Progress of the Balkan War

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 49, 22 October 1912, Page 5

Progress of the Balkan War

SURRENDER OF A FORTRESS.

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) Sofia, October 20. The fortress at Kirk Kilassia has been surrounded since Saturday, ilic Bulgarians and Servians captured Egi ijasalanka, and bad taken several bridges over the railways beioro the Turks were able to blow them up. CUISiNJE CAPTURED. Podgoritza, October 20. News from Plava states that the Montenegrins captured Guisiuje. The Servians are advancing on Uskub, meeting with little resistance. The road is almost impassable. TURKEY’S FEARS. “A GIGANTIC STRUGGLE.” London, October 21, The ‘Chronicle’s ’ Constantinople correspondent interviewed Kamil Pasha. He says that Turkey fears the intervention of certain Great Powers in tiie Asian Provinces, which are now undefended, and appeals to Britain to see that the ring is not rushed. If Turkey is absolutely crushed, it preludes a gigatic struggle, involving the whole of Europe. TUZI FIGHT MINIMISED. '

Constantinople, October 21. The War Olfico denies the capture of six battalions and eight quick-tiring guns at Tuzi. The village is an unimportant one, without fortifications, three Hundred troops were merely sent ;o watch the Montenegrin movements, and retired when the Malissoii attacked in the rear. A small rearguard was captured, and eight worthless bronze guns. There have been only skirmishes on the Bulgarian frontier. 'DAILY TELEGRAPH’ SPECIAL. DASH IN A MOTOR-CAR. REBELS HOLD SALONIKA. London, October 21. Mr. Beaumont, the ‘Daily Telegraph’s’ Sofia correspondent, says that ay a daring dash a motor-car crossed three mountain ranges and reached Philippopolis. The authorities threatened to arrest the occupants if they continued their effort to reach the fighting front. Mr. Beaumont states chat a member of King Ferdinand’s staff told him that eleven hundred Bulgarian cavalry had a sharp fight witn two thousand cavalry. A general melee ensued, in which the Bulgarians lost a hundred men, but were finally victorious. King Ferdinand watched the onslaught. The wounded were taken to the waiting-room at Philippopolis station. The Bulgarians have occupied numerous villages, and arc enrolling nonMoslems capable of service. Mr. Beaumont heard that the Macedonian rebels are masters of the Salonika highway, and have dynamited bridges and great stretches of railway. Sofia, October 21. The Turkish battleships reappeared at Varna on Sunday. It is semi-ofii-cially stated that the intervention of the fleet is to bluff the Powers, who are negotiating with a view to the neutrality of the Black Sea. CREEKS DEFEAT THE TURKS. Athens, October 21. Six thousand Turks, with seven siege gnus, are occupying the heights behind Elassona. Five Greek divisions had a preliminary artillery duel with them. The new Schneider guns did great havoc. At two o’clock the Crown Prince ordered the first division to charge with the bayonet. The Turks made a desperate resistance, but the Greek cavalry completed their discomfiture.

