Progress of the Balkan War.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 55, 29 October 1912, Page 5

Progress of the Balkan War.

(gy Electric Telegraph. —Copyright — United Press Association.)

F!CHI AT KIRK KILISSIE. THE STORY OF THE BATTLE. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London, October 28. The ‘Daily Telegraph’s’ Sofia correspondent reports that the armament at Kirk Kilissie consisted of six Ilia, guns, altogether a hundred pieces. Tne fortress was regarded as impregnable except by mining, it Avas surrounded by redoubts and avcll entrenched. The Bulgarians wore not possessed of a single siege gun, and their victory was something miraculous. General Dimitiefs, at the head ot fom - diA'isious, formed an immense Hying column, provided aa ith four days rations and an extra supply ct ammunition. Assault followed assault. The Turkish gunnery failed to dislodge any of the attackers’ positions. Bayonet attacks Avere made in the night time, the Bulgarians steadily advancing their redoubts, and they must have filled the entanglements Avith their corpses. They sacrificed everything to rapidity. Ladders swayed and tottered until placed in position, enabling them to scale the modern forts. Hand grenades were used, and the forts being without searchlights, tne rain and darkness facilitated tne approach of the Bulgarians. An aviator in the day time perceiv cd a Turkish- division hurrying from Adrianoplo. Subsequently, on ids report, the Turks were ambushed and decimated. They dispersed and abandoned their artillery. The garrison consisted of forty thousand. Tavo hours before the crowning bayonet charge, regiments of Kurdish cavalry made a sortie to wards the Bulgarian lino with a view to opening the road for the infantry lo protect the withdraAvnl. The Bulgarian cavalry caught them on the flank, leading to an inextricable sanguinary enlacemont of horses ai d men Gjio Kurds fled, and the Bulgaiians immediately annihilated a regin eni. of infantry in the vicinity. The Turks were seided vith panic, and fled. Reuter’s Sofia .correspondent says that it is reported that the Turks left five hundred dead at Kirk Kilissie. ALBANIANS THREATEN PORTE. The ‘Daily Telegraph’s’ Constantinople correspondent says that the Albanians have threatened the Porte that unless they are guaranteed peace and liberty they Avill seek Austria’s help. The Turks at Kirk Kilissie, imagining that the Bulgarians intended purely defensive tactics behind tne Balkans, assumed the offensive AA-ith inadequate forces. Throe army corps, making a reconnaissance, were drawn into the general engagement, Avhcnco it was difficult to extricate tfio units. One impetuous division became separated from the third corps and suffered severely. It Avas obliged to retire, compelling the whole lino to return. The Bulgarians folhnvcd up their success by a general onslaught on Kirk Kilissie. I

TURKISH BRUTALITIES. / Sofia, October 28. The Bulgarians found the KochaiuIshtis Road Jittered with discarded }'nrkisii clothing. 'torrential ram and jog°'y roads impeded their advance. OTiecn Eleonora, dressed as a Red Jrcss nurse, spends many hours daily m the military hospitals at I'lulippopolis, assisting in dressing tiie ♦sounds. . , r Tiie corpses of Bulgarian soldiers captured by the Turks were found ivith their noses and cars cut oft, and deep knife cuts. The Turks leave tneir own killed and wounded on the battle field, and they are now being treated m Bulgarian hospitals, which are over flowing with wounded Turkish ofhceis iml men. , ... A Bulgarian officer’s divorced wile was court-martialled for espionage, and shot with two .Macedonian spies, on proofs of her complicity. Fugitives from Vlahi, twenty-eigno miles southward of border, report that the Turks, before retiring, when tne Bulgarians approacheu, massacred a hundred, inhabitants. St. Petersburg, October 28. The Red Cross Society has voted £IOO,OOO for the care of the sick and wounded in the Balkans. ■POWERS ANXIOUS FOR PEACE. Paris, October 28. M. Poincare, in a speech at A antes, referred to'the unanimity of the i'owvM’S in assisting Franco in her efforts to maintain peace. Franco remained closely attached to Russia and Britain, and was firm for the maintenance of the entents necessary for European equilibrium. Therein lay the best hope of the localisation of tne ivar, and that it should he stopped by Furope at the first convenient opportunity. Perhaps the moment of mediation is near. WHEN TURK MEETS TURK. Constantinople, October 28. The commanders of other divisions were unaware on the night of tne 22nd that the first army corps had men suddenly launched against Genjral Dometrieff’s left, between i u jiff j a and Kirk Kilissie. The attack f iled, and the men streamed back imong the other Turks, who mistook them for Bulgarians. The assailing two Turkish sections fired on eac.a other, and the Bulgarians fired oa both. CLOSING ON ADRIANOPLE. Sofia, October 28. The Bulgarians have captured B vbraki and occupied Saljustator and F,rmilio, both seven miles south-west and south of Adrianople. A POPULAR VICTORY. (Received 29, 8.5 a.m.) Belgrade, October 28. Owing to historical associations, tne capture of TJskub appealed most ti ;}ie popular imagination that attends all hard-won victories. King Peter has issued a proclaim".don liberating and repatriating all prisoners, both Turks and Albanians. Three divisions of the Turks, route! southwards of Kumanovo, retreated in disorder. ‘The Times’ ’ Sofia correspondent says that the moral effect of the capture of TJskub will probably excel that of Kirk Kilissie. BULGARIANS AND TURKS. -Sofia, October 28. General Dlmitrieff, reporting on the capture of Kirk Kilissie, says that a division made a sortie in the night time. The Bulgarian stormers feigned a retreat and drew the Turks within range of machine guns, which practically annihilated them. Thereafter Mukhtir Pasha quitted the town, and the baggage was captured containing the whole plan of campaign.

