TO-DAY'S NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 59, 8 November 1915, Page 5

TO-DAY'S NEWS.

There is very little fresh nows about thy Balkan theatre to hand to-day. The Germans claim to haye, captureo Kraljevo and Varvarvin. which are north-west and north-east of Kiuchevatz, respectively. This means that the first really decisive battle in the northern campaign is to be fought very soon. The Bulgarians claim to have entered Nish ? but this claim does not seem to be the natural soquence of the Serbian victory of last week in which the Bill gars were driven back. The report requires confirmation. In fact, both the Gernian report and the Bulgarian reports need confirmation, as they are so sweeping, and when read with their reports from other fronts, make the whole tiling look as if they are winning hands down everywhere. For instance, tlie Bulgars claim to have driven back the French, but the French report shows that the Allies are on tbe offensive, and are not being driven back at all. Certainly the enemy reports need confirmation. In any case, a great battle in the north seems imminent.

The position in the south is heightened by a Turin report that the Salonika newspapers report that the Allies are preparing a new base for the Balkans at Valona (or Avlona) in Albania, on the Adriatic coast. From hole to Monastir will take the forces ten days to traverse the distance of 100 miles. This report is not confirmed, but it is very likely that such a procedure could be taken, as the position in Greece makes the landing of troops in Salonika rather risky. The best note in this report is the mention of a British-Italian iorce to land at Valona. It seem s that the French are to he given the task of holding the Bulgar s in the south, and push him on his left dank and possibly cut off communication with Bulgaria, while the Anglo-Italians in Albania will go to the assistance of the Serbs, who are north-east of Monastir. Should the report he true, then the Bulgars in the south will he worse off than they are at present. They have according to Serbian reports lost 100,000 already. They cannot, therefore, afford to lose many more, seeing that their whole army does not exceed much over 000,000.

Another aspect of this report is that of the position in Greece. The probability is that the Greek Government is on the eve of a decisive move. The landing at Yalon a does not Riv« any clue to the decision, a* it shows that either the Allies fear Grecian opposition or on the other hand that Constantine intends to corn© in on our side and will assist the French to deal with the Eulgars. Until further news is to hand, little can be said on this score. One step the Greek King has taken is to appoint hack in power practically the whole of his /aimis [Ministry with the exception of that worthy. On the face of it, the King is making for delay, or has decided to come in on our side. He must know that any Ministry that may b e m power is at the mercy of Venizelos and the majority of hi s subjects, and that an appointment as he has made now is farcical. Venizeh.s may well say, “When he has tried the lot, and I have put them out, lie’ll have to ask me in and then 1 will make war against Bulgaria.” That seems to he the position, and the King’s scheme to gain time. Tn the Dardanelles, the Turks have made attacks on the Anzac position

but were, repulsed everywhere. It is expected that another attack by the troops there is not far oft, and that there is not the least intention to abandon the ground which our troops so dearly won, and where 200,000 Turks are being held up. A withdrawal would be more dangerous than the actual landing, and an insult to our troops.