towns., Tho Allies continue t'o guard tiic consulates.. . , GENERAL COMMOTION CAUSED*' 'DUGINNING' OF HOSTILITIES IN ! GREEK TERRITORY FEARED. : , ATHENS, January 2. ' Tlio air raid, anil ..the arrest of tlie consulates at' Salonika havo caused a commotion. ' They aro regarded as the commencement of- hostilities iu Greek territory.. ■, • , ; It is expected that General Macke:i|sou will succeed in persuading tho Bui* garians to enter Greece' ■ ; KING PETER' AiK&AMIKAX'' LONDON, January 2; King Poter of Serbia liaiiarrivcd. at Salonika on board a French destroyer. RELATIONS WITH'GREECE IMPROVING. PLEASURE AT AN2AC WITHDRAWAL. SPECULATIONS AS TO ENEMY INTENTIONS.' • " : ; Oh. :•'■;;!/ • Mr Harris, writing from Salonika, says the intentions of'tiic Central Pow-., ers are unkuown, pd opinions, change daily. A Bulgarian jngrcssion is most probable, and this 'would, entail Greece's entry into the "conflict."* No immediate attack is possible.- A-thorough redistribution and feeouccDlration' of the' enemy's, armies is necessary before .mow. ing agaiust the immensely strong positions and fortifications held,'bfthc Al-; lies. '! -' British official cit'clcs'i''egard an enemy ■ advance, as possible. The French arc convinced that the Germans will remain entrenched on the frontier. The Greek General Staff is undecided, and is awaiting developments. In tho meantime tho work of the fortifications proceeds apace, and competent authorities cousider that'there is, nothing stronger imaginable. Fifty miles of roads have already been built, and as far as the eye reaches every, track seethes with movements. Regulur arrivals of ammunition, troops, and nr. lillcry intensify'the Allies' utmost conlidence, and their organisation is beyond criticism, The Greeks arc tinstintingly laudatory, and tlie feeling of resentment against tho Intrusion or tli.) Allies has disappeared, tJio.relations being mutually confident,liyul 'of goodwill. The news of the evacuation of part of Gallipoli was met with enthusiasm in Greece, where opinion was unanimous against pursuing the campaign. There is no mention anywhere of a loss of prestige. SERBIA'S AILING MONARCH. ARRIVAL AT SALONIKA. *' 1 DECLINES CEREMONY. Received January 3, 10.30 p.m. PARIS, January 3. Two companies of Greek infantry as a guard of honour awaited the arrival of King Peter of Serbia, at Salonika. Tho guard was withdrawn, King Peter declining a ceremonious reception. The Serbian ruler Ifinded quietly from a boat at the Serbian consulate grounds, Only a few persons witnessed I ho pathetic disembarkation of : ,(lie ailing monarch. MOVEMENT Or ALLIED TROOM THIRTY Ti;.\N*l'Ul(T« AT UI'HANO, DISL'iIUAh'KATIUN IN PJiOURESft lien'hr.l .l.tiiu:'-v I! 10,30 p.m.. , ATHENS, January '3. The prow reports Hint t'hirly transport is r nil of Allied troops, liavo arrived in the Gulf of Opliami. ~ The troops have begun to dis(jm,bark. ARREST OF ENEMY t'ONSULS. EMBARRASSMENT IN- GREECE, CENTRAL POWERS THREATENING ATTITUDE, . Received Jauuarv 3, 10.30 p.m., ATHENS. January's." Tlie (lovern'menl is embarrassed' over the arrest of the ouemy consuls, inasmuch as the Central Powers.threatened to demand their representative's passports, unless full satisfaction is obtained from the Allies. ' ' - 1 Tho Greek Chamber has bedn hurriedly convened for the 17th inst. ALLIES NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS. NUMEROUS GERMANS ARRESTED. Received January 3,8,35 p.m. SALONIKA, January 3. The Allies continue to arrest large numbers of Germans.

