THE WAR IN THE BALKANS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15602, 4 November 1912, Page 5

THE WAR IN THE BALKANS.

TlllKS AGGRISSIVI-

BATTLE AT LULE BURGAS

DESPERATE BULGABIAN

ATTACK

TUJtKISIF I'ORCES OVER-

WHELMED

POSITION AT KIM KILISSE.

MASSACRES BY THE TURKS

REFUGEES STARVING

Pieis AaßOciition—By Telegraph—Copyright.

CONSTANTINOPLE, November 1. The Turks claim that they repulsed the Bulgarians at Visa, and were also successful at Adriauoplc, The Bulgarians arc within 25 miles of Constantinople.

FIOHT AT LULE BURGAS. A DESPERATE BATTLE. TUKKS COMPLETELY ROUTED. VIENNA, November 1. The Heidi Post stale* that 230,000 men participated in the battle lino from Visa, to Lule Burgas. The Turks' retirement from Baba Eski and tho attack on their right wing mi IJiiii.irliissi'ir led the Bulgarians to bring on their left wing earlier than had been expected.

The contact with the advancing Turks and the. shock of kittle at this point were extremely violent. Engagements were liercely fought in the woods, where the Rcdif battalions (reserves from Asia Minar) behaved with great gallantry, but the advance, despite the continual summoning of fresh reserves, was gradually checked, and the Turks' line completely broken. Being hemmed in, the. Turks retired, and (he heavy loss at Kirk Kilissc was once morn repeated. The Turks began with a courageous rush, hut their broken ranks took panic, and the panic spread. An entire army corps in four divisions was 'shattered, and dispersed in disorder. The Turks had entrenched several strong lines on both sides of Lule Bur-gas,.-but the Bulgarian artillery took up a position on the Hank of the entrenchments and shelled the lines.

Then the rout became complete, and tho liulgarians are threatening the last lino )f defence at Chatalja.

Tho Bulgarian infantry showed a re narkable contempt for death.

THE FINAL STRUGGLE. A VIGOROUS A'ITACT. BATTLE RAGING ALL DAY. VIENNA, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The Reich Post, in describing the final struggle, says the decisive stage was opened on Tuesday, the bloody initial engagements on Monday having ended favourably for the Bulgarian right -wing at Lule Burgas.

The Bulgarian left wing, advancing ,-igorously near Bunaihissar. passed from he defensive to the offensive.

The Turks hc.ro had! attc-mpfod to forestall I he advance, threatening the linn of retreat from Serai to Chatalja by taking the offensive from Serai via Visa against the Bulgarians.

When Tuesday's counter offensive movement. Wan from a linn running from tin* township 8 ( ,f Uskih, nine miles eastward of Kirk Kilisso, to Ilajarfakli and nlonastir ]>a?h, (ho foremost Turkish lines were crushed liy the. startling attack, which was executed with unprecedented dash. Fresh reserves enabled the Turks temporarily In reform, and a hitter Kittle raped during tlie whole day in the woods at Thataloa. the Turks eventually emerging in formless masses. Simultaneously the Bulgarian right wing attacked the Turks' jxtsitimi*- "at T.ule Burgas from Baba Kski and Yenikeni, driving the Turks from their f.,rlilied lines on Klnr.dere, Knvak Kcroosi, and the Krkene River hark upon I.ule Bursas. Most of the positions were stormed with the bayonet, the infantry being admirably supported hy the artillery keep-

iug tho Turks down at the decisive moments by an ovcrwlichnint; fire, but 60n;c of the positions were taken without the support of the artillery.

FRENZIED BULGARIANS

" war *rn titi; knife."

VIENNA, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, nt 5.5 p.m.)

Tliu Iteich Post slates Hint the Bulgarians' dash was unexampled. The infan try translated the battle cry "Na nost," meaning to the knife, into a reality without any concession to modem tactical considerations.

Whole regiments when 100 paces from the enemy's lines threw themselves in a single rush at the foo without firing a shot or taking cover.

Much individual went for a Turk, with his bayonet. The ofliccrs were powerless against the frenzy of the troops, and were obliged to adopt tactics of frenzy. POSITION AT CIIATAUA. VIKXNA, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Tho Reich Post sinks that, only fractions of Nazim Pasha's army got behind L'hatalja. SCENE AT KIRK KIIJSSE. TURKS DISCARD COATS AND HOOTS. CONSTANTINOPLE, Novcmlier 1. The Turks held their'own ivell at Kirk Kilissc until the .fatal night attack. 11l the general sauvn qui pout thai followed the Turks discarded their coats and boots.