Meanwhile the sceond division was clearing the hills to the east, threatening to cut off their retreat. The Turks withdrew by the Servia road, leaving eighty prisoners and seven guns. The Crown Prince’s eldest son received his baptism of fire. The Turks retreated through_jbhe stone gates of a heavily fortifieu defile. Constantinople, October 21. Abdul Hamid will be housed in the place where his brother was imprisoned. The ‘Tailin’ newspaper violently attacks the Government for transferring Abdul Hamid, which, it. says, constitutes a national danger, TURKISH ARMY ORGANISING. London, October 21. ‘The Times’ ’ Constantinople correspondent states that 700,000 Turks will be with the colours at the end of October. Twelve thousand are passing on the European railways daily, irrespective of infantry despatched by marching routes. Bulgaria has given Turkey an unexpected ten days’ breathing space, enabling the Turkish general staff to organise, to the surprise of European observers. The Salonika corrcspo'ndent ates the Macedonian army at 170,000, of which Hassin Tahsin Pasha has 30,000 defending the Greek frontier, and Alinabir Pasha 100,000 between Kuprili and Uskub. These figures are being rapidly augmented from the Asia Minor Kedifs. The fortnight’s delay has cost the allies dear. Zeki Pasha is expected to fight his way to Sofia, via Egrinpalanka, assisted by 40,000 Albanian irregulars. Constantinople, October 21. The commissariat of the Western Army is giving difficulty. The harvest It’s been’ a failure, and the situation of the Macedonian villages is pitiful. NEWS NOT RELIABLE. (Received 22, 8.5 a.m.) London, October 21. Military critics in London point out that none of the correspondents are yet allowed at the front, and that much of the war news is evidently intended to sustain enthusiasm in Belgrade and Sofia, and deceive the enemy. The ‘Morning Post’ estimates the strength of the 'Turks to lie 160,000 men and 412 guns at Adrianoplc, and that at Kirkkiliso the Bulgarians have 270,000, including the guards of the communications, and 788 guns. THE REAL OBJECTIVE. Vienna, October 21. The critics opine that the Turks were mistaken in concentrating on Aclrianople. The allies’ real objective is Salonika, which the Servians, Montenegrins and Greeks will capture while the Bulgarians check the Turks at Adrianoplc. Sofia. October 21, On Eridav evening General Ivanoff, of the First Army Corps, occupied the banks of the Maritza, and found the bridge and station telegraphs at Mustapha practically intact. On Saturday

lie drove the Turks from the forts forming the outer defence of Adrianople. Tne Second Army Corps, under General Radkodimitrieff, advancing on Tunja Valley, captured Turnovo. 'J ne Third* Army Corps is under the command of General Kutincheif. TURKS DEMAND RANSOM. The Turks in the Razzog district are arresting .Bulgarian notables and demanding ransoms, asking £3OO in each \ iilage, and beating hundreds of villagers. Belgrade, October 21. The Servians are transferring their headquarters from Niscli to \ ranja. THE W H ITE FLAG. Aranto, retreating at Prepolatz, hoisted the white nag, then killing Captain Popovitoh and twelve men. The Servian artillery reopened lire, killing 200. JOINING THE RED CROSS. (Received 22, 9.55 a.m.) London, October 21. Doctor Mark Gardner, of Melbourne, has joined the British Red Crocs unit, and sails for Turkey on Friday. EUROPE AT FAULT. (Received 22, 9.55 a.m.) Vienna, October 21. The ‘Zeit’ describes Geter’s manifesto as grave, and significant, it indicates not merely Turkish misrule, but iturope, wnose diplomacy is blameable for the war, firstly, for want of timely intervention, and, secondly, for indolence in dealing with Turkey. Every effort must bo made to coerce turkey into treating non-Turkish races as human beings.*' BRITAIN’S NEUTRALITY. (Received 22, 9.35 a.m.) London, October 21. The proclamation of Britain’s neutrality lias been gazetted. Mr. George Lloyd Unionist member for West Staffordshire, in view of Britain’s neutrality, protests against Mr. Mastorman’s anti-Turkish speecn at Bethnal Green. CROSS VERSUS CRESCENT. (Received 22, 10.15 a.m.) Constantinople, October 21. Turkish opinion deprecates the proclamations of the Kings of Bulgaria and Servia as emphasising the struggle of the Cross against the Crescent, and contrasts the Sultan’s proclamation, wherein he states that the motive of the war is political, and not religious, and exhorts Ottoman soldiers to remember that their opponents are mou deluded by vainglorious ambitions. 'fbo Turkish commanders .ore Auriga Pasha, Generalissimo of tn© Western Army at Salonika; Fade Pasha, of the Cavalry Division at Lskub; and Fethi Pasha/at Kossovo. SERVIAN HEADQUARTERS. Belgrade. October 21. The Servian hearquarters have been advanced from Vranja to Zibeftche. • The Servians under General Janovica captured the Turkish trenches at Podujevo, near Mitrovitza. Seven Servians were killed and 120 wounded. IN THE SHIPS. Sofia, October 21. Turkish warships bombarded Mavarna, and the Customhouse was dos broyed. Athens, October 21. Several vessels have been searched, and fifteen Turkish officers captured, on route for the seat qf war.