A BIG RESERVE CENTRE

NZ Truth, Issue 539, 16 October 1915, Page 12

A BIG RESERVE CENTRE

There are three main railway lines, two of "which are intricately interwoven with rivers thai will entail a big expenditure of troops to defend against the enemy. We have already indicated one, the southern line running between Dedegutch and Salonika. This line is well connected with Turkey and Bulgaria, through Turkish territory. On the Bulgarian-Greek side it must draw considerable fighting, particularly m the vicinity of the Belesh mountains.

The great lines of the Vardar are made up of rail and river, and from Salonika practically they jointly stretch to Kuprlli and Uskub. The railway goes much farther, terminating m Austrian territory. The successful piercing: of this line by the eqqiny anywhfere south of Uskuu would occasion discomfiture to tho Graeco-Serblon forces. Between Uskub and Kuprlli the Bulgarian frontier closely inclines here also, and the Bulgars have a new line running direct from Sofia to this portion of their frontier. The main Bulgarian attack will pro6ably deliver itself m this quarter, and flowing southwards along the Belesh mountains, via Strumltza, join hands with the left wing of their forces operating along the Dedegatch-Prana-Seres line to Salonika. This latter line is very vulnerable to the enomy nnd In the struggle will support his left wing. The lines of the Vardar. if properly manned and supplied, must take some assaulting, but there is considerable danger from the Belesh mountains, which dominate its southern portion. The Bulgarian main or centre attack when developed at all must fall on the Vardar lines or some portion of It Further north In old Serbia we have the great Trans-Serbian railway, ninnln« between Belgrade and Kumanovo and Uskub. thus linking up at the latter city with the Vardar lines. The trans-Serbian railway follows the River Morava all the way, If the Aus-trev-Germans' attack develops rapidly this great line nnd river becomes an Immediate objective and the only possible route from the far north. " The Serbians will HAVK CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY I m securing this routo aeiilnst an Aus-tro-Oerman attack, particularly as the I I southern portion of It must merit a i direct attack from Bulgaria. Between them — the Austro-Gcrrnutut and Bul- | gariana — they ho-ve only to conquer 200 i miles of railway, that between Nlsch or Nlssa Ulnked up with Sofia) and Belgrade, and Austria can eKtnbllsh direct mil communication between Vienna Haelf and Sofia, and Constantinople. Looking generally a( the situation H does not become such a tangle an a first glance would seem to disco-

ver. The linos of the Morava. rail and river m Serbia proper: the lines of the Vardar, rail and river m New Serbia and Greece; and the far southern Une by the Aegean via Seres to Dedegatch, indicate roughly the initial objectives of the enemy. It is doubtful if the proper complement of troops can reach Serbia's aid m time. If the lines of the Morava. are rolled up the position along the Vardar becomes intensely i critical. One depends on the other and. ail depend on the amount of men and materta.l the enemy can afford to put forward. The approximate number of 900,000 men split up into three armies | would constitute a grave menace to the j Allied operations m the Balkans, and I think (provided Roumanla keeps quiet) that Germany, Austria and Bulgaria between them can easily put forth that number.

The Grand Alliance must pour mcv and munitions "wholesale" Into Greece if the latter and Serbia art; to remain any way Intact. The Allied arms can merely defend for tho nrcsont as they hold the dimcult "end of the stick. 1 * Whatever happens In the Balkans, the Allied offensive at the Hellespont and Saros Is imperilled somewhat by the happenings In Greece Bulgaria's various moves will be Interesting:.

Headers of war news would be advised to use a grain of salt with much of the cabled stuff dealing with tho Internal state of Bulgaria, and the impotency of her nrmiea. We uro already KOttiuK such news, and wo may be prepared to hear shortly of numerous Bulgarian defeats, desortlons. etc, etc. Ilnd Bulgaria declared for v«. nothing would huvo happened her. However, It considers that her Interests would not bo served by her aupport of the Grand Alliance. Hud Turkey espoused tho side of the QutulrupllHts, Russia would probably bo In Constantinople now — which would be a good thing: for the terriblo Turk. One can't blame th«so peoples for seeing to their awn intercuts, and feathering ihelr own nonta. BosUlea, they arene«r«*r the bljj world's happenings than are the editors that abound In this Dominion. The«o respectable people, like the Irish polieemiui, can see round corners, and are very useful for tho time being.