LATE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2803, 22 June 1916, Page 5

LATE NEWS

ALLIES' OFFENSIVE IN THE BALKANS

WHY IT HAS NOT BEGUN

SERBIAN ARMY NOT BEADY

A MIDSUMMER BLOW

By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. June 22, 0.40 a.lll. ) New York, Juno 21. Advices from Salonika state that the preparations of the Allied forces'indicated all original intention to launch an offensive in May. The Serbian army, however, was in a far worse- plight' than had been supposed. It entirely needed reequipping, and General Putnik, its commander, was physically unable to lead, while many_ of the leading officers were too worn with hardships to eontiuuo in active service. A,new set of officers was chosen, and instead of making the first stride to the Balkans to draw the German reserves from the Western front, while a decisive action was planuofl in France, it was decided that the Macedonian offensive should coincido with the Allied offensive on all fronts. It is generally supposed that this has been timed for mid-summer. One hundred and thirty thousand firstclass Serbian troops, are in readiness to take the first line positions on the frontier. Objection was first raised that they had suffered enough, and that every stalwart man was needed to i'o-establish their annihilated race, but the Prince Regent asked: "How can wo recruit our Fatherland except as conquerors? Of what avail will it be to perpetuate the race if we are content to let others do our fighting? The offspring of a Serbian who has been a liero is.worth a hundred who were able to fight but stopped at home." -AH the old and unfit have been weeded out, and the remainder are tried and capable. Most of the recent advices state that there are 350,000 British and Frjnch troops at Salonika, \ the majority being British. Transports continue to arrive with new French troops. Experts estimate that there are also 200,000 men available in Egypt.