SERBS RE-OCCUPY THE VELESPRILEP LIE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 5

SERBS RE-OCCUPY THE VELESPRILEP LIE

REPORTED BLOCKADE

DENIED BY THE FOREIGN OFFICE

GERMAN CRUISER SUNK

AUSTRALIA CALLING UP ANOTHER "50,000 MEN

The Serbians lave reoccupied the Veles-Prilep line, and are reported to hare made the Bulgars retire from their advanced positions around Monastir. Otherwise there is no change in the situation. The Italians are reported to have commenced a landing in Albania. The \ British Foreign Office denies the reports of a blockade of the Greek ports, but the newspapers, having in mind the'origin of the recent declaration, by the British Legation at Athens in reference to an economio ' . - and commercial blockade, have made some pointed references to the official inconsietenoy between the declaration of the Legation and the (Foreign Office statement. The news from the Western front refers principally to air fights. In the Russian theatre, 'the Russian torpedoboats, after a sharp action, hate sunk a German oruiser. There has been ten days' fierce fighting on land, described as the "most important operations Bince Warsaw." SERBS ADVANCING ON BABUNA PASS , VELES-PRILEP LINE REOCCUPIED NO CHANGE IN THE SITUATION AT MONASTIR I._ By Telegraph-Press Aasociation-OopyrleM ' Official -The Serbians have reoccupied the advancing towards the Babuna Pass. ■ rm. ~ ...■■ ■ ~ . Salonika, November 23 Thei situation at.Monastir;iV unchanged ,The Bulgarians are still arrested south of Prilep. It is reported that' General von Gallwitz, with an ™ v $ or ß*fc w <?° m " ls t0 the aid of the Bulgarans against the' AiHo-French • Ihe Serbians on the morning of November 21 drove back the Bulgarians round Monastir for a distance ot eight kilometres (five miles). Tho enemv casualties totalled! ten thousand. »«euiy British, Russiau and French- marines, who have assisted in tne defence'of Belgrade since October, 1914, reached Monastir on November 16, and the two following days. Colonel Picot, the; French commander, states they left Bokrade a few minutes before the German occupation, after first destroying their eunV The French contingent, by forced marches, reached Monastir without the loss of a, single man. They suffered much hardship while marching across the Albanian fastnesses, along trackless paths, and in the' most inhospitable regkm in the iworkj. The only food of the contiugent was bread. y 'GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. ir, . ' ■ ± - „„. ' , Amsterdam, November 23. A German communique states: "We further drove back;the Serbians north of Mitrovitz and north-east and north of Pristhina, taking prisoner 1500 The Bulgarians are advancing south-east of Prishtma.'? . THE GALLANT DEFENDERS OF MONASTIR CORRESPONDENT'S VIVID IMPRESSION. / ' (Rec. November,24, 8.5 p.m.) The "Daily Telegraphy' Monastir'correspondent, >teCk&Me\n her 16, says he witnessed what he believed to be the last°days oTthe SeS atMonasto. "The small force of brave troops which had long defended "t had reached the ned of their resistance. Out-numbered and outclassed in armament, they put up a fight evoking the admiration of both friend and f O6 General Vassitz and his troops fought .incessantly for fourteen days to ml serve a corner of Serbia free from the invader. Vassitz, though suffering from a cruel malady, destining him to an early grave, was resolute to "fight on to Ss 6 "band" 0 " TO M<mastlr ' he wiU make $* utmost effort to save The correspondent found Monastir practically deserted, an N d in total darkness. Its empty streets re-echoed with the footsteps of the Civilian Guards risen* 6cared ; offic,als ' who alone remained, in addition to the militar/gar"Three war correspondents groped their way through Monastir to the only place that was lighted-* raFe, whe re a group of p b riests and Q& ° J™g m whispers All were anxious, expecting the worst news. The one question that was asked was: 'Will the enemy appear to-night or to-morrow?-nl A \° ffl . C6 ''entered an . d announced that General Vassitz had warned the Consuls that he was no longer able to protect them, and that they and citizens of other nations must leave, excepting the Franco-British Consuls who were awa.tmj the arrival of the Anglo-French marines from Belgrade frilly they prepared to depart bv_ the last train, and were standing in the station when, in walked General Picot, m French naval uniform and +?,« tFI TTti at / e *?? dead W« men to recoi noitrlX town I it. , Brlfc « 51 ? 1 Mr ' CraiK ' decided to wait, hoping for the arrival of the British maWs: They were two days' march behind the M.SeS due at the Dibra on the night of November 15. Mr Crairr cpnt, mnntl,, i fetch, them. He hoped that {hue would arrive bj the morning of Novembe? - t SERBIAN HONOURS FOR NAVAL OFFICERS. '~ . '.' (Reo. November 24, 8.40 p.m.) ~ Peter of Serbia has conferred the Order of Merit"?AdSaf feuWdge and-five other naval officers, who were associated in the .Defence of Belgrade! THE FRENCH ATTEMPT TO REACH THE SERBS GENERAL SARRAIL'S DARING OFFENSIVE. . ' ("Times" and Sydney "Sun'-' Services.) (Rec. November 24, 5.5 p.m',) s MrG.Ward Price, B only Alhed troops here so far : as action and engagements indicate. General Sarrail is energetically grappling at the eleventh hour with the situation and his subordinate generals are boldly attacking a superior enemy in difficult country, m face of special handicaps Without waiting for his ;vhole force to be transported up-country, General Sarrail immediately took the offensive aiming to help the Seibs and forging his way through the Babuna Pass At one time tho French troops woro with m ten miles of effecting a junction ' but circumstances prevented this. ' "The Balkan campaign hangs on a single line of railway, grass-tracked parallel to the Vardar, and whoever possesses this line will bo able to stop access to Central Macedonia. General Sarrail's first act was to soizo this point. The French have established a strong bridgehead on the east'sido o'f the Vardar, and also at another weak point higher up the lino "The French in their effort to join U p with, the Serbs in most difficult country did some hazardous marching, using slciiclor wooden bridges and mountain denies, which were their sole line 0 f retreat. They were finally able to attack the Bulgar entren-lied positions ;„ the mountains, which form the can in the Babuna Pass, wlero Serbs wore holding the main Bulgar army Li a desperate battle they woro thrice outnumbered, the Bulgars * constantly streaming reinforcements to tho front, an< j[ having tho advantage of splendid artillery positions. Tho French"attack foiled-to carry the key to the position. Jjeca.ii*a tHare war« no reinforcements. ' -

