In the Balkans

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 74, 25 October 1916, Page 5

In the Balkans

BLOW TO ROUMANIA. THE LOSS OF CONSTANZA. Press Association—Copyright. Published in "The Times." London, October 24. Colonel Itopington reports that the loss of Constanza was due to reorganisa tion of tho' C ermah man power, reducing a number of battaliouH so as to make between 20 and 30 new divisions, thus enabling Field Marshal von Hinclenberg to create new anti-Roumanian armies. General von Mackensen's renewed advance indicates the arrival of- important reinforcements, possibly Turks. The Dobrudja is not a vital "theatre, but the loss of ■ Constanza''/is a",' disagreeable bow, as weiras ft'tEc^icai 1 defeat limiting Russian reducing Roumanian strength; W impairing Roumanian confidence''"'' The Salonika' c-ffensive is only able J to help Roumanian' indirectly. Russia alone can directly succour, and General Alexieff will do his utmost to counteract von Hindenberg's dangerous schemes. MACKENSEN'S SUCCESS. * IMPORTANCE OF CONSTANZA. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. London, October 24. The success of General von Mackensen's unexpected attack has reneAved public anxiety a» to Roumania's ability to counter the fierce AustroGernjan assaults. It is understood that General von Mackensen now com.mands a third of the Bulgarian Army. A considerable stiffening of Germans together with many Turks, has been added to it since General Mackensen's reverse of September 20th. After breaking the Russo-Roumanian left wing, capturing the fortified centre of Topraisar, General von. Mackensen pushed on instantly for fifteen miles, displaying a remarkable faculty for improving on a victory which is his chief military virtue. He was thus able to throw bis army, within twenty-four hours, across the railway cutting off Constan/.a. It is feared ' that large stores of petroleum and cereals are stored in Constanza docks, which cover 150 acres, and are able to store seventy thousand tons of grain. Constanza is also the beadquarters of 757 Roumanian merchant ships. The capture of the town means the loss of the shortest line of communication between Bucharest and Odessa via the Black Sea' and increases the difficulties of preventing the enemy crossing the Danube and cutting the Russian land communication with Bucharest. ~ , 'Other Russo-Roumanian difficulties arise from the fact that the army cannot retreat northward, because it is vital to keep in contact with Cernovada bridge, which is the solo means ! of communication across the Danube \q Bucharest. General Polivanoff, formerly Kussian War Minister, is joining the Roumanian headquarters.

THE ROUMANIAN RETREAT.

ENEMY IN GREAT STRENGTH. London, October 21.. If General von -Mackensen hems the Russo-Roumauiansinto the small semi-circle of' territory before Gernavoda the Roumanians will find the bridgehead very' costly to defend against tho'conditions of modern artillery fire. If a retreat is eventually necessary . the passage of tbe i 'bridge 'will 'be' aii' operation fraught with the utmost danger. The fact j that General von Mackensen claims no. prisoners indicates that the Roumanians have retreated beyond the railway in accordance with their plan. There is stubborn fighting on the other Roumanian fronts, but only in the northern sector is a tendency to drive back the enemy apparent.. " j General von Falkenhayn's. troops ; have a footing on the Roumanian side of at least five passes. It :is, estimated that von Falkenhayn has 14 j divisions in Transylvania. It is noteworthy that the Austro-! Hungarian war correspondents in Transylvania continually insist on the difficulties confronting General von Falkenhavn, and say that snowfalls may'delay bis advance. Roumania is able to draw on Russian reinforcements, aiid the Central Powers must bo satisfied if the enemy is kept out of Hungary.

BACK FROM THE PASSESENEMY SLOWED DOWN. ROUMANIANS REGAIN BREATH. THE POSITION A WEEK AGO. Press Association— Copyrigut, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. •(Received 10.-10 a.m.) New York, October 21. The strengthening of the Roumanian resistance is described by Karl von Weigand, in a despatch to' th« New York World dated "with General Falkenhayn's army between Bucar and Kimpolung on October 18." He states: "Slowly and steadily the Roumanian attempts to check Falkenhavn's three colums through the passes southward of Kronstadt are becoming stronger and more energetic. Not until they reached Bucar did the Roumanians seem to catch their breath. Their demoralisation now appears to have given Way to organised resistance and desperate attempts at assault on the advancing columns, which for bravery, tenacity, and technical skill are as surprising in the hist few days as the former- lack of these qualities. In consequence, General Falkenhayn'': columns have had to slow down. The Roumanians appear to have many more guns here than in the defence of Predeal Pass, and thev show much better accuracy."