THE EASTERN FRONT

THE OFFENSIVE IN THE SOUTH. AI'STHIAN TIII'INCIIKIS OCCUPIED ON mm riiOiNT. COUNTJiII-ATTACKS' UN«UCCJiSSFUL. I'UTHOOItAD, January 13. A i'(iiiiimiiiii|uo says: Desperate couiilor-iitliu-ks by llio enemy with tlu object of driving us back to the right bank of the Styr wen' not su'ceiissful. Two miles of enemy trenehes on the River Strypa have been occupied. We broke through the euemy entanglement; consolidated the ground won. Tlili AUSTRIAN VERSION, AMSTERDAM, January 2. A Vienna communique says: In Ens (ialieia the llussinns ndvauced fiv« times to the entanglements, but tliei assaults were everywhere repulsed b)

the severity of our lire and llicv wtil'ed. ' .■ 1 « ■ RUSSIAN ONSLAUGHT IN DNEISTER REGION. • PROGRESS NEAII MJ MAN IAX FRONTIKR. PUTROGRAI), January 'J. • Ait ollicial message slates: We crossed tho iSlyr in tlie Charlorysk region, aud captured the village of Khrisi, aud, despite futile coiinlcr- ' attacks which followed, we drove back the enemy from the Usselrhkos district to the right bank of I lie Dnoisteiv. Wo _ also progressed between the Diioislir and tho Rumanian frontier. \ CHANGED SITUATION ON SOUTHERN FRONTS. o RUSSIA'S STRIKING POWER : : . INCREASED. . ■ strategic Advantage lost to ; THE ENEMY, LONDON, January 2. ■■■ Tho Observer's Pctrograd- correspondent states that tho last week has changed the aspect on the Austro-Gcrman front. The Pripct to the Galieian front and tho Dvinia front have suddenly blazed into tierce activity. The previous Inactivity has grpatly increased Russia's striking power, new troops of a' liiie typo of soldier and aiiiinutiilion in plentiful supply having been received. Tho Russian military authorities estimate tlie Austro-Gcrmans from Pripct to Rumania at a million and ahalf. So far tlie Russians have liurl tho advantage. A BERLIN MESSAGE, PARTIAL REVERSE ADMITTED. AMSTERDAM, January i. A German communique states:— Wo repulsed weak Russian divisions at various points, except northward ot Lako-Drysviaty, where tlie Russians temporarily entered our position; - \ FIERCE FIGHTING IN THE SOUTH, RUSSIANS ADVANCING, Received' January il, 5.35 p.m. • PETROGRAD, January il. A communique reports that tlie'enemy northward of Czartorysk were twice driven 'back with heavy losses. There has been particularly tierce lighting nenr .ftarnoviU, where . we occupied several lloights. "'■ ■ • 1

THE WESTERN FRONT ' i v THE ENTENTE CORDIALE. ' UNITY Ol' 1 FEELING. "cIIENEJIALS EXCHANGE t GREETINGS. LONDON, January 2. Sir Douglas lluij; soul tin* I'ollowinj; niosaajji! to Clonenil JulVit: "The j>:isl year lias knit more closely 1 ho tii's iinitiuj{ our two"' nations, \ pray an I la'lieve that our united ia ][)]o will enable us Ip .linally ilrivo tin' ononiy far beyond the borders of your

