In the Balkans

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 48, 26 October 1915, Page 5

In the Balkans

TO-DAY'S NEWS. The most encouraging news to-day is that the French have got to grips with the Bulgarians, and have succeeded at a' small loss to themselves in .driving them over the Vardar railway, and have forced them to retreat on the Sfcrumnitza river. There a big artillery duel is proceeding, . though no mention i s made of the resjQlt, it may safely be said that the invincible French 75's will win the day. The importance of the operations in this region is the safety of the - railways that run up the Vardar and the line to Seres from Salonika. The Bulgars have made a determined effort to get astride the Vardar railway permanently, but have failed in the attacks they have made at Vranya", Veles, and now further south at Demir Kapu. At the latter place . they have met-a French force, and have been beaten worse than at - either of the other two places. The French' came ill contact first at Dre- - novo on the western side of the line. There they -forced the Bulgars back; and drove them'to the railway by opening operations on a larger scale :• that resulted in the retreat of the enemy bo the SfrrUmnitza well clear of the railroad. There the opposing gunners are fighting for mastery. Defeat of the Bulgars again will be serious, an it will endanger their forces driven from Veles" who are in peril of being cut off or are at least subject to a flank attack. Success for the French would leave a suitable opening for an offensive up the Strumna- Valley against Sofia. The only question is that until the Greek Government decides, no offensive in this region could be begun. When Greece does decide, then it will-be time to expect a vigorous offensive, either against the i Greeks or the Bulgars as the circumstances may warrant. The position in the North has not changed, and apparently things are quiet, while the Germans await re-in-iorcementsthat may never come. The ■ only news that is unfavourable is the German claim to have (turned the Ser-

bian second line away at Visegrad on the west frontier of Serbia. There is only the bare statement from the 'Germans, and as nothing further has been heard of it from either side, the ," chances are the line is not turned at - all. The importance of a success such as the Germans claim would not be included in a sweeping statement to which the enemy are accustomed, Imt would bo specially mentioned with much eclat. The Germans furtherstate they have crossed the Danube and have captured the heights at Orsdva. This gain merely puts them - back in the position they held early in the campaign, when they were dri- • ven out by Serbian artillery. The object of this'operation is plainly to get munitions through to Bulgaria. As the Serbs and some numbers or French and British troops are in force here, the. enemy will probably be as easily held as elsewhere.

The outlook on the operations in. trie Riga and Dvinsk districts is, according to the Daily Telegraph's .correspondents very rosy for the Russians, in whose favour the tide has at last the appearance of turning. The Germans; certainly are well on their way to Riga, but the capture of that place may prove for the reasons stated yesterday of little value. Unless they also -take Dvinsk and hold, it long enough, the capture of Riga would be of little value. That the German advance is''just about extended is shown by the fact that they have beg'un to entrench, and have in several places been turnd' out by the Russians. Troops, pressing on, do not as a rule entrench in order to repel enemy attacks. The whole position seems to be,- that the Germans have, as Kitchener said, shot their bolt, and are using up their reserves in a final effort. Retreat for them is dangerous, and therefore they choose the better of two evils, and keep tip the costly advance in the north, although they' have bee nhalted .and reversed everywhere else.

w NEW GERMAN TACTICS. OBSTINATE SERBIAN RESISTANCE. United Press Association. • • > : (Received 8.35 a.m.) 9 i, Amsterdam, October 25. A German communique states: — • Generals Mackensen and Koevess continue to repulse the Serbians. General Gallwitz gained the south' bank of the* Jasrica despite very obstinate'Serbian resistance. We buried great numbers of Serbians. We crossed the Danube near Orsova, capturing the opposite heights. FIRST FRANCO-BULGARIAN ENCOUNTER ON 21St. ENEMY EVERYWHERE REPULSED. (Received 9.35 a.m.) London, October 25. A French official communique states: The first Franco-Bulgarian encounter occurred on the 21st at Drenovo and was unfavourable to the enemy, who attacked on the 22nd on a larger front, but were repulsed on a larger scale.

