THE BALKAN WAR

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 78, 25 November 1912, Page 5

THE BALKAN WAR

O ROUND ADRIANOPLE. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Press Association.) Sofia, Xovenihcr 23. The bombardment of Adrianoplo is proceeding furiously. Several positions have been captured. The Turks sortiod on Wednesday, and attempted to recapture Fort Karataitje, but were repulsed, 350 being killed.' The Bulgarians have occupied Dcd?gatcli and Malgara, midway between Dedogatch and Rodosto, thus opening the way through tiie territory westward to Constantinople. It is untrue that the torpedoors were sunk, but they were slightly damaged. The newspaper ‘.Mil’s’ Adnanople 'correspondent reports that the garrison .made a general sortie at four o’clock on Friday morning, apparently for provisions, but were repulsed witn heavy loss. Fightsing continued all day. “MOST SEVERE BATTLE.’’ Belgrade, November 23. Retreating i’rouu Mona stir, the Turks made a stand near Bonn, but the Servian cavalry routed them, capturing ten guns. The wounded from Mo a a stir described the battle asv the most severe of the war. Owing to the swampy ground the Servian artillery was unable to get into action in the early part of the engagement, the infantry sometimes ■ being breast-deep in the water. Fethy Pasha, commanding the Turks at Monastir, was killed prior to the capture of the town. The Servians identified Ids body, and buried it with full'military honours. The Servians have occupied Kcsna, westward: of Mona stir. Athens, November 23. The Crown Prince reports tfiat the cavalry are pursuing the enemy after the Fiorina battle. They have captured twenty guns and much war material. BOMBARDMENT OF SCUTARI. Ccttinje, November 23. The bombardment of Scutari is proceeding continuously. Much damage, has been done to the Mohammedan quarter. i Vienna, November 23. Two Greek torpedoors searched the Austrian steamer Dnrazza, but Ismal Nandi had already landed. TURKS EVACUATE MYTILENE. j . Athens, November 23. The Consuls at Mytilene persuaded ;7000 of the Turkish garrison to evacuate the town. Fifteen thousand Greeks thereupon disembarked, 1100 of them pursuing the Turks to the interior. Sofia, November 23. Generals Dauoff, Savoff, and Fit|Cii.off have gone to Chataldja to negotiate an armistice. ■ , jpCho Powers have advised Bulgaria not to make the conditions too soVC Negoti ations for peace still conNib be, despite the present liostilities. MUKHTAR PASHA WOUNDED. Constantinople, November 23. Mukhtar Pasha, Commander-in-Cldef, with his staff, were in the fighting line on Sunday, and were repeatedly begged to retire, but refused, later on riding to Lake Dukas. 1 hoy passed FqH Pasbakativili, which they believed the Turkish garrison was in possession of. Suddenly, alarmed by the ,skouts of. his stalf, Mukhtar saw the Mack A’strakans of the Bulgarians. The fort had been abandoned, and, wheeling round, the staff galloped to safety in the face of a heavy rifle fire. Mukhtar Pasha was wounded with two bullets, but a devoted body servant saved him. Practically all the staff were wounded. A now staff vas sent for. Mukhtar Pasha’s third army corps, which have been uniformly courageous have been successful, despite their hunger. After Kirk Kiiissia they were five days without bread. THE POWERS CO-OPERATINC. London, November 23. Mr Asquith, speaking at Nottingham, said that he was glad to repeat that the Powers were firmly co-operat-ing with a view to circumscribing the field of possible conflict in connection with the Balkans trouble. He added that there might ho certain questions which, in the best interests of peace and ultimate stability, might possibly be reserved and dealt with when the time came for a general definite settlement. AUSTRIA DESIRES SECURITY. Vifcnna, November 23. While official circles regard the situation as stationary, the newspapers continue to fulminate against Russia. The semi-official paper, the Fromdin Blott, says that Austria does not desire to limit the noli deal independence of the Balkan States, nor does she aspire to economic preference, but she does desire security for her State, and also to develop political and commercial relations by conventions which shall not exclude Servians economic in dependence or prevent the other Balkan States participating. Austria must take care that her trade in the Levant is assured by a free route to Salonika. Austria is not adopting a conciliatory attitude towards Sorvia’s approve hto the Adriatic, so long as m; sea-hound territorial acquisitions are involved. The Daily ’Mail’s - correspondent states that notwithstanding Court Berchtold’s denial, mobilisation of certain of the army corps is going on, while sentries have been doubled on five bridges over the river Daiuiko. Small detachments have also been drafted to Bosnia, whilst similar reinforcements have been made oil the Russian frontier. Vienna, the correspondent adds, is excited ever the rumours of Russian mobilisation. The Chronicle’s correspondent reports that 300,000 men arc massed round the Servian frontiers. General Schannla, chief of the Austrian general staff, visited Berlin and had a prolonged conference with Count Mo like. The Archenke Franz Ferdicnand of Austria is visiting the Kaiser, and is attending Court and a- hunt at Hanover. The Kaiser’s guests include Herr von liethmanu Hell weir. Grand Admiral von Tirpitz, Herr KiderlenWechter, and the chief generals of the general army staff. TURKEY’S ARMY OF RECRUITS. (Received 0.5 a.in.) Berlin, November 21. General Vonderzoltz, in an address to the Asiatic Society, said no attempt was made to maintain a modern army in Turkey until 1908. They set to work with 'much eagerness and industry, but without a right understanding of their task. 'There was lack of instructors after thirty years of lethargy. The

building of a homogeneous corps of officers would take years. The army defeated in tne Balkans was only an army of recruits. Constantinople, November 24. There was no fighting at Chitaldja on Saturday. The Bulgarian plenipotentiaries arrive to-day. Additional delegates have been appointed for the armistice proposals. Belgrade, November 21. The guns captured by the Servians at Monaster included ten which the Creeks previously lost to Turkey. Aniens, November 2r. A torpedo boat entered Aivalik harbour, and the commander of a Turkish gunboat carrying three Krupps, immediately opened Kingston valves and abandoned the vessel. Creek sailors Jmarded her, but were unable to close the valves, and they sunk the gunboat with the torpedo. STRICT PRESS CENSORSHIP. Vienna, November 24. Though the mobilisation is authoritatively contradicted, newspapers arc strictly censored respecting tire movements of the troops. PEACE PROSPECTS HOPEFUL. Berlin, November 24. The reported differences between Austria and Boumania are denied. It is stated that Servia is aware that Russia will not go to extremes to help her. The general opinion is that the prospects of a peaceful settlement are increasing. Military circles consider the situation grave, but not alarming. Sabres are being rattled, merely to warn disturbers of peace in Belgrade. St. Petersburg, November 24. The readiness of the Bulgarians to offer more acceptable terms is believed to bo tine to the fact that there have been 100,000 casualties out of 1500,000 men, and the fact that already youths of sixteen are being called to join the colours. TURKS IN GREAT HEART. The recent success lias heartened the Turks, and the men are singing in the trenches. Great piles of bread, meat, and ammunition have accumulated. Despite the horrors of cholera, the Turks are not anxious to employ foreign doctors, who are forced to commandeer the wounded and sick to fill their beds. Train loads of thousands are arriving daily in the city, though sickness and mortality at the front are decreasing. UNDER LOCK AND KEY. Four ex-Ministers have been arrested for plotting. Every important member cf the Committee cf Union and Progress will soon be under lock and key.