THE BALKANS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 25 September 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS

BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR’S EVASIVE REPLY

■■■mi —<l GREECE MOBILISING

ALL SERVICES CALLED UP

A REPLY TO BULGARIA

GERMAN CRUISER SUNK

GREAT RUSSIAN SUCCESSES

austro-germans in flight

THE BALKANS. GREECE MOBILISING. PARLIAMENT MEETS TO-DAY. (Reed 8.40 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 24. Official; A decree for the mobilisation of the Greek army has been issued.

The Greek Parliament is summoned to meet to-day (Saturday.)

BULGARIA’S ATTITUDE UNBE-

LIEVABLE.

BY LEADING SLAVS

(Reed 9.15 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Sept. 24

Gutch Kofg, who was present at a meeting of the Slav committee at Moscow has telegraphed to Daneff, Gueschoff, and other Bulgarian statesmen. “That the Russian people cannot believe that Bulgarians, whom Russia liberated, are about to take airnis against their brethren.”

TURKS IN PANIC

ATHENS, Sept. 24

There is panic among the Mussulman population oof Karagatch and other districts transferred to Bulgaria. Numbers have sought refuge in Adrianople, which is also in a panic. Many families, despite the Vali’s exhortaton, are packing up their valuables and hastening to Constantinople.

BULGARIA NOT AGGRESSIVE.

NOT TO ENTER WAR.

(Reed. 1.55 p.m.)

WASHINGTON, Sept, 24

The Bulgarian premier has cabled to the Legation here that Bulgaria does not intend to enter the war. Her mobilisation is not ordered with any aggressive intention against her neighbours, but simply to preserve her neutrality. VEILED LANGUAGE. LONDON, September 24. TJhe Secretary of th e Bulgarian Legation in London, interviewed, said*. “Up to now we have been the only civilians in an armed European camp Roumania and Greece have been mobilised for a considerbale time. Switzerland even is under arms. There is nothing astonishing in Bulgaria following suit. Why should mobilisation mean a change of national policy? I am not prepared to prohesy, as it might be changed by unexpected events. "We must wait and see.

WHY GREECE IS MOBILISING.

OWING TO BULGARIA’S ACTION.

(Reed 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 24

The Greek Legation in London states that Greece is mobilising owing to Bulgaria’s action.

THE GREEK ARMY. ONLY FOUR CLASSES PREVIOUSLY UNDER ARMS. (Reed. 9.15 a.m.) ATHENS, Sept. 24. Heretofore only four classes in Greece have been under arms. TWENTY CLASSES CALLED UP. ' . ; (Reed 8.20 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. Twenty classes are being summoned in the Greek mobilisation.

EASTERN BATTLEFIELD

AUSTRO-GERMi^NS IN FLIGHT,

1,400 PRISONERS TAKEN,

(Rec. 1.15 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Sept. 24. A communique states: —

BIG BATTLE AT DVINSK.

GERMANS MAKING SUPREME

EFFORT,

ANOTHER RUSSIAN VICTORY.

THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS CAPTURED. (Reed 8.40 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 24.

The. militarjy correspondent of the “Echo de Paris/’ referring to the Voinu/.a, says that Ivanoff’s and Bltsiloff’s armies at Slew a on the Stjyr, pierced the Austrian front and captured thousands. They routed the Aus-tro-Germans, eastwards of Lutsk, The enemy-abandoned Zutsk and crossed the Styr, the Russians pursuing.

SUCCESSFUL RUSSIAN ATTACK

We took the offensive northwest - ofDubno and occupied Yolnitza, taking prisoners 1.400 men.

A KAISER STORY. PETROGRAD, Sept. 24. The Russka Yeslovo says the Kaiser is displeased, and is showing, remarkable energy in attending meetings or generals everywhere, and night- reviews of troops are continual. He arrived at sSTovogeorgic.sk six hours after its capture. At each big fight he takes a personal valuation of the victory and the acts of the commanders. He then dismisses the imtalented and hesitating commanders with the smallest peccadillos. When attempts are made to gloss over the faults by the remark that they arc old servants of the State, the Kaiser retorts that they will no longer be employed, and “I am sorry the good-for-nothing fellows were employed so long.” Once, in dismissing some . commanders, he added: * 1 They are only tit for fire-logs. ”

The modification of the Russian front eastward of_ Vilna has been so puccessful that the enemy is reboubling his efforts against Dvinsk, and is attacking from these sides with heavy artillery, and incesant bombs from aeroplanes, also poisonous gases. The persistence shows t)he determination to precipitate events on the Dwina.

