ROUND-UP OF PRISONERS AT TURTUKAI

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2873, 11 September 1916, Page 5

ROUND-UP OF PRISONERS AT TURTUKAI

GERMAN REPORTS NOT CONFIRMED MACKENSEN'S EFFORT TO DIVIDE RUMANIAN FORGES Australian-New Zealand Cablo Association. ■ , , „ , London, September 8. Balkan telegrams do not confirm tho extent of the German rounding up of prisoners at Turtukai, wboro the Germans or Bulgarians are usin"- most powerful artillery, suggesting that Von Maokensen intends to direct lis big. gest efforts against Rumania, with the object of dividing the Rumanian forces.' . ' . GREAT BATTLE RAGING IN THE .DOBRUJA,' , ± , . ',' , London, Scptombor 8. Rome reports a great battle in the Dobruja on the whole front. AN ENTENTE VICTORY IN THE BALKANS. . . „ „ , London, September 8. ■■ _An Entente victory in tho Balkans would lift the blockade of Russia which has operated for two years, and enable tho Entente to receive her "rain and troops in rotiirn for guns and munitions. ' French writers declare it will be a disappointment if tho Allies- are unablo to make the best use of Rumania's intervention. If the operations fail to quickly achievo a complete Bulgarian collapse there will be no entry of Russians into Constantinople. HAS THE MYSTERIOUS RUSSIAN ARMY BEGUN OPERATIONS? SOFIA-CONSTANTINOPLE LINE SAID TO. BE THREATENED. (Rec. Soptember 10, 5.5 p.mj . London, September 9. If tho Athens reports that tho Russians havo capturedl Negotin and are threatening Vidin are confirmed, this must'bo regarded as ono of tho surprises of the Balkan war, and is possibly a solution of the reference to a mysteri--ous Russian army which was likely to effect far-reaching changes in the Baj. kan campaign. ! If the roport is trae ; the Russians are only sixty miles from tho main line. The Sofia-Constantinople railway is a vital artery of Germany's power in South-Eastorn Europe. Gorman newspapers were'recently showing extreme anxiety as to the safety cf this railway, some even declaring that if effectively blocked it would be tho beginning of Germany's strangulation. In any case, the possession of Orsova is important, for here the river runs narrow, in a rocky defile, only 180 yards wide. Its possession has given Rumania tho key to the whole Danube position and the back dbor of Serbia. GUNS CAPTURED AT ORSOVA. (Ree. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) London, September 9. A Bucharest communiquo says: Wo captured seven guns and many machino guns at Orsova." AUSTRIAN'S RECAPTURE SOME MOUNTAINS. (Rcc. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) „„. London, September 8. An Austrian' communique says: — \\ o recaptured some mountains in Potrohen and Sotszz, on the road to the Rumanian front." ffuLGARS OCCUPY BRIDGEHEAD AT TURTUKAI. ~„ , Sona, September 8. A communique states:— Our troops aro advancing on tho fortified town of Turtukai, on the Danube "Thoy have approached the defences of the place, audi occupied tho heights wost of tho village of Starismil. "Wo occupied tho brideghead at Turtukai and Silistria. "After a successful fight we occupied the towns of Dobrich, Bolchik, Kavarna, and Kallakra, where the population rocoived us with indescribable enthusiasm."

AMAZING CLAIMS IN A BULGARIAN COMMUNIQUE. (Rec. September 10, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, Soptember 9. A Sofia commiiniquo says:—"The ro was violent fighting south of Tur-tul-ai on tho 6th. Wo captured a fortress, fortified in the manner of a bridgehead The garrison capitulated. Eight infantry regiments, two bat-, talions of gendarmerie, a howitzer regiment, and a heavy artillery regiment woro taken prisoner. We captured all fortress guns, four hundred officers, twentyono thousand unwounded men, and over a hundred' modern guns, including two batteries stolen in. 1913. Tho Rumanian losses in killed and wounded wore enormous. Many were panic-stricken, and in their flight were drowned in tho Danube.". / •Note.—Tho foregoing is unconfirmed from Allied sources. Bulgarian communiques are notoriously untruthful. Tho Rumanians state the total number of troops in the district was under twenty thousand. AUSTRIAN RIGHT WING FORCED TO WITHDRAW. (Rec. September 10, 11.30 p.m.) A ~- London, September" 10. A Vienna, communique says: "Wo drove tho enemy back on the Petro-seng-Hatszeg Road. Fresh strong enemy attacks caused our right wing to withdraw to former positions. Tho enemy seized isolated portions of the heights eastward of tho Cibo Valley.