THE ALLIED OPERATIONS.

THE DOBRUDJA-RETREAT. Press Association —Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, October .21. A Russian communique declares: The enemy are passive in Trotus \ alloy. We repulsed attacks at Orsova. Artillery arc active on the Busco-Dobrudja-Kimpolung line. Under pressure, tlio Roumanians retired to the heights north of Constanza and Medjidie, and the enemy occupied both towns. CERMANS CLAIM CAPTURES. PREDEAL AND RASOVA FALL. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.40 a.m.) . London, October 24. A German official report states that they bad captured Predeal and ltasova. THE CONSTANZA EVACUATION. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.40 a.m.) Bucharest, October 24. It is reported that the enemy have taken little booty at Constanza. The evacuation bad been decided upon for some time. The Kaiser congratulated Czar Ferdinand of Bulgaria. ENEMY'S PROGRESS REPORT. RAPID CAVALRY PUSH. (Received 11.10 a.m.) Amsterdam, October 24. A Bulgarian communique states: Our cavalry entered Constanza on Sunday afternoon, and detachments occupied Islismetope ten miles northwest of Constanza in tbe evening: We also occupied tbe village of Alagapa," near the railway. l

FORESTALLING ENEMY PLANS. FALKENHAYN'S WEDGE. Press./Association —Copyright, Aust'ra. i lian and N.Z.' Cable Association. ~ 7 , ori (Received 11.40 a.m.) Petrograd, October 24. - The 1 Entente troops are making every effort to forestall the AustroGermans' attempt to drive a wedge between the Russians and the Roumanians, which would enable General Falkenhayn to advance to the Bnlue Valley and . junction with General Mackensen, cutting off the greaterc part of Roumania. A STUDY OF THE MAP. Rucar, mentioned above,, is about seven miles south of Torzburg Pass, to the east of Predeal Pass in the bend of the Roumano-Transylvanian frbntior. It is not more than ten or twelve miles above the terminus of a railway that runs first south and then' south-east of Bucharest, which is ih 1 a'dii-ect line about 80 miles off, and within less than 100 miles by rail. That is serious enough; but from latest accounts the Germans' game is to make their main thrust not through Torzburg Pass, but through Oituz Pass, away to the north against the railway junction of Foehani. Through the Gyimes Pass, some thirty miles still further north, a railway runs down out of Transylvania, southeast along the river Trotus, until it falls into a tributary of tho Sereth. Twenty miles below this point, the railway meets another lino which follows the rest of the Sereth's course south as far as its junction with the Danube, on the Russian boundary at Galatz. Near, the junction of these two railways stands Foehani, for which General Falkenhayn is said to be aiming. If be can work his way dow 4 n this far—and he would have the assistance of a railway almost all the way—he would be in a position to compel the Russians to withdraw out of Dobrudja altogether, for fear of having their communications cut at Galatz, Reni, and Ismail. But there is no time for being pessimistic. The Entente forces have scented .the danger long ere this, and our faith in them must he as the faith that moves mountains. MACEDONIAN OPERATIONS SERBS STRIKE BAD WEATHER. London. October 23. Mr Ward Price, in a communication from Salonika, states that the break in the weather came unfortunately for the Serbians. After they captured Brod and Veliselo they reached the crest, of the hills a league from Cornk, capturing trenches on the mountain side. They finally surrounded an important redoubt, but the ram, became a deluge, preventing further attacks. The delay is regrettable for many reasons, as the Serbians had begun to widen the breach of the enemy line, and it is now difficult to send up supplies. Besides this, it lias given the enemy time to bring up reinforcements. ENEMY ATTACKS' REPULSED. BULGAR TRENCHES TAKEN. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 11.10 a.m.) London, October 24. A Servian communique states: — German and Bulgars fiercely attacked the Servian division on the Vardar unsuccessfully. Our first army adv meed on the whole length and took the first Bulgarian trendies. Fierce fighting north of Veleselo favoured