THE BALKANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16666, 11 April 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS

RUMANIA AND BULGARIA. EFFORTS TO PROVOKE A CONFLICT. LONDON, April 9. The Times's correspondent at Bucharest states that liulgar-Rumanian relations have become aggravated, this being due to Count Tisza's ettorts to precipitate a conflict in order to weaken prospective Rumanian pressure on Transylvania. He is encouraging King Ferdinand of Bulgaria to try to recover portion of Dobrudja. Ferdinand interviewed the Kaiser regarding this Hungarian proposal, but failed to obtain his concurrence. Dynastic considerations may have some influence, but it is reliably stated that Germany anticipates the time when Rumania, with her forces intact, may be useful to check Bulgaria. Undaunted by the Kaiser's opposition, however, Count. Tisza is pressing his proposal on Ferdinand. Latest reports state that in Rumania indignation is growing at the Bulgarian preparations on the Dobrudja frontier.

<W THE CAUCASUS,

GREEK SINUOSITY,

EVACUATION OF GALLIPOLI.

THE TURKS REINFORCED. FEVERISHLY FORTIFYING. (Times an.l Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, April 9. The Times's correspondent at Petrograd reports: In the Turkish attack on the right flank of the Russian Caucasus army, supported by the fire of the Breslau, 30 miles from Trebizond, the enemy forces comprised several divisions, including reinforcements from Gallipoli. The attack was beaten off, but it shows that the enemy have maintained cohesion laftsr their Erzeroum disaster. Seemingly they are commanded by Halil Bey, an able officer. The Turkish centre is feverishly fortifying the ground covering the approaches to Erzingan.

GENERAL SARRAIL IRRITATED. BULGARIANS AGGRESSIVE. ■ , (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) LONDON, April 9. (Received April 10, at 5.5 p.m.) Mr Calvert, -writing from Salonika, reports that General Sarrail is irritated by the increasingly bitter and aggressive tone of a section of the Government press, and has demanded the retraction of various baseless and disparaging reports. The Greek Liberal papers are hotly indignant at the policy of the Government, considering that it is tending to the ruin of the future of Hellenism.

The Bulgarians have occupied Schovo and several other villages within the Greek border, 'expelling the Greek priests and schoolmasters, and installing Bulgarians.

WHY IT WAS RESOLVED UPON. GENERAL MONRO'S REPORT SOME FRESH FACTS MENTIONED. A BATTLESHIP HARMLESSLY TORPEDOED. LONDON, April 10. . ~ (Receiced April 11, at 0.40 a.m.) ■■■■ General Monro's despatch dealing with the evacuation oi Gallinoli, has been issued. General Monro was instructed on October 20 to report on the military situation and ~ advise whether to evacuate the Peninsula or persevere; also as to the number of troops required to carry the Peninsula and take Constantinople. General Monro reported that he found the position of the troops unique in history. Possessing every possible military defect, and completely subjected to the Turkish artillery fire,* the position was without depth, while the communication was insecure, depending on the weather. There were no means of concealing or deploying fresh troops for an often.sive. Further, the Turks possessed full powers of observation, and sup= plemented the natural advantages of their position by all the devices of the field engineer. General Monro said he found the troops suffering from various com* plaints, the cause being the strain of continuous exposure to shellfire, from which it was impossible to withdraw them, because every corner of the Peninsula was exposed to hostile fire. They were much enervated by an epidemic of summer diseases, and gravely under-officered, owing to the losses in the earlier battles. Also, the makeshift mingling of foot and mounted forces necessary for holding the front did not tend to efficiency. Other irrefutable arguments convinced him that complete evacuation was the only course to pursue; namely, that the Turks were able to hold Gallipoli with a smaller force and prosecute operations in Etfvpt and at Bagdad; also, a British advance from the present positions was improbable, and an advance upon Constantinople quite out of the question. Further, the troops could be more usefully employed elsewhere. (Received April 11, at 1.10 a.m.) General Monro assu~".xl supreme command of the Mediterranean armies, appointing General Birdwood in command of the Dardanelles. He ordered the evacuation on December 8, and General Birdwood proceeded, with the skill and promptitude characteristic of all he undertakes. It had been previously decided to make a feint attack, which the text books regarded as essential to cover the evacuation would be worse than useless, and would certainly arouse Turkish suspicions. General Monro decided that a normal life upon the land and sea should be proceeded with as long as possible. The despatch deals briefly with the Anzac and Suvla withdrawals, and gives several fresh facts regarding Cape Helles. It mentions that the evacuation was retarded by the loss of a large horse ship, which was acci* dently sunk by a French warship. Everything depended upon the weather. When all was ready, on the night of January 8, a storm unexpectedly worked up, washing away the piers. A submarine was reported in the evening as quitting the straits, and the battleship Prince George, with 2000 men, sailing towards General Monro, was torpedoed at midnight, bnt the torpedo did not explode. The expedition left 500 animals at Cape Helles, but most were destroyed at the last moment.