SUGGESTED CONFERENCE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 65, 22 July 1913, Page 5

SUGGESTED CONFERENCE

TO END BALKAN TROUBLE.

the powers agtieearli

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.]

London, July 21

A settlement of tho Balkans trouble is more hopeful. Roumania has suggested a conference of the live belligerents at Sindia, a proposal to which Austria, Russia, and other Powers are agreeable. Bulgaria has utilised Italy as an intermediary in an offer to Roumania for the cession of Turtukai, on the Baltchik’line, on condition that Roumania will withdraw her troops and preserve neutrality in the Serbo-Grecian . conflict. Roumania has refused to consider peace apart from general peace in the Balkans.

Athens, July 21

The Turco-Grecian agreement relating to prisoners’ religious safeguards has been signed and is ready for ratification bv the allies.

The reply that Russia will agree tc negotiate on Bulgaria directly she lias concluded an armistice provides that Bulgaria must accept the preliminary conditions.

Bucharest, July 21. Fears are entertained that M. Ghena. deff, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, who is a friend of General Savoff, will declare for a war policy.

BULG AR lAN BAR RARITIES

London, July 21

The Daily Telegraph’s wpr correspondent says that it is almost impossible to exaggerate the barbarity of the Bulgarians towards the inhabitants of Seres. The town, with its 50,000 inhabitants, and the countryside far miles has been a reeking shambles for the past three months. Nearly 50,009 people have been done to death, mostly Turks.

On July 1 the Bulgarians openly boasted of their plans to attack the Greeks on the next day and reach Salonika in a few hours.

On July 4 the Bulgarian troops

streamed through Seres from the battle of Laehana as a hopelessly demoralised rabble. The Greeks failed to appear in Seres, and the Bulgarians returned on July 10. Soon the whole town was in flames and the streets covered with mangled corpses. W hen the Bulgars forced the Austrian Con-

sul to leave his house, 200 refugees, mostly women and children, were marched off towards the mountains, their captots threatening them with massacre. A professor among the captors challenged the Bulgarians with Austrian vengeance, and eventually the Bulgars were prevailed on to accept a ransom. NOTE FROM THE PORTE. (Received 9.50 a.m.) Constantinople, July 21. The Porte in a Note to the Powers supplies reasons for occupying Thrace and Adrianople, and announces that in future the Turko-Bulgarian frontier will be the river Maretza. The Government would have preferred to settle the frontier question diplomatically, but the Bulgarian atrocities and barbarities in the occupied territories made it impossible to hope for diplomatic solution. The Note is regarded as necessary in order to restore Turkey’s liberty of action in view of the Treaty of London.

MOVEMENTS OF THE TROOPS

One hundred and fifty thousand troops marched on Adrianople.

Sofia, July 21. Three thousand Roumanian troops have reached Orkanije and Etroplje.

Bashi Bazouks devastated the country during the march to Adrianople. j They are now committing atrocities,! pillaging and burning the city. Belgrade, July 21. I

There have been several sharp encounters at various points, but no

serious engagements

Servians penetrated the Bulgarian territory at Tchipren, the Bulgarians retiring. The Bulgarians retired towards Widin. The Servians have now crossed the frontier at four points. AUSTRIANS REJOINING REGIMENTS. Berne, July 21. Austrian subjects resident in Switzerland and officers on furlough have been ordered to rejoin their regiments forthwith.