TURKS' FATAL- JCRROR.

TROOPS STARVING. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 2. (Received Nov. o, at 5.5 p.m.) Details of the error at Kirk Kilissc, where the Turks fired on each other, show thai Hilmi Bey, commanding 20,000 men, advanced and cncounlciTd three divisions, of which the central was the most important. This one Jlihni Bey Attacked, simultaneously sending a (Linking column against cadi wing, Tlie light with the contral division continued from noon until night, but tho Hanking columns failed to come, in contact with the enemy. The division had, without informing Hilmi Bey, advanced and stationed itself behind Hilmi Iley's two detached columns, the. latter being between the Bulgarian and t,lm Turkish lire, leading to a panic. A Turkish officer subsequently remarked:—" We. had been starving for a week, and I was scarcely able to obtain a small roll. A number of horses arc dying each day, and it is impossible for the soldiers, who arc worn ont and starving, to fight.

PANDEMONIUM IN KIRK KILISSK.

ARRIVAL OF THE BULGARIANS. VILLAGES OX FITtE. SOFIA, November 2. ' (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5. p.m.) The inhabitants of Kirk Kilissc wnro unaware of the Turkish disaster until 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when the cry "The liulgarians are coming" arose. In a twinkling pandemonium was. loose. The population (locked to the railway stations, and the soldiers stormed tho trains and compelled the drivers at tho point of revolvers to steam out. Others trudged on foot towards Lulo Burgas. All the villages between Adrianople and Lule Burgas are burning. The Moslems are setting fire to their own villages liefore quitting them.

BOA I) STREWN WITH VICTIMS,

CHRISTIANS' DESPERATE PLIGHT. BULGARIANS MASSACRED. SOFIA, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The roads towards Chatalja are scattered with dead and dying men, weapons, and clothing. The Christians who were in the forefront of the Turkish lines in the battles endeavoured to attract the notice of their coreligionists opposite by the si<:ii of the cross. The Mir states that before evacuating liur.arhissar the 'lurks imprisoned and incinerated 200 Bulgarians in the barracks and massacre! Bulgarians wholesale in the Struma Vallcv.

TOWN RECAPTURED. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 2. Nazim Pasha reports that ho resumed tlwj offensive anJ has rccaptnred liunarhissar.

MAP OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

SIEGE OF ADIUANOPLE. OFFER TO CIVILIANS. SOFIA, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The Bulgarians invited all the civilians to quit Adrianople. Tho commandant rc : pliod that he would be willing if (lie garrison was likewise given a free passage. The Bulgarians refused the request.

STARVING REFUGEES. SUPPRESSION OF NEWS. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Upwards of 10,000 ranged and starving refugees from Kirk Kilisse, including many women and children, aro camping in the courtyards of tho Stambotil mosques. With a view to preserving order and preventing outbreaks the Porto strenuously keeps the public ignorant of the over.is at the front, and it also sends a division to stop all fugitive soldiers between Cha.tolja and Staniboul.

Tho reported shooting of Prince Aziz is officially denied. ANOTHER BULGARIAN VICTORY. TURKS AGAIN ROUTED. LONDON, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The newspapers consider that the publlication of Naziirt Pasha's despatches was an attempt to keep tho Stamboul populaco quiet. J'ho Tiines's Sofia correspondent states thai on Thursday the Turks made a desperate effort to relievo tho situation. They rallied between Oliorlu and Istranja, and were' reinforced by a division from Constantinople. Tim J'ulgarians were completely victorious. They captured Choilu, Is'lranjii, and Rosnhote. Four hundred thousand men participated in the Ivittle at Lulo Burgas, beginning on Tuesday and continuing ohslilialely with wavering success until Wednesday. Thereafter the Turks yielded nil along the line. Shcvkeot Torgut Paslui attempted a diversion on Thursday. Ho landed at .Midia (on the lllauk Sea), and 20,000 adviincixl towards Visa, where General Kiitchencir routed him.

The. celebrated brigand Sand.inskv has been appointed Mayor-of Mclnik.

BULGARIA'S ADVANTAGE.

USE OF CAPTURED TRAINS.

