BATTLE RAGING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1803, 16 July 1913, Page 7

BATTLE RAGING.

SERVIANS NEAR SOFIA. TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER ON BOTH SIDES. MASSACRE BY GREEKS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 15, 11.10 p.m.) Vienna, July 15. The rest of the Servian Army is advancing towards Sofia. A great battle is raging outside Kostcndil, whero tho Bulgarians are offering a heroic resistance. Thero has been terrible slaughter on both sides. It is semi-officially stated at Sofia that Greek irregulars landed at Leftera and occupied the .town of Pravil, massacring nearly the whole of the Bulgarian and Mussulman population. Those who escaped havo arrived at DramaFifteen thousand fugitives have reached Gornadjumaya, and fifty thousand are en route. They are foodlcss. It is authoritatively stated that Bulgaria has recalled her armies from Servian territory, thus emphasising her sincerity. She is also giving Russia full powers to arbitrate. MASSACRES DENIED. REPORT BY KING FERDINAND. London, July 14. King Ferdinand litis cabled to the "Evening News," absolutely denying tho stories of outrages or. Greeks and Servians. Tho stories, lie says, have been circulated to creato a bad impression. The population of Thrace has enjoyed, without respect to nationality, complete liberty. He admits that there have been a number of isolated arrests of spies and anti-Bulgarian propagandists, but on the other hand, he declares the Bulgarians have been subjected to systematic persecution at the hands of. tho Greeks. The Salonika prisons are full of innocent persons, and many others were transported to the Aegean Islands before tho outbreak of hostilities. Tho Sen-ions, tho King stales, are alleged to be guilty of cruelties similar to tlioso which they cliargo the Bulgarians of perpetrating. The Greek Government has notified the Powers that tho Bulgarians carried olf twenty-seven notables of Kavala, and that their fate is unknown. Tho notables include tho bishop, the dragomans of tho French and Greek Consulates, tho manager of tho bank of Athens, and eighteen merchants. . If they aro killed Greece will make reprisals. A Greek war correspondent at Salonika says the Bulgarians burnt and pillaged Seres, the buildings attacked including American,' Austrian, and German warehouses. The American Tobacco Company lost a million dollars (=£200,000). Tho Bulgarians also plundered tho Austrian Consulate, and imprisoned the Consul who was subsequently ransomed. Tho Italian Consul ransomed liis house. In reply to a question in tlie House of Commons, Mr. F. D. Acland, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Foreign Office, said the Government was unable to investigate the alleged atrocities by Bulgarians. He added that the Government had not received Bulgaria's offer of an international inquiry.

TURKEY'S INTENTIONS. NO ADVANCE TO THE NORTH. (Reo. July 15, 11.10 p.m.), Constantinople, July 15. Turkey will not advance beyond tlio Enos-Midia line, which now forms her northern boundary in accordance with the decision of the Powers. Tlio retreating 1 Bulgarians burned nil the villages in the districts they traversed. ■SUCCESSES DISCREDITED. Sofia, July 11. The story of the attempt on the lifo of Dr. DanefF, President of tlio Sobranje, is ■untrue. The authorities continue to discredit tho reports of the Greek and Servian success. The newspaper "Mir" publishes an order captured from the Servians, signed "Peter," and dated Juno 29, instructing the Servian troops to carry the flag through the Bulgarian ranks. Tho order alludes to Greek and Montenegrin co-oper-ation.