THE GRIM STRUGGLE IN THE BALKANS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 5

THE GRIM STRUGGLE IN THE BALKANS

IMPETUOUS SERBIAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE

BULGARIANS THROWN BACK

Paris, November 4. Tim "Petit ParisienV correspondent at Salonika states that tho Serbians, by an impetuous counter-offensive, threw back the Bulgarians in the defiles between Velcs and Prilep.

THE BULGARIAN ATTACK ON NISH.

Ceneva, November 4. The "Lokal Anzeiger's" correspondent at Sofia, says that the Bulgarians bombarded the northern and north-eastern exterior forts of Nish, and destroyed the wireless station.

The Serbians in the fighting round Pirot abandoned provisions and wagons of American munitions. Pirot was destroyed by the "Serbians beforo the evacuation. The arsenal at Kragujevatz was similarly fired. The "Tribune's" correspondent at Bucharest states that the Bulgarian casualties on the southern frontier since October 29 are 30,000. A Bulgarian communique claims the capture of 600 prisoners and four guns southward of Strumnitza. CHEERING NEWS FROM THE SERBIANS ARMIES INTAOT AND FIGHTING EFFECTIVE REARGUARD ACTIONS. (Rec. November 5, 10.10 p.m.) , p . , London, November 5. the latest Serbian wireless messages from Skutari (in Albania) state that the cohesion of the armies is unimpaired. They are making an orderly and strategical retirement, refusing all decisive actions, and carrying on' valiant rearguard actions, ill which the enemy's great losses continue. The Serbians in Macedonia are holding a line west of TJskub and Kupmlu, along the Babuna mountains. Tliero is no question of a general Serbian flight, though the population cannot be left to tho mercy of the enemy. It is expected that tho Allies' reinforcements will quickly improve the situation. Telegrams from Salonika state that severe fighting between the Serbians and tho Bulgarians is proceeding in tho Bahuna Pass, protecting the road from Perlepo to Monastir. Both are still safe.

Important British reinforcements have occupied the second French line, thus enabling tho French, to rush contingents forward, and putting the Allies' right wing in.an established position. °

FRENCH TROOPS ENTRENCHED ON THE MOUNTAINS

ALLIES' CONCENTRATION STEADILY PROCEEDING.

, London, November 4. Reuters agent at Salonika says that the French are strongly entrenched on the heights on a mountainous front at Robrova, Gradno (? Gradetz), and Demirkapu, holding the Bulgarians at a distance. The first British contingent reached Ghevgheli on October 28. Paris, November 4. Tho landing of French troops at Salonika continues without incident.

GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE.

(Rec. November 5, 10.10 p.m.)

Amsterdam, November 4. A Berlin official communique states: "Despite the enemy's tenacious resistance, we_ are advancing on both sides of the mountain north of Kralfvo. The enemy is letreating cast of the Morava. "General Bojadfieff (tho Bulgarian commander), advancing on Nisli, stormed Ealafat, ten kilometres (6J- miles) north-east of Nish."

AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE,

(Rec. November 5, 10.45 p.m.)

Amsterdam, November 5. An Austrian official communique stores'. "The Serbian resistance in'tho Kragnjevatz and Jagodina regions has collapsed. The enemy has retreated, and the Germans have occupied Jagodina."

RUSSIAN LANDING AT VARNA DENIED.

(Rec. November 5, 10.45 p.m.)

■ Petrograd, November 5, The reported Russian landing at Varna is denied.

LADY PAGET'S RED CROSS STAFF TAKEN PRISONER,

(Rec. November 6, 1.35 a.m.)

t i t> * i i t> i n n ■ Lontlon i November 5, Lady Paget and her Red Cross Corps are prisoners at Uskub.

SERBIAN REFUGEES AT SALONIKA,

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

(Rec. November 5, 5.5 p.m.)

o . .... London, November 4. Serbian refugees_ are arriving m large numbers at Salonika, and making the economic situation extremely difficult. Food is scarce owing to the presenco of the international troops. .

RELIEF SUPPLIES FOR THE HUNGRY POPULATION,

mi -n , . ... J..,, Salonika, November 4. Ihe French commissariat has sent, via Monastir, several train loads of flour, corn, and maize towards the valleys in the Ochrida district to feed tho Serbian population. Thousands of tons of corn have already been sent to Albania.

HORRORS OF LOUVAIN RECALLED

.VENGEA'NCE WREAKED ON CIVILIANS IN SERBIA,

Austro-Gernian correspondents admit that non-combatants suffered retribution owing to alleged firing on troops. _ They tell of authenticated stories by refugees on reaching the Slavonic Association in Switzerland. Awful butcherv in the villages, the Louvain horrors being numerously repeated ■ The refugees deny that the villagers, who are mostly old people, fired on the Grormans. lliey attribute the slaughter to German anger at the Serbian troops desperate resistance. '

BRITISH TO WINTER ON GALLIPOLI

GERMAN NEWSPAPER'S STATEMENT,

„ -i , , , , , London, November 4. Reuters Agent at Amsterdam re ? o r ts that the Constantinople correspondent of the Berlin journal, J'Lokal Anzeiger " states that in well-informed circles 111 Constantinople the opinion is held that the British intend wintering on Gallipoli, and do not intend to abandon their operations there.

THE WINTER IN THE DARDANELLES. This rater period in the Dardanelles (says a writer in the "Westminster Gazette') is difficult to speak of with anything like precision; nothing appears to be regular. Somo years the weather is severe, other years snow is only seen oneo or twice. Winter is said to have finished on April 15 The only 'point about a severe winter is that a period of cold is generally followed'by a period ol calm warm weather of ten days or so. It has often .been noted that a very cold winter m England and France, etc., generally gives the south-cast corner of Europe about which wo are speaking a mild winter, with a prevalance of southerly airs, whereas a mild winter in England ami Franco marks tho south-east corner of Europe for a severe winter, with a prevalence of northerly winds. No doubt experts may be able to explain this Of hte years no great cold has visited the Marmora, In 1893 the Golden' Horn from the Inner Bridge at Constantinople was frozen over sufficiently for peoplo to wait over the ice, and the inner harbour had floes knocking about for some weeks. That winter, howovor, was an exceptional one, but even then the cold only began about January 18, lasting March. The- great point about tho climate is that, however hot or cold a spoil may bo, it is always succeeded bv ,:alm weafchej, a blue sky, and a warm sun, q„,t 0 a different 'state of thing's from winter weather under English conditions.