Nazim’s headquarters are at Choln. It is reported that Kiamil lias been offered a Grand Vizierate.

The Sultan, urgently desired to proceed to the front to encourage the troops, but the Porte dissuaded him. FEARFUL SLAUGHTER. London, October 2S. Mr. Beaumont, the ‘Telegraph’s’ Sofia correspondent, mentions the t vrihie Bulgarian losses in taking Kirk Kilissie. Ho adds that, according‘to private accounts, there Avere 20,00',) victims.

Mr Bennett Burleigh mentions that one estimate is 16,000 Turks killed and injured. Many Bulgars are among the ’Turkish prisoners. They are donning the Bulgar cap and joining the King’s forces. Constantinople, October 28. Eighty per cent, of the officers at Kirk Kilissie Avere killed or Avounded. THE ATTACK ON SCUTARI. Cettinje, October 28. Scutari Avas subjected to a cross lire from the batteries to the north-Avcst and south from the Island of Urangia in the lake, Avhile King Nicholas Avas Avatching. The garrison is threatened Avith famine. General Vukobitch has captured the strongly fortified heights of Rojaz, dominating the approach to Ipek, Athens, October 28. Three hundred volunteers from the Aegean Islands have arrived. King George Avas Avelcomed Avith enthusiasm at Elassja, and has proceeded to Sorfije Avith the allies. The Greeks occupied the Pass of Ponte Faoghadia, on the road to Janina. ATROCITIES OF THE WAR. Athens, October 28. The fugitive Turkish army at Epirus, after chaining them together, massacred tAventy-five young villagers, tortured the women and children, and burned and pillaged several villages. Wounded Turkish soldiers lying in the hospital stabbed the Greek Red Cross petty officers. Belgrade, October 28. The Turkish prisoners at Rinnanovo are in a pitiable condition. Many are bootless.

EFFECT OF RAPID CHARGES. Wounded Bulgarian officer reparts state that there was a four hours’ series of bayonet assaults, during which all tlie more important ' positions were taken. One storming party under a cross fire suffered severe!"; nevertheless, it persisted, and captured two Kirk Kilissie redoubts. Tne bayonet charges, were so rapid that the defenders had no time to fix bayonets before meeting the shock. FIGHTING AT 3UNASIS2AR. Constantinople, October 28. Fighting is proceeding at Bunahissar. Vienna, October 28. It is semiofficially announced at Constantinople that a number of Turkish officers refused to proceed to posts, and Nazim Pasha threatens the severest penalties. SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENTS. (Received 29, 9.10 a.m.) London, October 28. General Dumtrieff is advancing in a long lino from Kenidge to Babaeski. Simultaneuosly a western column moved towards Ha via. Smyrna, October 28. A train carried seven hundred soldiers whereof half were killed. Many peasants are rendering aid. Reuter states that the Servians have captured Morovita. (Received 9.45 a.m.) London, October 28. Greek committees in England have raised £15,000 to relieve Epirus refugees. THE STATUS QUO. The Berliner Tageblatt’s Vienna correspondent states that if the Powers’ programme in reference t) the status quo is not maintained, Austria will consider herself free to fol- j low her own policy. DETAILS OF THE 21 St. (Received 29. 9.15 a.m.) Constantinople, October 28. Owing to the Turkish commander’s impatience to take the offensive, t v, e advance was authorised for the night of the 21st.