HOW A HILL WAS CAPTURED. • i (Hec. November 24, 8.43 p.m.) London, November 24. Mr. Ren wick (the "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent) describes a visit to the French front. "Tho Belastchitsa Mountains at night are a weird spectacle," ho says.. "Fires dot tho hill-tops, and searchlights sweep tho valley and its approaches. I visited Hill 160, the key 'to tho important Hill 516. The lower eminence is pock-marked by shell-holes; shrapnel •bullets could ho gathered by cartloads. Hundreds of abandoned rifles are lying on the hill. From tho trenches I had a good view of the Bulgarian lines near the villages of Kosturino and Islis. There are daily duels between snipers posted in trees mid at other points of vantage "A fierce combat on the Rayhsecke (a tributary of the Cerna), marked the farthest point of the French advance, as the result of which the French hold a strong position and an important bridgehead at Foysarts. This is the controlling point of the communication between the French position and tho Ipchangel heights, facing Gradsko, on the Nish-Sa)onika railway, and it also dominates the route from Veles. "When the enemy attacked the French position I distinguished the whereabouts of their artillery the smoke rising from the hillsides. Then the French infantry advanced with rifles and machine-guns H was slow work, but eventually the top was reached, and then with a fierce bayonet encounter the enemy was dislodged." SERBIAN GOVERNMENT MOVES TO PRIZREND, Athens, November 29. The Serbian Government has been removed to Prizrend (on the Albanian border), and the diplomatic corps has gone to Ipek. REPORTED ITALIAN LANDING IN ALBANIA (Red. November 24, 10.30 p.m.) ~-',. ~,,.„ . Oenova, November 24. According to the usually well-informed newspaper "La Suisse," Italian troops have begun a landing in Albania, TEN GERMAN DIVISIONS COMING FROM THE RUSSIAN FRONT (Reo. November 24, 10.30 p.m.) , .... Petrograd, November 24. len German divisions have been withdrawn from the northern front of the Eastern theatre to the Balkans. What the Russian undertaking for the 'Balkan campaign is cannot yet be revealed, but in all respects these will be fully adequate to the requirements. GERMAN 16A-INOH GUNS FOR GALLIPOLI. . Bucharest, November 23. It is reported that two IBJ-mch guns have been landed in Bulgaria,' and are destined 'for Qallipoli. A Constantinople message states that a first contingent of German troops has arrived. General von Mackensen ia expected to command. RUSSIA GATHERING HER FORGES. (Rec.' Kovember 25, 1.35 a.m.) . i ■ Amsterdam, November 24. A German semi-official message states that Russia is preparing a Balkan army of 200,000 at Odessa, 80,000 .at Reni, and 70,000 at Ismail. Early events are expected in the neighbourhood of tio Rumanian frontier. BIG WAR COUNCIL AT SALONIKA '' 'GERMAN NEWSPAPER'S CIRCUMSTANTIAL STORY.. London, November 23. The "Frankfurter Zeitung" states that Lord Kitchener visited headquarters at Mudros and then spent two days at Suvla Bay visiting the trenches. ' Ho proceeded to Salonika on Friday, and presided at a war council, seven British and five French generals attending. He then went to Athens to see King Constantino. ' Athens, November 23. M. Denys-Cochin (the French. Envoy) has returned from Salonika, and is re-visiting King Constantine. _ The Sorbian War Minister has arrived at Salonika, to confer with the Allies. SOME COLD FACTS FOR THE GREEK CABINET • LORD KITCHENER'S REPORTED UTTERANCES. (Rec. November 24, 8.5 p.m.) London, November 24. According to an . Athens/message, Lord Kitchener, when conversing wi*h the Greek Cabinet Ministers, stated that at the declaration of war the Entente Powers were not prepared, but England would have four million men armed by March, and would be able toarm and supply six million Russians. Ho would bo a very simple-minded person who imagined that there would be any end of the wmr except .Germany's complete defeat. DEFINITE ASSURANCES OF NEUTRALITY. (Reo. November 24, 8.40 p.m.) , _ _ . , ■ Athens, November 24. Prominent Government, officials say that King Constantino and M. Skouloudis (the Greek Premier) gave Lord Kitchener definite assurances that Greece would not take hostile action against the Entente in any circumstances and that existing differences woudl quickjy bo adjusted in a manner satisfactory to the Entente. BLOCKADE RUMOUR OFFICIALLY DENIED.'' i '.'','. „ T , London, November 23. A Router's Agency message from London states.—"The Foreign Office denies the seizure of Greek ships and any blockade of Greek ports."' The High Commissioner reports: ™ „ . „„. , London, Novembe: 23, 3 p.m. The Foreign Office announces: There are.no Greek ships being seized or help up in ports of the United Kingdom, nor is there a blockade of Greek ports. '• A PRONOUNCED INCONSISTENCY. I (Rec. November 24, 8.45 p.ni;) . ~ London, November 24. ' The newspapers note the precise wording of the Foreign Office statement, and recall the explicit, announcements from Athens, which quoted the British Legation's declaration of an economic and commercial blockade. They point out that the Foreign Office communique may mean that Greece has now given full satisfaction to the Allies' demands, guaranteeing the safety of the troops at Salonika and beneficent treatment _ in the event of their being compelled to retreat into Greece. This optimistic view prevails especially in Paris where it is stated that upon certain points the negotiations between the Entente and Greece were successful. RIGID CENSORSHIP AT ATHENS VENIZELISTS THREATENED WITH ARREST. (Rec. November 24, 8.5 p.m.) ~ ~ * s London, ■ November 24. . The "Daily Telegraph's" Rome correspondent declares that the Athens censorship did not permit tho announcement th'at the Venizelists' abstention from the Greek elections was due to* threats of arrost from the military. The newspapers are forbidden to oriticise the Government's action and the diplomatic negotiations. ■ . Athens, November 23. A rigid censorship on Athens news is still enforced. "GREECE'S CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN VIOLATED" AN INTERVIEW WITH M. VENIZELOS. Paris, November 23. The "Echo de Paris" correspondent at Athens interviewed M Venizelos, who declared that he, with the King\s consent, had waited on the French Minister in August, 1914,-and oppressed Greece's willingness to help France. "Since then," he said, "Greece s Constitution has been violated, and it has become my duty to throw the responsibility on the men who have undertaken an ill-omened policy for Greece.' FIERCE FIGHTING ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT MOST IMPORTANT OPERATIONS SINCE WARSAW Br Telegraph—Press Asjociation-Oopyright ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) _ (Rec. November 24, 5.5 p.m.) , L , L , L , _ . , London, November 23. The "Times" correspondent with the Russian headquarters says that the last ten days' fierce fighting in the Svptp lakes are- the most important operations sinco Warsaw. "The Russians are assuraiug the offensive, and compelling the Germans to recede. It is believed that tho Gorman failure hero is permanent. Tho Russian troops are magnificently bravo and' devoted, their artillery i* brilliant. «iul the atau has overcomo enormous tactical difficulties [ia. Karryina out this offensive."

