In the Balkans

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 53, 1 November 1915, Page 5

In the Balkans

TODAY'S NEWS. ! The newy ko-tiaj is* of an exceedingly pleasing ! nature a"nd 'should prove extreniely gratifying to those who have hot' allowed 'themselves*'to; be carried ; away by ; the 'harpihgs of pessimistic 'politicians and 'others .who would have the public believe ; that the Serbians were deserted and the Balkan game as good as lost to the Allies. The writer has all along condemned the spirit of unreasonable pessimism, and has put forward the view that the military and diplomatic situations, have not warranted pessimism, valuable time is lost in harping oyer the past .when thej serious time demands unity! and £isk in our Earl Kitchener,j who has nobly Ignored the trumpeting!* of his won Id lie ousters. The opportune, words of the Commonwealth Defence, Minister support the, attitude of the writer, and for that reason they are- here repeated. Senator Poarce said: "There is no need for pessimism because of the • enemy'js temporary success here and there. I have no time to talk about abandoning Gallipoli or losing life, but to send more men, munitions, and money, with every confidence in the brains of those directing the military strategy." Readers may be sure that the Senator did not refer to Gallipoli alone but to the whole aspect of the war, including the Balkans round which the veil of pessimism seems to have wrapped most closely. .There is not room for pessimism when the fight is only beginning, and victory and reverses must be taken soberly as they come without losing sight of the fact that the Allies are sure to win in the end.

In the Balkans two items of news herald the entry of new forces in the field of active operations. Paris reports that the British troops have effected a junction with the Serbians. The locality of this junction is not mentioned, but is probably south or west of Veles. With the French operating along the Bulgarian side of tile Yardar, and in possession or Strurnnitza with a steady move on Ishtih and Veles from the south-east, and the Anglo-Serbian troops advancing from the south-west, the Buigars' hold on Veles, Uskub, and Kumanovo is destined to be a shortlived success, and the enemy will have to devote a mighty lot of attention to the defence of their own country, in fact, the Bulgarian army will have to scuttle back to where I they came from to avoid complete, envelopment. They will also have to abandon the activity on the north in the Timok valley and around Nish, where, despite the capture of Pirot and Knaisvetz, they have been dealt with by the Serbs in a determined manner. This means .that the movement that was to stab the Serbian position in the back will have to be abandoned or, at least, not pushed: dangerously. That will leave the Serbs to bring more forces to bear) against the enemy in the north and' hold out, as they say they will, for, several weeks. Another factor that seemed to have been forgotten entirely has entered into the fray against the enemy, little Montenegro, as the writer an-_ ticipated, has attacked the Austrians,.

but has been defeated according to the enemy report. The other side of the story is due yet. However, even 'if hi the first round the Montenegrins were defeated, they still remain! a thorn in the side of'the Austrian force which will have a ! hard task to get rid of the hardy mountaineers—if they can get rid of them. The 'chances'are that they cannot do so. ■ '. '• ''■ " ' ' I |i ~■ ■■■. mI- i d_ > ' < :'•!•.: II 'The Russians' are repotted to'have a millioA men on the way for Bulgaria,' and tlieir 1 fleet is a't grips with the Turkish fleet that is bound to oppose them. While the fleets are at it, the troops are doubtless preparing to land at Varna and Burgas, which have been bombarded. A million men on the Bulgarian east coast will necessitate the complete withdrawal of the whole Bulgarian army from the west, to be completely swallowed'up by who ' outnumber them by' over t'wo to one. The news has not been confirhied/ but the authority is reliable, and the Black Sea fignt concltisiVely supports it. "■" .. ' .....

'The '' German admission of the aha'ndohjnent of the Riga campaign is 'explained, by the report from the that infantry from Russia were prominent in a great attack on the Allied lines. They were decimated in the monotonous manner in which the Allies seem to be dealing with all enemy attacks in the West. The abandonment of the Riga attack means that the Germans will be in ;l very dangerous, position in the winter. Allied submarines proved the cause in' preventing the transport of munitions in the Baltic. HELP FOR THE SERVIANS. BRITISH TROOP EFFECT JUNCTION. [United Press x'ssoojation.] (Received 8.40 a.m.) Paris, October 31. The British troops have effected a junction with the Servians. BEAR SHOWS HIS TEETH. RUSSIANS FOR THE BALKANS. Copenhagen, October 31. The Tngeblatt's Bucharest correspondent reports that great contingents of Russian troops have left Odessa and Sebastopol, convoyed by cruisers and destroyers, lor Bulgaria. The recent bombardment at Varna was the preparation for this landing. London, October 30. Great contingents of Russians are leaving Odessa and Sebastopol for the Bulgarian coast.