The Russians, in the Friedrichstadt district are carrying out an energetic offensive, and have made a great gap in the German lines .compelling Von Bulow to retreat.

The Russians captured fifteen hundred men and many machine guns. General Ivanoff has had further successes at Voljhynia, in Galicia.. SWISS CYCLIST SHOT. 1 ' BY GERMANS FOR SPYING: (Reed 8.20 a.m.) PARIS, Sept, 24. The Germans courtmartialled the Swiss cycling champion for espionage, and he was shot despite the Swiss Government’s protests.

GERMAN INTRIGUE,

FIREBRAND SENT TO MEXICO

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24

COUNT DUMBA’S CASE.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24

LONDON, Sept. 24,

STARVING BELGIANS.

LONDON, Sept. 24

ATTACK ON EGYPT.

ANOTHER INVASION.

PARIS, Sept. 24

WESTERN BATTLEFIELD.

AN, ATTACK IN LORRAINE. GERMANS COMPLETELY REPULSED. (Reed 11 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 24. A communique states that the enemy attempted two attacks in Lorraine,one westward of Maulroe, the other northward of Bures, both being accompanied with a voilent cannonade, supported by Lachrymatory shells. Tjhey were completely repulsed.

Captain von Papen, tlie German Military Attache, has been moved to Mexico and attached to the Legation there. T',he State Department views the transfer with concern, as he may stir up unrest in that country by German manipulation. Germany is apparently thinking that if the United States is hand-tied with Mexico the country will be inclined to pay less attention to submarine warfare.

Count Dumba has asked for safe conduct, but the Government will take no steps in the matter until the Vienna Government replies to the request for the recall of the Ambassador. BOMBING STUTTGART. MILITARY BARRACKS DAMAGED. (Reed 8.20 a.m.) BERNE, Sept. 24. The Allies' bombs considerably damaged two barracks at Stuttgart, many being killed and wounded. INCONCEIVABLE ATROCITIES. , TURKS SELL ARMENIANS. PARIS. Sept. 22. A Swiss who lias returned from ConJ stantnnople declares that life there has become intolerable. All Christians, except Germans, have been disarmed and ire completely terrorised. The necessities of life arc dear, and there is an entire absence of electricity, gas. and candles. Crowds throng the bakeries and fight for bread. The police openly sell to the Turks Armenian orphans of both sexes as slaves, prices ranging from G/S to 9/(5; weY-eonditionod girls are rather dearer.

The_ jj'uiks detained 400 French, of both sexes, and a large number of Russians and British at. Damascus. LOCALS.

In another column^ the Railway Department publishes particulars of the issue of week-end excursion tickets. These are issued on Saturdays and Sunday mornings to and from any station where, a return jonmay can be completed on the -following Monday. . Under no circumstances will week-end travellers be allowed to break their journey, nor are the tickets extensible. ALLIED AIRMEN AT WORK. BOMB' BRUGES HARBOUR. V ' AMSTERDAM, Sept. Zf. The TeSegraaf states that on Sunday and Monday evening Allied airmen bombarded submarines at Bruges. The harbour and a factory wore destroyed. MORE USEFUL WORK.

The High Commissioner reports as follows:

Allied dirigibles bombarded several stations where enemy movements were reported. Allied aeroplanes forced the rapid descent of several of the enemy’s captive balloons.

Groups of Allied aeroplanes bombarded three stations and cantonments at Langsmark and Middelkirke.

The Lord Mayor has made an earnest appeal to the City of London fofunds to assist the Belgians. Belgium has over one and a half millions utterly destitute, and the only escape from destitution is to work upon munitions for Germany, but they prefer hunger and death to assisting the enemy. Feeding a million and a half at 5d a day costs £218,000 per week. No doubt if the food be not sent, the Germans will allow the Belgians to starve, and shoot them down if hunger riots break out.