GERMAN CRUISER SUNK BY THE RUSSIANS DEADLY GUN-FIRE FROM TORPEDO-BOATS, (Rec. November 24, 8.40 p.m.) . , , Potrograd, November 24. liussmn torpedo-boats sank a German cruiser of 3000 tone, which waa patrolling near Windau. 180 of the crow were drowned, and 20 were saved. I'lie .Russians deadly gun-fire made the action short, -though the oruiser had several 4-iuch guns. ANOTHER FIFTY THOUSAND MEN FROM AUSTRALIA NEW Wm FOR ACTIVE SERVICE I PLUS 9500 PER MONTH FOR REINFORCING PRESENT FORCES ■ , By Teleirapli—Fresa Association—CoDyrtflit .(Reo. November 24, 9.20 p.m.) Melbourne, November 24. Following upon a Cabinet meeting, Mr. W. M. Hughes (the Federal Prime Minister) announced that the Government, after a very careful consideration of the present outlook, had decided to raise an additional fifty thousand men for active' service, to be available within the next few months. They would form new units, independent of the quota of 9500 men required montfhly for the reinforcements.. Mr. Hughes added that the principle of voluntary enlistment would be, adhered to. He promised that he would_ ta-ko an early opportunity to disclose the reasons wiry the Government was taking this important step for assisting the Allies to bring the war to a successful conclusion. WHAT IS NEW ZEALAND DOING? The above oablegram was referred to the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey)last evening. In reply to a question as to whether the Government had anything of a similar nature in its mind, Mr. Massey Baid that he was not prepared to make any statement until he-had received an official communication from Australia —"or, for that matter," he added, "from London."