MILLION RUSSIANS AFTER BULGARS. J (Received 8.-10 a.m.) f London, "October 31. The Daily Chronicle's Balkan correspondent states that a million Russians under General Davidoff are on their way to Bulgaria. DESERTING BULGARS WISH TO JOIN THE ALLIES. (Received 11.5 a.m.) Petrograd, October 31. Bulgarian deserters are petitioning to join the Serbian and Russian armies, provided they are not asked to fight their countrymen. AUSTRIANS v. MONTENEGRINS. ON THE BOSNIA-SERVIAN FRONTIER. (Received 11. a.m.) . Rome, October 31. It is officially announced that the Austria™ crossed the Drina, near Visegrad. and after desperate lighting, the Montenegrins retreated to their second line of defence. An artillery duel continues. THE PLUCKY SERBIANS. Rome, October 30. A radiogram states that the Serbian Government has quitted Nish for a certain destination. The Serbian army, though sadly thinned, is fighting splendidly. London, October 31. Renter's advices from Nish state that the Serbian army will be able to hold the Germans for several weeks, if they only receive even small Allied reinforcements. Athens, October 30. It is reported that' the Serbians surrounded and annihilated a Bulgar division in the lower Timok Valley.

ENEMY REPORTS. Amsterdam, October 31.. A Bulgar communique says: After four days' obstinate fighting we defeated the Serbians in Timok Valley and Pirot, and they are retreating westward on the entire front. We are energetically pursuing. Vienna, October 30. - A communique states that the Montenegrins were defeated south-cast of Yisegrad. General von Gallwitz's army Crossed the Lepenica and the Bulgarians have captured Pirot. i;» \ October 31. i The BulgananV »av o ! recaptured Vele , s , J In;:. •'■:<" ''■' • i CREEK POLICY. 'ifl ._ - Paris, : tJctober 30. It' is learned that Greece is renewing her protest against the Entente landing, because it involves Greece in the peril of being engulfed in the war zone. King Constantino is perplexed, and diplomats regard the situation'as tho gravest in Greece's history, it being dangerous'to fun with the hare and hunt with the hodnds. '" King Constantiiie's attempt to imitate the Potsdam code of international honor, will probably" bring disaster to Greece, resulting in national disintegration. ... It is expected' the British' troops will soon bo in action in Serbia, taking up positions supporting the French right and left flanks.

WANTED—A STATEMENT. London, October 30. Mr Martin Donohoe, writing from Home, says that M. Zaimis is now between the hammer and the anvil. Tht» Entente is pressing for an unequivocal statement of the Greek policy, and firmly insisting that Greece shall fulfil her obligation to Serbia. On the other hand Germany and Bulgaria are freshly threatening severe measures if Greece does not prevent the landing at Salonika. Transports are arriving and discharging troops with impressive rapidity and regularity. Bulgaria is angry, and points out that the peril threatened by the An-glo-French advance demands Greece to disarm any Serbians retiring across the frontier, Rome, October 30. The Greek Minister at Rome, in a statement, mentioned a long list of falsehoods that had been disseminated in Berlin, Vienna, and Sofia. He said the object thereof was to embitter the relations between Greece and the Entente and create an atmosphere of hostility and mistrust in Greece. It was nonsense to say that the cur-

rent opinion in Greece was hostile to the Entente, and ho declared that Greece had rendered, and continues to render, inestimable services to tho Serbia Entente. BLACK SEA BOMBARDMENT. London, October 31. Paris reports that the Russians bombarded Varna and Burgas all day on Friday, doing considerable damage. Rome, October 30. It is reported that two Bulgarian regiments, at the height of the bombardment of Varna, threw up their caps, cheering and shouting, "Long live Russia." They were removed to the interior. ROUMANIA. Rome, October .'3O. The Entente Ministers have commenced fresh negotiations with Roumania, and the position is hopeful. The Cabinet is alarmed at the growing strength of the interventionist movement. Berne states that Germany is making a strong bid for Roumania's assistance, offering the grant of a loan, provided Roumania marches against Bessarabia, which Roumania may retain if she conquers. THE WISH OF HIS PEOPLE. London, October 31. Bucharest reports that in view of Sunday's demonstration ]\!. Makejonescu and M. Filipescu interviewed the King, who replied that he wa s lot opposed to the people's aspirations and he added that as a Constitutional jKing he placed himself in the hands of the Parliament and Government.