CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 69, 20 November 1915, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

The news to-day is rather bad on account of the reported approach of 'the Bulgars on MoiWstir which has hot fallen but is by how attacked the enemy. Considerable alarm was caused by the report thai ih'e city had fallen but none of the messages report the fall. The only message is ' that the, Serbians have . fallen 1 back' bn the town and are weakened. jThe same states that Greek Liberal newspapers declare that it is Greece’s duty to prevent the fall. The position seems to be that the French are holding up a large and important body of the enemy on the Criia, Bek a while a second party of Bulgars have advanced along the Albanian frontier by way of Hruchevo , and have turned the western flank of , the Serbians in the Babuna Mountains, This necessitated the falling ' back, of, the : Serhifin line to Monastir or at least the falling back of a portion of the, army which is not very large. It is noteworthy that' the Bulgarian flank is exposed to an attack by the Allied troops who ought to . |( be op the move by now. However it' is certain that the Serbs at Monastir will, put up a fight and hold out until re-inforcements from Salonika can reach them in numbers. They were reported to have arrived there yesterday. That being so they will have a hand in the fight before the enemy really capture Monastir. No doubt the Bulgars found a weak spot and have made the most of it. The only, way to get them out of their position is to send troops at once to Monastir from Salonika to re-inforce the Serbs and ultimately drive a vigorous offensive up towards Uskub while the flanks of the enemy are attacked from Velcs. Meanwhile the main Serbian body at Kachanik is doing its share well and is keeping the German-Anstro army at a respectful distance. The army that is between Kruchevatz and Nish is never mentioned and the question is “Where is it?” The writer holds to the opinion that it is still in the mountains south of Kruchevatz or has gone west to the Montenegrin front, where an army was reported to be ready for an offensive. Except for the Monastir business the situation is good and Monastir is not going to knock the bottom out of the Serbian defence.

The Dardanelles arc once again coming to the front and judging by reports to-day there wiH be plenty for both sides to do shortly. On the enemy side the Kaiser has ordered one of his great generals, Von Mackensen, to proceed to Gallipoli and take charge. This was done in anticipation of Kitchener's 'arrival. The arrival of Mackensen is not going to make much difference to the position unless he brings a large number of re-inforce-ments and big guns. These are reported to have arrived at Constantinople. Constantinople is not Gallipoli and to get there is not an easy job. Sea transport is perilous on account of submarines which seem to have put a stop to trade in the Sea of Marmora. Transport down the peninsula must run the gauntlet of the fleet’s guns. Apparently the Turks are getting supplies via the Asian coast. Even if the big gnus , do arrive the nature of the country has shown that artillery, both naval and shore, has not proved the success it was expected to be. The Russians are keeping up the pressure in the north and have cleared the enemy right out of the country south-west of Mitau. Touching on.

the possibility of a vigorous winter campaign, it seems that the Russians are determined to carry on now that the enemy are weakest and "ill find communication difficult and the weatjier inclement. , The Russians carried on the campaign all last winter and, successfully at.jthgt, in fact penetrating, a, long into East Prussia. The , Russian soldier is inured to hard wqatjuff aml can fight in the snow as well as anywhere else while Abe German does not likei ithe cold and even jin peace times his barracks are heated in summer time. It is anticipated that the Russians will again with fresh men, more munitions and with fervent hope make a grand offensive soon and this time Stay where they ultimately get. The 1 submarine menace in the Mediterranean Sea is apparently well in hand and two move have been added to the week’s hag of eight. Ten submarines in a week is good work, and destruction. is really quicker t]ian eddst ruction in the matter of these craft.