beloved country. All ranks soul testimony ul' deep friendship and admiration oL' yourself and I lie armies of Franco." General Joffre .'replied: "I tviist with , equal confidence that tho co-oporation uf all ranks will lead to still greater success, ain't I hat our combined efforts will enable us to defeat the encmii'S completely. I wish to express tho deep sympathy, affection, and comradeship we all feel towards you and the British armies under your command." A GERMAN IMPORT. MUTISM ATTACK REPULSED, AMSTERDAM, January 2. .■ A Ligrman communique states:— Strung English detachments failed to penetrate our position north-east of Aimentiercs. ; TORRENTS 01' PIRp AND WATER, "STRAFED" THE GERMANS. Received January 3, 10.80 p.m. LONDON, January 3. , Mr Philip Gibbs, tho woll-known war correspondent, says that half a gale. witli drenching raiu, ushered iu the new year on the British front, but 'tho howling wind was outdone by tho roar of the great British guns, which "strafed" the Germans, The air was 'swept by. an incessant rush, of shells, Tho enemy made a feeble reply, ACTIVITY ON BOTH SIDES. MINING AND ARTILLERY OPERA. TIONB. FRENCH LINES FALL BACK. Received January 3, 8,35 p.m. LONDON, January 3. Sir Douglas itaig reports that the enemy sprung a mine on Sunday in front of our trenches eastward of Quincliv? but has not attempted to. occupy the crater. Our artillery bombarded the enemy trenches northward of Fromelles ami eastward of Yprea. The Germans vigorously but not seriously replied. PARIS, January 3. A communique states: Our artillery heavily damaged the enemy's works iii the region of |he dimes in Belgium, and .blew up two ammunition depots. Owing to the violent enemy bombardment iu llartniainis-WiMerkopp region, our troops along a two hundred metre front fell back to the western edge of tlio ravine south.\vard of Repl'elseu, ON THE, SEAS SINKING OP THE PERSIA. - TORPEDOED' WITHOUT WARNING, AMERICAN CONSUL LOST, WASHINGTON, January 2. The Slate Department learns that the Persia was torpedoed without wavniuj; and sank in live minutes, Mr McNccly, the American Consul going to Aden, was lout.

AMERICAN AUTHORITIES AROUSED. ARABIC OUTRAGE OVER AGAIN. WASHINGTON, January 2, Tho Administration has been aroused •as liover before by the torpedoing of the Persia at.tho momentjyiicu it supposed it had effected an adjustment of tho Aucona affair. The occurrence recalls tho fact that while Mr Wilson was negotiating on the Lusitania massacre, the Arabic was gunk. The officials I'cel that Austria, since, the.Aucona reply, has had ample time to notify submarines uot to torpedo before removing non-combatants, A NEW ZEALAND PASSENGER, LONDON, January 2. Tho Persia's passongors included:,!. Derenzy, booked for Auckland. His fate ig unknowu, \ SHIP'S LAST PLUNGE, DISAPPEARS IN FIVE MINUTES. t—H Roeeivod January 3, 7.10 p.m. CAIRO, January 3. The survivors of tho Persia include ten military officers. Tho llnor was struck amidships at ! ono o'clock in tho afternoon. Sho disappeared in live minutes, and it was a miracle that auyouo was saved. Four boats wore lowered with the greatest promptitude. Tho captain was drowned. Ho was last seen swimming after the liner had taken tho final plunge. NEWSPAPER CONDEMNATION. 1 AMERICAN PRESS AND THE ' PRESIDENT. Received January 3, 7.10 p.m. LONDON, January 3. Tho Daily Telegraph says prompt upon the opening of tho year comes another act of monstrous atrocity, as if our enemies wcro under tho fatal compulsion to repeatedly remind' humauity whcrcfor Germanism stands, and what success in the war would mean. Austro-Germau frightfulness decrees that it is tho business ottho navy / to sink liners, and the business of tho diplomats to construct tho defcnco afterwards. Tho sinkiug of the . Persia deepens tho loathing wherewith Germany is regarded throughout tho civilised world. ' •.* NEW YORK, January 3. Tho Now York, Herald says: "In the policy of friglitfulness Austro-Ger-many is tarred with tho same brush." Tho Tribuuo asks: "Is President, Wilson still too proud, to light* IHow many more murders of women and children are needed to convince, tlio nation there is uo escape from duty in mcro words and enquiries?" NO PANIC AND NO STRUGGLING. . SURVIVORS THIRTY HOURS IN WATER. Received January 3, at 10.30 p.m. LONDON, January 3. Tho Persia telegraphed that she had been struck ou tho port bo v. No attempt was made to assist. It was impossible to lower tho starboard, boats, owing to the heavy list. Five of the six port boats .were lowered. Tim conduct of the passengers and crew was splendid, There was no struggling or panic. British warships picked up four boats after they lmd been adrift thirty holies.