THE BALKAN WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10606, 31 October 1912, Page 3

THE BALKAN WAR.

THE BULGARIAN CAMPAIGN. THE ADVANCE ON ADRIANOPLTC. SIGNIFICANT SILENCE. BULGARIAN MENACE TO CONSTANTINOPLE. THE TURKISH STRENGTH. SHORTAGE OF FOOD. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received October 31, 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 30. Tho significant silence on both sides in relation to. the real situation at Adrianop\e. coupled with the detention of the First Bulgarian army there, is interpreted in some circles as indicatiu"- that an unsuccessful attack was delivered. -Moreover, the Bulgarians suddenly mobilising their last reserves have augmented tho strength of the Second Bulgarian army, which is operating beyond Kirk Kilisseh. It w estimated, now- to number four divisions, of which tho columns are moving parallel to the coast toward Constantinople. These columns consist of cavalry, supported by mixed detachments, and' their purpose is to menace •tho capital, to keep Nazim Pasha on the defensive and to froe the First army from unwelcome attentions while tho attack on Adrianoplo is again pressed home. It is surmised that a division and a half of Turks from Kirk Kilisseh have reached Adriauople, leaving behind only tho force whose remnant the Bulgarians are now pursuing. If so, tho Turks at Adrianoplo will number 50,000. Nazim Pasha's troops, apart from the Adrianoplo contingent, number 220,000, but as Adrianoplo is slu>rt of food, Nazim Pasha has possibly begun, a march thither to relieve the garrison, especially as the Greeks havo captured Grevena, placing tho Turks between two fires. The " Reichpost" says that the Bulgarian forco is moving via Istrandia and Tekkos towards Constantinople. ANOTHER BULGARIAN SUCCESS. (Received October 31, 3.15 p.m.) A Sofia message says that two days' fighting occurred after the Bulgarians captured Lulo Burgas and district. The invaders were victorious ovor tho principal Turkish force, which is now rctreatirig in disorder. MONTENEGRIN CAMPAIGN, JUNCTION OF FORCES. The columns of General Zurrilos and General Martinovitch havo formed a junction on tho eastern side of Skutari. TREACHEROUS USE OF THE WHITE FLAG. A message from Cettinje says that the Turks/ with a white flag, approached the Montenegrin positions oast of Skutari and then Bred on and bayoneted the Montenegrins, who had 300 killed and wounded. Tho Montenegrins surrounded and exterminated the Turkish forco.

THE TURKISH FORCES. DEFEAT AT KIRK IvILISSEH. TURKISH VERSION OP THE PANIC AND ITS CAUSE. A Constantinople message says that the divisions under Mukhtar Pasha and Aziz Paslia were mainly Redifs. They were under-officered, ill-trained and illfed, and several regiments had had no provisions for forty-eight hours. The officers did not know the country about Kirk Kilisseh. Mukhtar Paslia endeavoured to arrest the flight of his men and used liis revolver on many of them, hut Aziz Paslia joined in the flight. Mukhtar Pasha, after consulting Abdallah Pasha, ordered the retreat to be general. Hilmi Pasha refused to obey, fearing a debacle, and gallantly occupied the fortification in the northwest to cover the retreat. Some of his troops fled, and Hilmi Pasha shot several. Eventually he retired, in comparative order, while the .main body retreated in wild disorder. The Bulgarians were unaware of the retreat and lost eight hours in occupying the town. When they appeared the population fled in terror and also the Turkish troops left who had no rifles. Order was restored on Sunday and the offensive was resumed. NAZIM PASHA'S REPORT.

GREAT BATTLE IN PROGRESS. A message from (Constantinople says that Nazim Pasha telegraphs that a great battle has been-in progress since yesterday, and 150,000 men are engaged on both sides. Tho Turks are in a favourable position, and. have repulsed the Bulgarians at Visa, tho Turkish loss being 800. The Adrianople army made a sortie westward towards Marush and forced the Bulgarian brigade to retreat. Nazim Pasha's headquarters are at Tcherkesskeny.

THE GREEK CAMPAIGN. THE ATTACK ON JANJNA., TURK[STi ATI?OCTTTES. The Greeks are pressing on to Janina. Horrible accounts are given of the retreating enemy burning villages and massacring the inhabitants. Twenty Greek villages in the neighr bourbood of Janina were looted and burned, and the inhabitants massacred. ■The railway has been cut between Veria and Mona.stir."' i A Greek privateer lias arrived at Laniaca, and will sail to-morrow. Two .Austrian steamers were seized at Corfu, bound for Snnti Zuaranta. They wero released after a quantity of contraband had been removed. THE SERVIAN CAMPAIGN. THE FIGHTING AT KOPRILI. A Belgrade message says that the Turks at Koprili offered a strenuous resistance to the Servians until the arrival of the cavalry column, which, aided by artillery, cut the Turkish forces in two and compelled the evacuation. Reports from Uskub state that after the Kumanovo battle the Turkish leaders quarrelled, whereupon Zeki Pasha ordered a retreat. A few ohiec-rs, acting on thc-ir own re«nonsil>ili(.y. ordered re-'.isifiuee ;'.t Ksipriii. ft is .stated iliuts. fi'«- i;, iir.niiuidcr oi a Alcmastir

corps was killed by bis own officers for ordering further The Montenegrins reached Plevlio within half an hour of the Servian occupation. Thoro was a scene of great enthusiasm. The sanjak of Novi Bazar is now completely cleared of Turkish troops. Groups of Arnaouts took refuge in houses in Kutnannro. They refused to surrender and were all killed.

• NOTES. ■ TURKISH FINANCE. A LOAN THAT FAILED. According to tho "Standard," Turkey -unsuccessfully attempted to borrow £4,000,000 in England, Franco and Germany successively. BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE. SPEECH BY WINSTON CHURCHILL (Received October 31, 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, October 31. Mr Winston Churchill, at the Cutlers' feast at Sheffield, said that all the Powers were earnestly striving to preserve unity, with a view to bringing their combined influence to bear to terminate the long, fierce and disastrous quarrel, and to secure a final settlement just to the' belligerents and benefiting to the populations concerned. He eon eluded by stating that Britons must in any case be ready for all eventualities, strong, self-reliant, and, irrespective of party politics, united.