A witness of the massacre describes the finding of eleven in one bouse with their throats , cut, including a woman. Two thousand Servian volunteers fought beside the regulars. The Servians’ entry prevented the massaer'ng of Servian notables imprisoned prior to the fighting. The Turks butchered the Servian neasants requisitioned as transport drivers. The Turks at Fskub wore seized with panic, and retired in disorder before the Crown Prince’s army. Prisoners report that their comrades have been foodless for two days. The Turks are retiring towards Volos. CZAR'S GONCRATIiLATIOPiS. According to private advices, the Czar congratulated King Peter on the capture of Fskuh, The Albanians are surrendering as (be Servians advance. When Prishtina was occupied, a Servian sentinel was ordered to guard the Sultan Murad’s tomb. _ ‘ The Servians have occupied Forizovitch. a strategic nosition commanding the Kotchanik Pass.

A column of infantry, cavalry and volunteers, under Mnkbtir Pasha, and Prince Aziz, moved northwards of Kirk Kilissio with the intention of surprising the Bulgarians. The night

was extremely stormy, and wet. The column was divided into two sections, following different paths. Tiie vanguard came into contact with the Bulgarian." at dawn, the Bulgarians ■ being in overwhelming strength. then a mistake arose. Both Turkish sections firing at one another, and heavy loss was inflicted before the error was discovered. The Turkish cavalry attempted to charge, but were severely punished, i hey lied, and created a panic among the retiring infantry, especially the volunteers, who precipitately bolted, throwing tiie reserves into confusion. Ultimately the second division of the Constantinople Army Corps stemmed the rout. .. Tne details "of the losses are unknown, but it is believed one division was decimated. The commander at Adrianople has issued a proclamation that soldiers having heroically done their duty outside the town must now defend the town, as their fathers defended PlevThe military authorities declai’e that Adrianople is impregnable. Frequent sallies inflict heavy loss on the Bulgarians. LATEST NEWS. Received 29, 11.0 a.m.) Vienna, October 28. The bridge over the river Chorlu lias been blown up, cutting off communication between Constantinople and Luluborgas. Portion of the Adrianople garrison lias retreated to Dimotika. Sofia, October 28. Bulgarians occupied Bunarhishar after the capture of Babaeski. Bulgarians seized a military train laden with Turkish troops and supplies, bound for Adrianople. BULGARIA READY, BUT FIRM. M. Ivan Gueshoff, Bulgarian Premier, interviewed, said Bulgaria was ready to accept intervention of the Powers, but if the Turks did not agree Bulgaria will dictate terms at the gates of Constantinople. FALL OF THE GUNS. Belgrade, October 28. Fifteen guns were taken at Mifcrovitza, and 123 at TJskub,, during the campaign. The allies haVc captured 340 guns. When the Servians approached Uskub the Turkish authorities and the police fled, and tbs Bashibazouks commenced to pillage, and the Consul thereupon invited the Servians to enter. The latter seized six hundred waggons of supplies. Neighbouring towns are surrendering. Athens, October 28. _ The Greek objective, Salonika, is now within forty miles. Bucharest, October 28. Precautions have been taken, designed to render the Roumanian mobilisation effective within a fortnight if needed. NEWSPAPER OPINION. St. Petersburg, October 28. The newspapers are practically unanimous in asserting that it is impossible to restore the status quo. The ‘Novoo Vroinya’ says it is impossible to muzzle the Slavs. The Bulgarian representative at St, Petersburg is purchasing aeroplanes and engaging aviators. Servia is also purchasing aeroplanes. Several of the best Russian airmen are starting south. \