FATE OF BUCHAREST.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 881, 6 December 1916, Page 7

FATE OF BUCHAREST.

! CAPITAL MUST FALL. I I j ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. FIGHT FAVOURS ENEMY. Auftralien ar.<J 5.7.. Cehle A'roria'xn. LONDON*. Dc'hmilkt .">. The "Morning Post's" Petrograd 'Correspondent, writing on Sunday, says:—"Fighting continues along the jArgesu River, on a 30 miles front, from Pitesci. It is going in the en- | emy's favour. "The Germans, advancing from the west, are coming up in the rear of the Rumanians, and are threatening their complete envelopment. The approach of German cavalry comjpelled the Rumanians to retreat ; south-east upon Bucharest. "The arrival of Russians at points •south and south-west of Bucharest, I temporarily chr.nged the aspect of affairs, but the fate of Bucharest is i merely a matter of time. It is questioned whether the Russians can bring up sufiicient troops in time to assist the Rumanians to use the Bucharest forts as a support for their armies." INVADERS JOIN UP. BIG VICTORY CLAIMED. A. cud S.Z. Cable Attoeiation end Renter. LONDON, December 4. i A Berlin communique states:—The Austro-German and Turko-Bulgarian armies in Rumania have completed their junctions. We have captured Targoviste and : completely defeated the Ist Ruma- ; nian Army. The remainder of the Rumanian j Ist Army was driven across the Titu ! junction into the arms of a German linfantn, division. The enemy has been defeated both north-west and south of Bucharest, 'and an additional 80IMI men have • been taken prisoner, together with ;an enormous quantity of bootv, and 135 guns. The Bussians have made some progress in the Trotus Valley. THE AUSTRIAN REPORT. SUCCESS IN WALLACHIA. A., end X.Z. Call* Amociaticn and Reuter. LONDON, December 5. An Austrian official message savs: The Rumanian units previously cut off in Little Wallachia are being svstematically destroyed. A continuous battle north of the Danube has opened. The bootv we have taken is extraordinarily rich. The Russians in the Carpathians are exhausted, and their attacks have slackened. GRAND DUKE COMMANDS. HUGE RUSSIAN ARMIES. Australian and N.Z. Ceb'.e Attoeiation. ZURICH, December 5. A German newspaper states that the Grand Duke Nicholas has been appointed to the supreme command of the Russian and Rumanian armies in the new theatre of war. He was hurriedly summoned to the Tsar's headquarters to receive his appointment. The Russian section of the new armies consists of 13 armycorps, totalling 400,000 effectives. FORCED INTO WAR. AN AMERICAN STORY. Australian and .\VZ. Cable ArtoeUtie*. NEW YORK, December 5. The "Providence Journal" assertj that it has information that the Rumanians were forced into the war prematurely by Germany, who sent an ultimatum. Rumania did not intend to enter until March, 1917. The majority of her guns are of German and Austrian manufacture. The position is more hopeful now that the Russians are able to give valuable assistance. Rumania is receiving equipment from the Allies.