THE BALKANS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 971, 18 August 1903, Page 2

THE BALKANS.

SITUATION SAID TO BE DES-

PERATE.

TURKS REPULSED BY REBELS.

DISAPPEARANCE OF ANOTHER RUSSIAN CONSUL.

By Telegraph—Press ’AssociationCopyright.) LONDON, August 15.

Viennna papers report the disappearance of Dr Mainderstiam, Russian Consul at UskUh, while on a tour of inspection in Macedonia.

A squadron of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has sailed for Turkish Waters.

Vienna reports state that the situation is desperate. The Porte is incapable of restoring order. Strong hands of rebels aro plundering the village®, and firing houses everywhere. One thousand Turks attacked the rebel stronghold in tho mountains of Fiorina district. The place was guarded fay six hundred men, and ,was a centre for the distribution of bread, clothing, ammunition, rifles, and shoes. After twenty-four hours fighting, the Turks were repulsed, with heavy loss. CONSTANTINOPLE, Aug. 15.

Ililmi Pasha visited M. Roskovsky’s widow, to condole with her, and to announce the grant oT compensation. The widow declined compensation, saying that she did not want Turkish charity, and also returned her husband’s .Turkish decoration. MUNITIONS OF WAR POURING IN.

A BIG ORDER BY TURKEY. 100 INSURGENTS KILLED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Received 1.4 a.m., Aug. 18. Constantinople, Aug. 17. The Porte, denies the arming of the population in Uskub district. Immense quantities of rifles and ammunition from Odessa are arriving at Rustohuk, and being forwarded to Philippolis. Turkey has ordered from Krupp’s foundry 32 batteries of quick-firing field artillery of six guns each. One hundred insurgents were killed fighting near Penlepe. In connection with the Halnis trial the Chief of Gendarmerie has been dismissed for trusting important posts to Albanians unable to speak Turkish. THE WARNING FROM RUSSIA.

BULGARIA ALSO ADVISED TO CHANGE TACTICS.

By Telegraph—Presß Association—Copyrigb Received 1.20 a.m., Aug. 18. Constantinople, Aug. 17.

Count Lamsdorff, on tho 11th inst., intimated that tho Sultan’s regrets and the Porte’s promises were inadequate, and insisted on the punishment, besides Halim, of military and civil authorities guilty of atrocities denounced by Russian and Austrian consuls, and release of peasants and victims of atrocities reported by them, also the renewed employment of foreign officers in gendarmerie and police. Count Lamsdorff on the 12th warned Bulgaria that these demands would not modify tho previous programme, and it would be a dangerous error to interpret it as fostering the Macedonian Committee’s agitation. The Committee’s continued criminal activity was a hindrance to pacification and the introduction of reforms. Russian consular reports showed that the peaceful Christian population suffered at the hands of revolutionaries as much as from Turks’ outrages ; hence the necessity for the most rigorous counteraction on the part of Bulgaria. This note lessonod Austria’s anxiety. The orders to despatch the squadron are interpreted as a step to support Russia’s demands. ACCUSATIONS BY BULGARIA.

TURKEY’S PERSECUTION,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 1.36 a.m., August 18.

Sofia, Aug. 17.

A Bulgarian note to the Powers accuses Turkey of closing churches and schools, terrorising and ruining peasantry, exasL perating the population, torturing the innocent, and collecting taxes years in advance, and enumerates acts of injustice, torture, and violation, giving the names of victims and localities; 4000 are still in gaol; persecutions have driven 6000 into Bulgaria. The Porte should recognise that the cause of insurrection was bad administration, and not conspiracy on the part of Bulgaria. M. Petroff, in an'interview, said that the Bulgarians’ attitude was absolutely correot, The frontier was carefully guarded. The rising was purely internal and national, and the work of an internal committee. The insurgents’ arms, mostly French, were sold by Turkish officers whose pay was in arrears. He believed the outbreak would be confined to Monastic district, and be easily suppressed.

THE PORTE’S BLINDNESS.

A BOMB EXPLOSION.

By Telegraph— Press Association—Copyright Received 1.42 a.m., Aug. 18. Constantinople, Aug. 17. The Porte professes to interpret the approaching Russian squadron’s visit as being connected with naval manoeuvres similar to 1902.

The Consuls at Monastir are being specially protected. Halim’s execution incensed the lower orders. Rostovsky’s successor acted as public prosecutor at the court martial, and signed the sentences. A bomb exploded undar a military train at Ferezovitch, killing three and wounding four.