The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1918. BULGARIA'S SURRENDER

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 415, 4 October 1918, Page 2

The Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1918. BULGARIA'S SURRENDER

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down aught in malice."

The unconditional surrender of Bulgaria as officially announced last Tuesday constitutes a victory for the allied arms of the utmost importance as geographically it brings about a severance of direct communication between the Germans and the Turks. That it should be hinted in yesterday's cables that Bulgaria will not be averse to attacking Turkey is not surprising as from the early days the people of the two countries have been repeatedly at war. In 1391 Bulgaria was conquered by the Turks and for close upon 500 years the Bulgars were subject to the tyrannous rule of the Ottoman empire. As a result of the war between Russia and Turkey in 1877, in which the latter was completely prostrated, the autonomy of Bulgaria was secured. The Bulgarian collapse, while a magnificent tribute to the foresight of the Allied military leaders and a complete vindication ol Allied strategy, strikes a deadly blow at the foundation of all Germany's hopes and aspirations. She entered the war, for which she deliberately plotted and schemed, in the belief that she would emerge therefrom supreme both on land and sea ; she must now recognise the hand-writing on the wall, and realise that disappointment, poignant and bitter, is her portion. Everywhere she is condemned and hated, and none is so servile as to do her lionovr. While there was a vestige of hope Bulgaria was prepared to do her bidding, but as soon as it became apparent that the lavish German promises could not be redeemed and that nothing was to be gained by continuing the stiuggle, the Bulgarians hastened to detach themselves from the Central Powers.

It is reported from New York that Turkey is already seeking for peace and that she will submit a definite offer in the immediate future. This is more than probable, for Turkey, now that the Allies have secured control of the Bulgarian railways, is completely isolated from Germany, whence she drew her supplies of war material, and will also be threat-

ened on another front, for the armies which have been concen- 1 trated in Macedonia can now be diverted towards Constantinople, and, if the Turks are so ill-advised as to continue the struggle, there can be little question that the capital would speedily fall. With Constantinople in the hands of the Allies the passage of the Dardanelles would be secured, and the benefits that would accrue from that would be immense. It is inconceivable, in the face of the facts, that Turkey will continue the struggle, but will, like Bulgaria, make a virtue of a necessity and accept the iaevitable. It can truthfully be said that events favourable to the Allies are quickly moving. On the western front the enemy are being steadily driven back whilst in Palestine the allied armies are making rapid progress. That the end of the war is in sight is to be devoutly hoped but peace must, as we have previously pointed out, only be assured by Germany's aims and ambitions being irretrievably shattered for all time.