THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144859, 10 December 1915, Page 3

THE BALKANS.

ALLIES DOMINATING GREECE. ■ BUT STRONG FEELING AGAINST THEM. (Received Dec. 10, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 9. Dr. Dillon, in the Daily Telegraph, states that the Allies will probably obtain their minimum demands from Greece, hut will only hold it by intimidation. Tho obstacles arc almost insuperable. The chief wire-puller is Dr. Strcit, an ex-Mihistcr of Austrian descent, whoso strategy tripped M. Vcnezclos. Thousands of Greek officers and civil servants and tons of thousands of their frionds are propagating the mailed fist doctrine. Everywhere in the armies are spies and a contingent of contrabandists thwart tho Allies at evory turn. The Government agents frustrate every effort to track tho treacherous enemy to his lairs. It is wrong to suppose that King Constantino alone is blameworthy for misleading a chivalrous people. Actually the antipathy to Britain and France is widespread. The fact .is that Greece may he cowed to passive resistance, but licr promises are worthless and tho military situation is grave. IMPUDENT CREEK ATTITUDE. THREATS TO ALLIED FORCES. FLEET CLEARS FOR ACTION. (Received Dec. 10. JI.SO a.m.) LONDON, Doc, 0. A Daily Telegraph's Salonika dispatch dated November L'b, mailed in order to escape tho pro-Gorman censorship, gives irrefutable facts to show how tho crisis then arose. Tho Greek authorities at tho outset gave evidence of veiled hostility. The prices of goods were doubled and trebled and supertaxes imposed on rail transport. Then tho Greeks demanded prepayment in gold and the Allies submitted. ‘When tho Allies rented houses and hired horses or vehicles the Greek military slopped them and claimed them for their own uses. The Greek defences in Salonika Bay wore secretly strengthened, submarine mines secretly stored, trenches and entanglements constructed on tho heights facing the Allies’ camps, and oven Crock artillery was trained on it. Greek officers openly discussed when, Iho Germans would arrive to help to drive tho Allies into the sea. Officers favourable to tho Allies were removed from their posts and stmt to distant stations. Tho Greek troops occupied new-ly-fortified positions threatening the Allies. There was the throat of a blockade on November 10.

Thq_ correspondent proceeds: ‘‘The situation at Salonika- on tho 21st was so critical owing to the Greek military activities that the Allies suspected then, of preparing an immediate attack. Tim Allies’ fleet cleared for action, shipping was ordered to sail, and a constant watch was Kept all night long. J’ossihly the fact that the fleet was in readiness became known, tor nothing happened, and afterwards negotiations were resumed on » froth basis.

SERBIAN REFUGEES. SUFFERINGS ON THE ROAD. (Received Dec. 10, 8.5 a.m.) MILAN, Dec. 9. II Secolo states that refugees arriving at Fiorina (a town south of .Monastir over tho Greek border) continue to narrate tho horrors of tho journey. Out of a party of 300 from IVizrcnd 120 reached Fiorina. A hundred died by the wayside, and tho remainder wore perishing with cold, hunger and exhaustion. ADVANCE INTO MONTENEGRO. i Received Dec. 10, 8.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, Dec. 9. A German communique states:—Wo took 2000 prisoners and captured 80 ,guns on Tuesday near Ipok. CORRESPONDENTS’ REPORTS. * SITUATION IN CONSTANTINOPLE. LONDON, Dec. 8. Tlte Daily Telegraph’s Salonika correspondent states that the latest nows from Constantinople reports that tho situation is grave and a revolution and a change of Government is considered likely. Turco - Bulgarian distrust s deepening. Reuter’s Athens correspondent reports that Franco-Greck military commissions are conferring. Those in re-' sponsible circles are confident that a satisfactory understanding will be | reached. j

It is officially denied that Britain has prohibited the export of British goods or that grain ships are being detained at Malta. BuchaveslTreports that tho Government has called up the 1917 and 1918 classes and also mobilised naturalised and other foreigners of military age. As a protest against the nomination of a neutrality rector, 28,000 university students have struck, demanding tha appointment of M. Taejon escu, brother of the , ardent interventionist. SOME FRENCH CRITICS. PARIS, Dec. 9. General Perot, writing in L’Bclair, advocates re-embarkation of tho forces at Salonika, on the ground that France will soon need all her Eastern troops. He states that the British have mistakenly decided not to abandon Gallipoli. Lieutenant-Colonel Roussa, writing in La Liberto, says that the abandonment of Salonika would-give Germany tho

./Egcan, and the Allies must decide immediately between reinforcement and re-embarkation. A communique says: Tho Bulgarians on Sunday violently attacked the bridgehead at Demirkapuon, on tho Vardar, but wore completely repulsed. BULGARIANS REPULSED. SALONIKA, Dec. 9. The weather improved on Monday, and the Bulgarians wore bombarding the entire British lino at Strumnitza ail day long. Infantry attacks which followed were easily repulsed. Fighting was resumed on Tuesday, when German cavalry appeared at Strumnitza. Latest reports state that the Allies counter-attacked at Valnnclovo, Doiran. and Ghevgeli, driving back the Bulgarians. The Allies’ heavy artillery inflicted considerable losses. A SOFIA COMMUNIQUE. . •SOFIA, Dec. 9. A communique says; Wc have vigorously pursued the French on both banks of the Vardar. Tho column has reached fifteen kilometres north of Ochrida. KING CONSTANTINE'S VIEWS. CRITICISED BY THE PRESS. TIMES A.ND STCNET SDN ' SERVICES. (Received Doc. 10. 8 a.ra.) LONDON, Doc. 0. Tho Pall Mall Gazette says that King Constantine invites a comparison with Belgium, but he docs not compare with King Albert. He tricked successively Serbia, the Allies and M. Venozelos. King Constantine's efforts to whitewash his record with excuses and fair words only give the finishing touches to a pitiable portrait. The Evening News says:—"We appreciated tile value of Grech words when the Serbian alliance was torn up,” ALBANIA CHIEFS. VISIT THEIR LATE PRINCE. (Received Dec. 10, 8.30 a.m.) SCUTARI. Dec. 9. A number of Albanian chiefs have gone to Novibazar to confer with Prince William of Wied with a view to a movement against E-sad Pasha. DR. DII!,LON'-S VIEWS. GREECE BEATEN -BUT SNARLING. (Received Doc. 10, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 9. Dr. Dillon, writing from Home, says tho attitude of Greece to tho Entente is like that of a dog who is about to bite his master hut is baulked by the sight of tho whip and obliged to ho content with snarling. The Entente has convinced King Constantino that drastic measures will bo taken in the event of attempted disloyal action, therefore Groom is condemned to unprofitable and irksome innoeiiousness. Her ridel's are, however, determined to show their teeth whenever they .can do so with impunity. BITTERLY COLD WEATHER PREVENTING ACTIVE OPERATIONS.

(Received Dec. 10, 9,10 a.m.)SALONIKA, Dec. 9

Tiie Bulgarian attack in tho Vardar Valley was confined to three or four gorges where alone the Bulgarians can debouch from tho mountains, which make the rest of the lino impermeable except by comitadjis. Tho cold is intensified by piercing winds. A party of Anglo-French saw some Bulgarians two hundred yards away, but both parties were too overcome by cold to attack. Wolves, driven by hunger, howl on tho outskirts of tho military camps nightly. The British and French War Offices qt an early date will energetically commence to rcvirtunl and rc-cquip the Serbians, by way of Albanian ports, Tho first supplies arrived in Albania some days ago.