Progress of the Balkan War.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 57, 31 October 1912, Page 5

Progress of the Balkan War.

(By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright—United Press Association.)

REPORTED TURKISH SUCCESS. Constantinople, .October 29. It is officially announced that Kamil Pasha lias been appointed Grand \ izier. Nazim Pasha aimourjcqs important fighting all along the Turkish front, and states that his troops are gaining ground. BULGARIANS CUT OFF. October 30. Nazim Pasha reports that two Bulgarian battalions were cut off between Kirk Kilissie and Visia, and sustained heavy loss. Nazim adds that the Bidgarians began the attack along the Errnene at noon. The Turks vigorously repelled the attack. The battle continues with great violence. The Turks are advancing. ’The departure of foreign military attaches for the Turkish front has been postponed. THE BATTLE OF KOKHANA. Sola, October 30. The Turks in No.rth-East Adrianople repeatedly attempted to deceive the Bulgarians by using the white flag and then training their guns upon them, thus causing considerable losses to the Bulgarians. The Turks, retreating from a sortie, abandoned a battery with ammunition waggons. The Bulgarians seized two depots of arms and ammunition and medical stores between Adrianople and Kirk Kilissie. The battle of Kokhana was ferocious, lasting for three days and two nights. The Bulgarians were greatly outnumbered, hub by repeated bayone.. charges they cleared the Turks from a strong position, despite the latersdesperate resistance. ( The Turks at Salonika are short of provisions. The shore batteries arestripped of their gnus and ammunition, which have been sent to the interior. The Turkish troops are being driven in by the allies.

Melbourne, October 80. Crook residents' have cabled £SOO to the War Fund. Seven Creeks have departed for the front. SURMISING THE POSITION. (Received 31, 8.5 a.in.) London, October 30. It is significant that there is silence on both sides as to tin? relation of the real situation at Adrianople. Coupled with the detention of the first Bulgarian army there, this is interpreted in some circles to mean that an unsuccessful attack has been delivered; moreover, the Bulgarians suddenly mobilising the rest of their reserves is commented upon. The strength of the second Bulgarian Army operating beyond Kirk Kills si e is estimated at .four divisions, whereof the columns moving parallel with the coast towards Constantinople consist of cavalry supported by mixed detachments. Their purpose is to menace the capital and keep Nazim Pasha on the defensive, and free the first army from unwelcome attentions while the attack on Adrianople is again pressed home. It is surmised that a division and a half of Turks from Kirk Ki.issie reached Adrianople, leaving behind only a; force whose remnant the Bulgarians are now pursuing. If this is so the Turks at Adrianople number 5U,C00. Nazim Pasha’s troops, apart from those at Adrianople, number 220,000. As Adrianople is short of food Nazim Pasha has posioly begun the march, thither to relieve the garrison, o. pec.-| ally as the Creeks captured Crevena, 1 placing too Turks between two fires. ; According to the ‘Standard,’ ’iurkey unsuccessfully attempted lo borrow four million pounds from England, Franco, and Cermauy successively. (Received 31, 9.10 a.m.) Athens, October 30. The railway has been cut between Verria and Monastir. A Creek privateer 'has arrived at Larnaca, and sails to-morrow. Two Austrian steamers were seized at Corfu, bound for Santo Kuaranta. They wore released after a quantity of contraband was removed. (Received 31, 9.25 a.m.) Loudon, October 30. Zumilos Martinovitch’s columns junctioued on the eastern side of Scutari. The Greeks are pressing Jannina. There are horrible accounts of the retreating enemy burning villages and massacring inhabitants of Reichpost. The Bulgarian force is moving via Istrandjeaterkos towards Constant! nople. TURKISH ARMY IN STRAITS. (Received 31, 9.40 a.m.) ■ Constantinople, October 30. Divisions under Mukhtir Pasha and Aziz Pasha, comprising mainly Redifs were under-officered, ill-trained, and ill-fed. Several regiments had no pro visions for 38 hours. The officers did not know the country about Kirk Kil issie. Mukhtir Pasha endeavoured to ar rest the flight of his men, and raised Ids revolver on many of them, but Aziz Pasha joined in the flight. Mulch tir Pasha, after consulting Abdallah Pasha, ordered a retreat. General Bil mi refused to obey, fearing a debacle and gallantly occupied the fortifica tious in the north-west to cover the re treat of some of his troops who fled tlilmi shot several. Eventually he re tired in comparative order, while tin main body retreated in wild disorder. The Bulgarians were unaware of tin retreat, and lost eight hours in occu pying the town. When they appeared the population fled in terror, end alsthose Turkish troops left who had nrifles. Order was restored on Sunday and offensive operations were resum ed. TURKS AND THE WHITE FLAG. Cettinje, October 30. Turks with the white flag approach ed the Montenegrin positions east ol Scutari, then fired on and bayonette the Montenegrins, who had three-hun drod killed and wounded. The Montenegrins surrounded am 1 exterminated Mie Turkish force. Belgrade, October 30. The Turks at Kunriii offered stren nous resistance to the Servians unti the arrival of cavalry aided by artil lery, who cut the Turkish forces ii two and compelled evacuation. Reports from TTskub state that afte the battle at Kumanovo the Turkis' leaders quarrelled, whereupon Nek Pasha ordered a retreat., A few officers acting on their owi responsibility ordered a resistance a Kuprili. It is stated that the commander o' the Monastir corps was killed by hi own officers for ordering further resist ance. The Montenegrins reached Plevu within half an hour of the Servian oc eupafion. There was a scene of grea’ enthusiasm. Sanjak, of Novibazar, is now com pletely cleared of Turkish troops. l Croups of Arnnuts took refuse,.in the bouses at Kumanovo and refused to surrender, and were all killed. Athens, October 30. Twentv Greek villages in the neigh bourbood of Janina were looted and burned, and the inhabitants massacred .