SMALL FRENCH LOSSES AT STRUMNITZA. ARTILLERY FIGHTING PROCEEDS (Received 9.35 a.m.) Athens, October 25. The French at Strumnitza lost thirty-one killed and 250 wounded. The fighting was. resumed at Demir Kapon, and an intense artillery duel r is proceeding. i MORE CONTINGENTS FOR SERVIA. MEN AND MATERIAL AT ONCE. (Recelve'u 11.55 a.m.) Paris, October 25. The Figaro states that the Allies have resolved on fresh measures to holp.Servia. Large contingents will bo landed without delay and sent to Servia. The British will immediately despatch troops and material.

FRENCHMEN V. BULCARS. The High Commissioner reports : London, October 25 (3.10 a.m.) Of the army operations in the Orient, the French engaged the Bulgarians on Thursday towards Rabrovo, fourteen kilometres south of Strumnitza. The village remains in our hands, our losses having been light.

ENTENTE NOTE TO GREECE. London. October 24. It is reported at Rome that the Entente hay presented an energetic Note to Greece, with a fixed period for reply. Rome, October 24. The Creek Minister denies the existence of fi secret Greco-Bulgarian treaty. He adds that Greece's attitude is due soHy to military considerations. London, October 24. The Observer's Athens correspondent says that Greece bases her present attitude on the argument that Serbia is unable to support Greece with the 150,000 men stipulated in the Greco-Serbian treaty in case of war with Bulgaria, and then the Entente lias furnished no equivalent to replace the Serbians. Hence swift and convincing action in the matter of concentration of the Allies' troops in Macedonia is essential.

BOMBARDMENT OF DEDEACATCH. London, October 25. Renter's correspondent at New York has received a report from Athens that a thousand- Bulgarian soldiers were killed and many wounded in the bombardment of Dede-Agatch. The damage is estimated at several million pounds. Athens, October 25. An aeroplane directed the fire from twenty battleships on Dede-Agatch. The Fortieth Bulgarian Regiment occupied the town barracks, and two companies who were preparing, a meal were buried in its ruins. Troops who were trench-digging outside the town sustained enormous losses. Ten civilians, including two women, 'were killed. The railway stations were burnt. The foreign Consuls went to the interior.

THE VALUE OF VELES. Paris, October 24. A Salonika telegram states that the Serbians on Saturday counter-attack-ed and recaptured half of Veles, while the remainder of the town lies under their artillery. |(j ~ The Austro-German advance on the Serbian rontier has been stopped, and does not exceed, a depth lof eleven kilometres. Athens, October 21, The strategic importance of' the; fighting round Veles is' emphasised, as it is mountainous.country. If the Al-; lies can bring up sufficient forces to form a junction with the Serbians here it will considerably lessen the Bulgarians' chances of success, and alter the entire situation.

Veles is a town of 15,000 inhabitants, situated on the River Vardar, 27 miles south-east of Uskub.) j "\ ' :£.i) t ,21 fl SUCCESSES ON BOTH SIDES'. Paris, October 25. Official: The French attacked the Bulgarians on Friday, south of Strumnitza, and captured Nabrovrt. A ' Sofia telegram claims that the Bulgarians are in complete possession of Uskub. From Berne it is reported that the Austro-Germans who crossed the Drina 'above Visigrad have turned the Serbian second line. MISCELLANEOUS. Rome, October 24, The Allies at Salonika are leaving for the interior daily. Sofia, October 23. A communique says the Bulgarians on the upper Timck reached the right bank on the 21st. Operations in certain portions of Macedonia are being suspended owing to the extraordinarily bad weather. Twelve Allied ships bombarded the Aegean coast, but the attack has no military significance. Vienna, October 21.

Vienna newspapers give terribl* details of the civilian resistance at Belgrade. There was three days' bombardment by 42 centimetre ,(17in.) guns before the Austrian.s were able to enter the town, and then there was street to street lighting for twencyfour hours. The houses are situated on terraces, and the Austrians were unable to discover whence the bullets came, so they bombarded the whole residential quarter and . afterwards stormed tbe houses. Civilians, including men of sixty and upwards, women and even children, defended them desperately by means of hand grenades. [The Serbian losses were immense, as few prisoners were taken. Serbians concealed in a swamp made an equally desperate resistance to the Germans who were crossing the Save. Many Serbians fought until engulfed "i mud. A British naval gun did magnificent service in delaying the crossing fir a day. London, October 24. The Bulgarians have discontinued their action at Helessa, owing to the French operations in the Kivolak : nd Strumnitza sectors.