SOFIA, November 1

Tho train captures of the Bulgarians enabled them to effect a rapid transit of troops and supplies to the south and east of Adrianople. It apiiears that tho Turks two or three years ago maintained a garrison of 15,000 men at Muslafa-lVhaKoprusu, but, acting on General Von tier Golt/.'s advice, they reduced it to .1 Comparatively weak force. The Turkish authorities warned the Bulgarian notabilities before the outbreak that if the town were attacked the Turks would shoot all liulgarians who were there, but they retired without effecting their throat.

ANOTHER TOWN CAPTURED.

SOFIA, November 1. ■ The capture of Strumilza is reported. DEFENCE OF .SCUTARI. MORE TROOPS WANTED. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Essed Pasha, who is himself .in Albanian, tclKgraplvod to Snlonica. asking for Turkish troops, and adding that it was impossible to hold Scutari with Albanians alone.

SERVIANS' ADVANCE. MARCH ON ADRIANOPLE. LONDON, November 1. A force of Servians is tpiitting Macedonia, and proceeding to Adrianopte.

TURKISH CRUISER SUNK. LONDON, November 1. A Greek torpedo l>oat sank tlie cruiser Fethibuleiul in tho Gulf of SaJonica. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 1. The Turkish cruiser Fethibulcnd, after Iwiujr torpedoed by a Greek vessel, sank in five minutes. Part of her crew got ashore, and nearly all the remainder were saved.

ATHENS, November 2, (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.)

Lieut. Vostis sank the Fethibulcnd by means of two torpc/locs, at a distance of 150 vards.

TRAIN SERVICE TO USKUB. BELGRADE, November 1. Fifty trains are running daily between Vranja and Uskub. GREEKS CAST INTO PRISON. SOLDIERS MASSACRED. ATHENS, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) A Turkish flying column from Surajifaporos traversed Motaxa on the evening of October 22 and seized 52 of the inhabitimts. They were conveyed to Scrvidjo a,nd east into prison, where there wero 73 other Greeks. Tho Governor liberated 125 soldiers, but an armed crowd surrounded them and massacred 121, induing fivo priests. Their notes and hands were cut off, A Christian villager was brought to .lanina and murdered in tho market place in the presence of the authorities.

A GREEK VICTORY. ATHENS, November 1. The Greeks have occupied Samothrace. VOLUNTEERS I>'oß GREECE. ROME, November 1. Ricoiotti Garibaldi has gono to Athena lo raise 3000 volunteers, including lOaI Greeks at Patras, where- his wife will orgauiso a Garibaldian ambulance, corps.

MOSLEMS EMBITTERED. WOUNDED ARRIVING AT STAMBOUL. LONDON, November 2. (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Tho Chronicle's Constantinople eorrespon<lent slates thai thousands of men at tho front are unarmed and without iiiiU forms, and the commissariat has failed. The reporLs of the Turkish reverses havo embittered the Moslems, who were buoyed up by false statements as to successes. There is some anxiety as to whether they will resort to terrible deeds. Five thousand wounded men arrived at .Stamboul on Thursday and 7000 more aro coming. The correspond en is are practically prisoners in Abdullah's headquarters.

MASSACRE THREATENED. SAFEGUARDING CHRISTIANS. • LONDON, November I.' The fanatics at Stamboul, who hiiva iiccn aroused by news of Turkish defeats, threaten a massacre, of the Christians. Owing to the numerous Turkish atrocities that havo been reported after recent battles, the Bulgarians intend to command tho capital in the interest of tho Christians.

PROTECTION OF AUSTRIAN'S. CRUISER SENT TO SALONICA. ' LONDON, November 1. Tho Austrian squadron at Trieste is in readiness to proceed to Salonica. VIENNA, November 1. :'. The cruiser Kaiserin .Maria Theresa, has gone to Salonica to protect Austrian citi- : yens.

MEETING OF HRITISIf CABINET. LONDON", November 2. A hurried meeting of the full Cabinet was hold to-night. The Kim,' is constantly informed of the developments in Turkey.

PEACE PROPOSAL. VIENNA, November 2. A proposal from M. Poine.ire for media, lion lias been received.

THK ALLIES FIRM.

POWERS NOT CONSIDERED. SOFIA, November 1. The Mir states that if Turkey desires peace she must negotiate with the Allies, and not Keek the intervention of the Powers.

.JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SESSION. HELCRADE, November 2, (Received Nov. 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The Parliaments of the JJalkaii States will hold a joint parliamentary session lasting threw days at Usknh immediately after the close of the military operations.