THE BALKANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16545, 19 November 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS

GREECE STILL FACING BOTH WAYS HEARTY RECEPTION OF A FRENCH MINISTER

DISCLOSURES BY DR DILLON GERMANY'S ANTE-WAR SYNDICATE OF KINGS

ITALY LIKELY TO DECLARE WAR

EXPEDITION TO THE BALKANS FORECASTED

BULGARIANS LOSE HEAVILY AGAINST THE FRENCH

Press Association —By ' (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, November 17. The Times correspondent at Bucharest states that Austrian torpedo-boats are removing the Serbian mines from the Danube. An Austro-German flotilla has arrived at Sistova with troops and munitions. SERBIA'S BURDEN. BULGARIANS PROGRESSING. GERMAN BATTERIES FOR STRUMNITZA. BERNE, November 17. Three Bulgarian divisions, with 13 batteries to each division, are proceeding to Babuna and Kritshevo with a view to occupying Prilep. The Bulgarians, despite a furious Serbian resistance, are progressing towads Suhagora. Twenty-three German batteries have been sent to the Bulgarians at Strumnitza. BULGARIAN, ENVELOPING MOVEMENT. SERBIAN FORCE ENDANGERED. LONDON, November 17. The Bulgarians are enveloping the Babuna Pass (south of Prilep), imperilling three Serbian regiments, with a large sec- '• tion of artillery. SERBIAN PRISONERS. A GERMAN REPORT. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) . LONDON, November 17. A German wireless message states that 54,000 Serbian prisoners were taken during recent operations, in addition to 40,000 previously captured by the Austrians. The Serbian army has lost 478 cannon. Macedonia, adds the message, will prove another Gallipoli for the Anglo-French forces. , SANGUINARY FIGHTING. FRANTIC BULGARIAN EFFORTS. TO PREVENT SERBIAN FORCES JUNCTIONING. LONDON, November 17. f Salonika reports that the Bulgarians, after the French success on the left bank of the Cerna, withdrew northwards. The inhabitants of Monastir took panic, and are fleeing owing to the Bulgarian advance from Gostwar, which is southward of Tetovo. Moreover, the situation on the Kachanik front is serious, inasmuch as the Bulgarians were reinforced from Uskub. Sanguinary and desperate fighting is - proceeding in the Tetovo region; both sides are continually being reinforced. It is stated that the Bulgarians, after enormous sacrifices, have retaken Tetovo. The Bulgarians, heavily reinforced towards Uskub and Veles, began a frantic offensive in order to maintain their advances in this region and thus prevent the junction of the Northern Serbian armies. The arrival of a Turkish regiment is reported at Veles. THE AUSTRIAN ADVANCE. AMSTERDAM, November 18. (Received Nov. 18, at 10.10 p.m.) An Austrian communique states. We have thrown back the last Montenegrin rearguards across the Lim, and General von Koevess is within half a day's march of Itaska. THE CERNA FIGHT. BULGARIANS LOSE FOUR THOUSAND DEAD. FRENCH I.OSSES SLIGHT. PARIS, November 18. (Received Nov. 18, at 10.10 p.m.) A communique states : The Bulgarians having abandoned their attacks on our , front on the left bank of the Cerna west of Krivolak, fell back on the Arkangel heights, abandoning many dead. The Bulgarians lost 4000 men" in three days. Our losses were slight. ENEMY SUBMARINES. SIX CAPTURED. ROME, November 18. (Received Nov. 18, at 10.25 p.m.) The Tribuna states that it is re. ported that the allied warships have captured six enemy submarines in tbe JLgean Sea. BULGARIANS ENTER PRILEP. PANIC AT MONASTER. SANGUINARY FIGHTING AT BABUNA. ATHENS, November 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 0.25 a.m.) It is reported that, after effecting a junction with the Tetovo army, the Bulgarians, under German officers, entered Prilep, and the Serbians retreated to Ochrida. A panic prevails at Monastir, and the inhabitants are preparing to abandon it. Allied reinforcements have been sent towards Monastir. Ferocious fighting has taken place at Babuna, the Bulgarian vanguard and the Serbian rearguards fighting \trith knives.

It captivates the taste—Watson's No. 10. A relation in softness, mellowness.—Advt,

relegraph—Copyrigt . ITALIAN INTERVENTION FORECASTED. WAR AGAINST GERMANY. AND ASSISTANCE IN THE BALKANS. (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, November 17. (Received Nov. 18, at 5.45 p.m.) The Times correspondent at Rome states that important decisions have been taken to extend the military action. The press is now permitted to demand a declaration of war against Germany and Italian assist* ance in the Balkans. The sinking of the Ancona and the bombardment of Verona have completely changed popular feeling. «' M. Cochin, a French Minister, had a lengthy interview with the Greek Minister at Rome, and also with Signor Salandra (Premier) and Baron Sonnino (Minister of Foreign Affairs), and it is believed that an important council of Ministers decided upon an Italian expedition to the Balkans. The Turin Stampa says that M. Cochin is informing Greece that the Anglo-French fleet at Malta is ready to make Greece pay dearly for any treachery. II Secolo expresses the premonition that the bombardment of Dedeagatch is the forerunner of earnest Italian participation. The Paris paper, Le Journal, makes an authoritative statement that Italy accepts the task of saving the Allies from the grave consequences of unprecedented treachery which is expected daily in the Balkans. GERMANY'S PREPARATIONS SYNDICATE OF KINGS PREARRANGED. COMPLETED BEFORE WAR BROKE OUT. LONDON, November 17. (Received Nov. 18, at 5.5 p.m.) Dr Dillon, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says: "The Balkan Peninsula will remain the centre of political interest until the danger of further treachery on the part of neutral States has been definitely dispelled. I write from first-hand knowledge of facts, not all of which Have yet been realised. It has, not yet been apprehended that a league of monarchs pre-arranged by the- Kaiser was completed in principle before the war broke out, but the original conception was more comprehensive than the final achievement. Germany has formed a syndicate of kings, thus forestalling the unsuspecting Entente Powers." (Received Nov. 18, at 7.15 p.m.) Dr Dillon continues: "The Teutons were still not contented, for they knew what slippery customers the Balkan people are. I affirm that the Entente policy of chivalrous kindness, and delicate tact is wholly misplaced. The assurances of benevolent neutrality by M. Skouloudos are less solid than M. Venizelos's promises. M. Skouloudos is not the spokesman of Parliament or the nation, but the mere nominee of a Prussian field-marshal, who is systematically doing violence to Greece's constitution and sacrificing her national honour in order to redeem his promise to his Prussian brother-in-law. M. Venizelos is to-day a mere private individual. If there is any truth or honour left in the governing circles of Greece, M. Venizelos and his colleagues would now be in power, but there is none. King Constantine is determined at all costs to create a Germanophile Parliament hostile to the Entente. Even if the Greek people again announce their determination to do their duty the Prussian field-mar-shal will still execute his brother-in-law's designs. Effective constraint is now the only method to be employed with any hope of success." ,