According to the Debats two thousand German officers are in Syria, training an army armed with new rifles, end intended for a second expedition. to Egypt in mid-November. The Turks have constructed a new railway t,o the starting point at Birosseba, on the edge of the desert. Guns and ammunition are steadily pouring in. Eight hundred cavalry are engaged as scouts.

EYEWITNESSES THRILLING

STORY

(Reed 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 24

HESPERIAN DETAILS

GERMAN LIE REFUTED

(Reed 8.55 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 24

GERMAN MINE-LAYING,

CAUSING SWEDISH LOSSES,

COMPENSATION ASKED FOR

(Roe. .1.45 a.m.)

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 24

own coußtry.

THE HESPERIAN TORPEDOED

The captain of the steam r Crcsbr saw the Hesperian torpedoed. Thinking it had been mined, he started to rescue, and when the Crosby changed its course, the submarine rose and approached the vessel. He then fullspeeded and zigzagged, the submarine chasing for hours. The Crosby o»Iy escaped in the darkness.

Ca.pt. Smellfe, of the British staemer Crossby, has filed wtih tjhe British Consul, a statement to the effect, that he witnessed the sinking of the Allan liner Hesperian, by a torpedo tired by a German submarine. He says the submarine chased the Crossby, and it was only by putting on full steam and

steering a zigzag course in the darkness l;hat he was able to escape.

This statement will be sent to the Admiralty to refute the claim by Berlin that the Hesperian was sunk by a floating mine.

, Captain Smef'ie states that lie sighted the Hesperian on September 4th. He saw her give a sudden jerk and start to sink by the head. He started to give assistance and had hardly got his boat round when he discovered a submarine making for him. He forced bis vessel round in a ring at full speed to keep his vessel's stern towards the submarine, and eventually escaped in the darkness.

(Reed 9.15 a.m.) STOCKHOLM, Sept 24. German mine-laying in the Baltic [has caused heavy losses to Swedish fishermen. ** The Government is seeking compensation. SUBMARINED. LONDON, Sept. 24. The Swedish steamer Forsvik has been sunk, the crew being saved. The British steamer.. Eromugen was blown up.. One man perished 1 and several were wounded. GERMAN CRUISER SUNK.

A fisherman named Holtz observed ‘i German cruiser off Folstcrbo disappear in a. column of water and an explosion. He believed that she was torpedoed. GALLIPOLI. ASSAULT MAY BE UNNECESSARY. A STARTLING REPORT. . ■ v ATHENS, Sept. 2-1. The Allied batteries made a' violent bombardment of the Anafarta positions-.- The heights may be occupied without the necessity of a general assault.

A RETIRING SOLDIER. STRAINED HEART, (Reed 8.20 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. Wallingford is retiring from the New Zealand force with, a strained heart. Writing to bis parents, he says he tried to stick to it, but for fourteen days after they, were beaten off, the Turks wer e crawling round my guns with sticks. I got home with my revolver, killing four, one at a foot, another at five feet, a third at ten feet, and the last at twenty yards distance. Poor devils, they were all youngsters, I am sick of killing with, a rifle. AMERICA’S DUTY. STIRRING ARTICLE BY ROOSEVELT. (Reed 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 24. Mr Roosevelt, in an article in the Metropolitan Magazine, contends that it is America's duty, under the Hague Convention, to fight for Belgium. Had no other duty been expressly imposed she ought to have acted in accordance with the generous instincts of humanity. Professional pacifists and hyphenated Americans represent American greed, and in seeking to prevent the shipment of munitions to the .Allies-,

they are plajing the game of a brutal militarism against Belgium and thsi’

LABOUR’S LOYALTY OTTAWA, Sort. 23. I 1 The Trades Congress at Vancouver,, j by 103 to 2\ negatived a proposal to [ record itself neutral in respect of the [ war. A statement appeared in the I executive report that under existing J conditions Labour must lend every assistance to Britain unci the Allies fora 'mighty effort to secure an early and' final victory., There was a proposal to delete this passage, which was defeated.