LOYALTY TO THE SERVIANS. October 30. The Arnants in thef Kossovo and Prishtina districts are resuming their occupations, whilst the Moslem members of the population are hastening to declare their loyalty teethe Servians. Hundreds of carts, decorated with the Servian colours, are filled with women and children, who, with their flocks, are returning to their homes. St. Petersburg, October 30. The Prefect of Police has protested against the municipalities voting £IO,OOO for military hospitals in the Balkans. A similar protest, in accordance with orders at St. Petersburg, was made in Moscow, whoso municipality proposed to send medical detachments, each of fifty beds, to the seat of war. The newspaper ‘Novoe Vremya’ protests against the eflorts to stifle Russian sympathy with their blood brothers. THE FIGHTING MOSLEMS. Berlinj October 30. A Red Cross assistant at Kirk Kilissie, describing the final scenes, states that the Christians among the defenders of the forts surrendered in troops, but the Moslems fought to the last.

London. October 30. Russia, Germany, and Italy are buying largo quantities of Cardiff coal. The ‘Daily Mail’ states that in view of a possible Russian-Aust.o conflict, a Greek movement is sperading throughout; Gallida to compose the differences among the various Polish parties to unite all. There are twelve million Poles in Russia, six million in Austria, and four million in Prussia. THE BATTLE OF KUMANOVO. 12,500 CASUALTIES. London. October 30. Reuter reports that the Turks at Kumanovo numbered 80,000. The Turks lost 10,000 killed and wounded, and the Servians 500 killed and 2000 wounded. The latter,include Colonel Bowinovitch, commander of the Danube division, and Lieutenant Milch, commanding a company of infantry, who suicided by shooting himself with a revolver, declining to obey an order to retire from an exposed position. Witnessing his example, the soldiers hurled themselves desperately against the Turkish positions, and annihilated them, their dash being equal to the bravery shown bv the cavalry under King Peter’s brother. Prince Abseno, while the Crown Prince was frequently in the firing line. The hitter entered the town while the battle was in full swing. SLAUGHTER BY SHELL FIRE. Belgrade. October 30. During the pursuit of the Turks at Kumanovo, towards Uskub, the Servians’ deadly battery fire mowed down whole companies of Turks. Mauv t row away their rifles and knapsacks, and climbed the hillsides and tried to hide in the depressions on the ground and behind the trees. Everywhere the merciless shrapnel hurst over their heads, strewing the Bills and roads with corpses. Where it was possible to make a momentary stand, the ’Juries in search of cover oiled no heaps of dead bodies, using the corpses of friends and foes alike. The Servians pumped lead upon these human ramparts. A hand-to-hand fmht ensued. The Servians are paraffining and burning the corpses on the battlefield, there being no time to bury them. London, October . 0. The ‘Standard’s’ Sofia correspondent says that the Bulgarians have decided to invest and starve Adrianople, and thus avoid heavy losses. It has been decided that 00.000 men will he detailed to carry out the investment. Berlin. October 30. '['he Foreign Office states that Russia and Austria have reached an understanding concerning the further treatment of Balkan ones;ions. Vienna, October 30. The Austrian Premier, speaking in the Reichsrath, and referring to th° Balkans war. stated that Austin;-.-Hun-gary’s policy was consistently peaceful throughout all the negotiations with the interested Powers heretof re which justified the greater hope that the peace of Europe would be p-eserv-ed. Brisbane, October 30. Local Greek residents', hav" _ cabled the sum of £7OO to Greece, being the first instalment to the War Fund.

GREAT BATTLE IN PROGRESS. TURKS FAVOURABLE POSITION. (Received 31, 11.55 a.m.) Constantinople, October 30. Nazim Rasim telegraphs:— “A great battle is in progress sine? yesterday—lso,ooo being engaged on both sides. The Turks are in a favour able, position, and repulsed Bulgarian at Visa, the Turkish loss being SOD. “The Adrianoplo army made a sortie to the westward towards Marusli. and forced the Bulgarian brigade to retreat.” Nazim Pasha’s headquarters any.at Tcherkesskenv.