THE BALKAN WAR

Southland Times, Issue 17267, 11 February 1913, Page 5

THE BALKAN WAR

MONTENEGRINS ADVANCE ON SCUTARI. (Bjr Telegraph.— Itea* Aeeoclation. —Copyright). CETT'XGE, February 9. '"lie King has ordered a general advance <,l Scutari. He viewed the bombaidmenl from a liil! top with uncovered head and prayed: "May God give victory to my brave people" The Servian arti lery .silenced a battery which the Montenegrin infantry stormed and caplurrd. The Montenegrin guns sunk two steamers on Uako Scutari. AEROPLANES AT CHATALJA. SOI'iA, February 9. Three columns of Turks advanced from Chatalja, hut ail were driven back with loss and in much disorder. Bulgarian aeroplanes are reconnoitring the Chatalja lines. CONSTANTINOPLE, February 9. The Turks assert that their infantry and. cavalry are harrassing the Bulgarians.

DEFENDER OF ADRIANOPLE.

A DREADFUL THREAT.

4 VIENNA, February 10. Received February 10, 11.30 p.m. The. Neue Freie Presse’s Constantinople correspondent reports that Chukii Pasha wirelessed, when he heard of the contemplated neutralisation of Adrianople, that he would sooner sacrifice his last man than sunender one of the strongest fortresses in the world. “If further resistance is useless,” lie said, “I will take care to put 40,000 Bulgarians living here out of the way. I will confine the women and children to the foreign consulates, (urn the guns on all dhe Bulgarians, and then convert Adrianople into a gigantic rubbish heap.” SHARP FIGHTING. SOFIA, February 10. There was a sharp engagement at Bulair. The Bulgarians drove the Turks bank to the forts. The Turks attempted to descend to Charkeni, near the neck of the Gallipoli Peninsula, where the Bulgarians frustrated the landing of twenty ship-loads of Turkish troops. (The Turks lost 'fifty killed while attempting to land at Podlma, north-east of Istrandja. The inhabitants of Adrianople are fleeing from one quarter to another seeking shelter from the shells. A BULGARIAN TRICK. CONSTANTINOPLE, February 10. A Turkish aeroplane reconnoitred at Chatalja. The Bulgarians had deceived the Turks by means of clay dummies, wearing military caps, and retired to Chorlu, strengthening the belief that the Allies are concentrating against the Dardanelles and Constantinople. The Greek fleet has appeared in the Gulf of Saros. It Is rumoured that Servian troops landed somewhere In the Gulf in order to join the Bulgarians advancing on Bfilair. *

WOMEN’S APPEAL. ATROCITIES ALLEGED. CONSTANTINOPLE, February iO. A committee of prominent Turkish ladie»s and a section of the Red Crescent Society’ has circularised the European sovereigns asking (hem to recall the law of Christ for men’s lives and women's honour, to the shameless hordes, disguised under the snadow of the Cross, who were committing the ghastliest outrages and assassinations witnessed In Europe in modern time. FIGHTING AT SCUTARI. CETTINGR, February 10. Fighting outside Scutari on Friday night and Saturday, General MatinovlU’h reached the wire entanglements from the Turkish entrenchments at Tarabosch. Fighting was resumed along the whole front at sunrise on Sunday. Th 3 Montenegrins made three assaults on Barbahgloi, and there were considerable losses on both sides, who maintained their positions. The wounded relate terrible and pay a tribute to the heroic, courage of the Turks.

OPPOSING FORGES,

TURKS IN GOOD HEART. LONDON, February 4. T,he Times correspondent with Izzet Pasha, the new commander-in-chlef of the Ottoman army, says that the Turks have 200,600 mei. in Chatalja,' 60,000 in Gallipoli, and 400,000 in Adrianople, besides those in the garrisons of Janina and Scutari. It is assumed, lie adds, that the Turx •klsi army will act pn-ilie defensive, but offensive force will be imperative if the Allies’ attack is concentrated on Adrianople Turkish movements across the Black Sea are unlikely, but the re-union of the Chatalja and Gallipoli forces is probable. The Ottoman soldiers are in good heart, but can hardly hope for success, as Bulgaria has 650.000 men In the field, and Servia 300,000, including 43.000 who are assisting in the besieging of Adrianople. The probability is that the Allies will confine themselves to defensive tactics in '.lie south, concentrating all their main attention on the- beleaguered city. Til ere is a persistent rumour that the Bulgarian front at Chatalja has been withdrawn to Cherkesskeni, in the hope of tempting the Turks into the open country, and then driving them back to capture within the lines. HOW NAZIM PASHA WAS SHOT. BULLET IN THE BACK. LONDON, February I. The .number of persons killed during the revolution at the Porte, when Nazim Padia met his death, exceeds the total admitted by the Ottoman authorities. Five persons were murdered near the main entrance, and two in other parts of the .building. Eye-witnesses who were in company with Nazim Pasha jusl before his assassination state that when the mob appeared before the gates tla-y heard him sav, ‘‘Has lite door been broken down?” and saw him rush through the folding doors toward the outer doors. A few seconds later they saw him stagger hack to the entrance and fall, and lie was apparently hit in the back bv a second bullet. TCiamil Pasha was preternaturally ca'm, and said to Enver Bey. who led the revolutionists, "1 am ready to resign, but if patriotism led yon (o do tins, take an oM man's advice and make peace,” The Young Turk revolt lias been coldly received in many provinces. The population of Basra supported the garrison, and refused to acknowledge tiie authority of die new Government. it is felt that the only hope for Turkey lies in European dissension leading to a general conflict. WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LAY*. The resumption of the hostilities makes the demands of the Allies and tlie conditions offered by Turkey in .selllenient of Hie war an interesting comparison when placed side by side. The Allies asked for: — The cession by Turkey of all the territory west of a line starling from a point east of Bodosto, on the Sea of Marmora, and ending at the Bay of Malatra, on the Black Sea. The peninsula of Gallipoli is excluded. (Thus Turkey is called upon to cede all of Macedonia and almost nil of Thrace.) The cession of all the .Egcan Islands. The cession of all Turkish rights in the island of Crete. The erection of the province of Albania into an autonomous province under Turkish suzerainty, but not sovereignty. The terms of finance to he agreed on later. The Turks replied that they wanted: The retention by Turkey of all the territory east of a line from the .'Egean Sea to the Black Sea tthis includes Adrianople and most of Thrace), the territory to continue to be absolutely under Turkish sovereignty. Autonomy under Turkish suzerainty to lie conferred on the territory west of this line. (This includes the rest of Turkey-in-Europe.) Bulgaria to be allowed commercial privileges on the -Egean Sea similar to those to be allowed to Servia on the Adriatic. No war indemnity to be paid by Turkey-