CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 73, 25 November 1915, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

, The view put forth in these columns yesterday that the report that the Flctt's blockade was lifted, or, rather, that the lifting thereof was due to Earl Ktchener's mission being completed, is supported by later news. It seems that the effect of the blockade wa s sufficiently demonstrative "of the,effect it would have Oh Greece. In short, the army at Salonika would suffer the holding up of their huge Mediterranean tirade, and in a very short* time Greece would be crippled. That would be the effect, and the Greek people would not be likely to suffer such, especially vfhen the King's only solid argument, namely his veteran army, is rendered useless and on short rations by the master move of Kitchener. In one blow he practically crippled the Greek army and rendered the menace thereof nil. Though the blockade has been denied officially, the view i 8 sustained that Kitchener was given carte blanche, and in order «4o clinch hip proposals, gave orders to the fleet in Aegean waters without, consulting the War Council or anyone else. He had to act at once, and did so. The effect of his shrewd act was at once felt by the King, who is soldier enough to realise the. plight of his army, and by the merchants, who are mercantile enough to sacrifice the country in order to save their shipping. That fear displayed at Piraeus wa s more than, fear.

However, Paris is taking an optimistic view that the negotiations have been successful. It is stated that the British Legation's communique may mean that Greece has now given full satisfaction-to the Allies 1 demands .guaranteeing the safety of the troops at Salonika and beneficial treatment in case of retreat into Greece. This can mean nothing else but demobilisation or intervention with the Allies. No one will trust Constantine again, and when he is dealt with, it must be by full measures and a little extra

The military' situation is good in Serbia. The Bulgarians are as far from Monastir as they were some time ago, and the Serbs have re-occupied the old Veles-Prilep line. That is, in these times of slow advances and stubborn resistance, a long way. Moreover, the French by masterly strategy are within, ten miles of the Serbs, and by this time re-inforcements have probably arrived, and the extra distance made up, especially when the Serbs have occupied their old line from Veles, where the French have been for some time. That the Allies have the military position in hand is proved by the silence on the question of Greek assistance. The Bulgarians evidently felt that their advance was getting dangerous, and was imperilled by the rapid advance against heavy odds of the French, who were splendidly handled by General Sarrail.

The question of Russian intervention in the Balkan s again corner to the front, and this time from the sources of the news one gathers the impression that the intervention is closer at hand than ever. The German semiofficial message (always surprisingly well-informed regarding the other side's business) states that Russia is preparing a Balkan army of which there are 200,000 men at Odessa, 80,000 at Reni (on the Roumanian bor-

der), and 70,000 at Ismail, which is about 30 miles east of Reni and about 40 miles up the Kilia Mouth of the Danube. Added to this, was the recent' report that the Germans have been busy removing Russian mines from''the'river.* Now Russian] mines do not get up the Danube without Russians putting them there. It may be safely said that the Russians have been silently working for some time.

There is also a rumor of the landing of Italian troops in Albania, but until confirmation'is to hand, nothing can be said except that such a landing is highly desired.

The German Navy has lost a large number of its fine ships both in action'andl from the attacks of allied submarines and from mines. Her latest loss is one of her latest battleships, the Markgraf, which is one of the five battleships of the "Konig" class, completed in 1914-1915. This class comprises the newest ships in the German Navy. They carry 12in. guns to the number of ten. They are considered to be very successful ships by German experts. They displace 25,000 tons, have a length of 574 feet on the water-line, and the engines of 25,000 B.P. develop a speed of 20* knots. The normal coal supply is 1,000 tons, but, if necessary, no fewer than 3,600 tons of fuel, including oil. can be carried. The guns are mounted in twin turrets, all on the centre line, so arranged that four guns can fire ahead or astern, and all ten on either broadside. Fourteen s.Din quick-firing guns are mounted in an armoured battery on each broadside. There are also ten 21-pounder quickfirers! for repelling torpedo' attack. Five submerged tubes, to discharge I9fin. torpedoes, are fitted. These ships are strongly armoured, having a belt 13j{in. thick amidships, with good protection to guns and main fighting stations. The complement numbers 1,130.