In the Balkans

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 36, 18 January 1916, Page 5

In the Balkans

1 MONTENEGRO'S FATE, 'AM ARMISTICE WITH AUSTRIA. TEMPORARY CESSATION Or Ho3= TI LIT ItS. ; I i.MTHi i■• !••»*■ ■ -.-. in I \ I'lON. 1 (Received '!.-!() a.m.) London, January 17. Renter, jit Athens, reported that Montenegro has signed an armistice with Austria. | , I FLYING OVER ALLIES' LINES. i ENEMY AIRMEN KILLED. (Received 8.40 a.m.) Salonika, January 17. British guns brought down a German aeroplane Hying over the Allies' [linos. Both the airmen were killed. I [ ALLIES MAKE MORE ARRESTS. A CLEARING-OUT AT CORFU. (Received 8.40 a.m.) Athens, January 17. A semi-official message states that the Austro-Hungarian Consul at Corfu and the Austrian Lloyd agent have been arrested.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

London, January 16

Mr Slovens, the Daily Telegraph's Salonika correspondent, says that he does not believe that an attack is imminent. The Allied army lia s been .largely reinforced bv men, and especially by guns of most heavy calibre. The enemy will require at least 400,000 troops if they hope for success. The consensus of opinion is that they do not possess such a force. The French commander believes that the enemy may try to bluff an attack.

General Sarrail, explaining the blowing-up of Demirhissar bridge, says that in face of the declaration that the Hellenic forces would withdraw when the enemy appeared he could not possibly expect that sector to be defended by the Greeks. A correspondent of Le Petit Parisien, who conversed with King Peter during the retreat, said that he sadly remarked: "They said, 'Wait eight days.' We waited three weeks, but no one came. My soldiers fought bravely, and if there had been no Bulgarians we would have smashed up the Germans."

King George ha s sent this message to King Peter of Serbia :, "I am fully convinced that the Allies, together with the heroic Serbian army, are in a position to win back for your people complete independence and can secure to our arms a hnal victory.?'

A Salonika message says that M. Vassitch, who accompanied King Peter, states that the fate, of Serbia will be decided at Salonika, whither the bulk of the Serbian troops are being transferred. There is no further need for them in Albania, owing to Essad Pasha and the Italians being able to check the enemy. The absence of roads and means of transit in Albania had made the offensive difficult, whereas Salonika is a splendid base for the restoration of the ruins of Serbia. King Peter stated that he wished to return to Belgrade via Sofia, but Salonika is nearer. The Bulgarian and German press, commenting on the evacuation of Gallipoli, state that the prestige of the Allies is melting like butter in the sun; but the jubilation is perfunctory and half-hearted. The writers- have have an obvious difficulty in reconciling the facts with the Turkish fictions of victory. Athens, January "17. The Serbian army's installation at Corfu is proceeding satisfactorily. Archilleion Palare is unoccupied and is merely under surveillance.