THE BALKANS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 319, 30 October 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS

AUSTRO-GERMANS ADVANCING SERVIANS TENACIOUSLY FIGHTING GREEK ATTITUDE STILL OBSGURE ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT GERMANS DEFEATED EVERYWHERE UNREST IN ROUMANIA

GERMANS DISASTROUSLY REPULSED IN FRANCE 8

THE BALKANS.

INVASION OF SERVIA. GERMANS AND BULGARS PROGRESSING. LONDON, October 29. A Berlin official message states that Von Gallwitz and Von Koevess continue to progress in Worth Servia. The Bulgarians have crossed the Timok on a large front and have captured Zaitchar and Kniashevatz. GOOD NEWS IF TRUE. LONDON, October 29. The report that the Allies >avo reoccupied Uskub is not confirmed. If true, it is still possible to forward supplies to the northern Servian army to the Mitroviza railhead, thence by road. A Salonika telegram says that the French have occupied the new Kriv.o-lak-Radovitza-Strumnitza line, and are advancing on Istib. SERVIANS FALLING BACK. PASS RETAKEN FROM BULGARIANS* PARIS, October 29. A Servian communique states: The Servians on the right bank of the Morava were compelled to retire southward. We also retired to the Tresiibaba heights, twenty miles northeast of Nigh. Fighting continues on the Zaitchar front. The Servians in the direction of Kouotcholu attacked and retook the mouth of the Koutabaul Pass. TURKS FOR BULGARIA. TRANSFERRED FROM THE CAUCASUS. LONDON, October 29. The "Telegraph's" Petrograd correspondent says that three Turkish division's in the Caucasus have been transferred to Bulgaria to defend the coast., ROUMANIA AND THE WAR. (Times and Sydney Sun Cables). Copenhagen asserts that the German press assumes that Roumania is joining the Allies and has given up the idea of the reconstruction of the Bucharest Government in favour of Germany. It thinks the Allies' influence there is growing daily.

NEARER NISH.

BULGARS CAPTURE PIROT. VRANIA CIVILIANS MASSACRED. AMSTERDAM, October 29. Sofia advices state that the Bulgarians have captured Pirot after a long and sanguinary fight. Bulgarian newspapers admit that most of the inhabitants of Vrnaia were , massacred, on the ground that they fired from windows, and also white, flag treachery. ( A V. C. HERO. LONDON, October 29. The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Lance-Corporal Oliver Brooks, of the 3rd Coldstream Guards, for most conspicuous bravery at Loos. When a strong party of the enemy captured 200 yards of trenches, Brooks, on his' own initiative, Jed a party of bombers and regained the lost ground, amid a bail of bombs.

ON THE EUSSIAN FRONT.

DVINSK STILL HOLDS OUT. GERMANS AGAIN REPULSED. ' RUSSIAN SUCCESSES IN THE STYR REGION. The High Commissioner reports as follows — LONDON, October 29. Petrograd reports —In the region of Dvinsk the enemy attacked north-west of Gabrilovka, and was at first successful, but was later thrown back with heavy losses. In the Styr region the enemy thrice attacked unsuccessfully westward of Chartorysk, on Thursday.

MORE ATTACKS FAIL.

TREMENDOUS LOSSES. PETROGRAD, October 29. A communique states —The enemy north-west of Garbunowka occupied some trenches, but a counter-attack dsilodged them. During a furious attack undertaken under the threat of being fired upon by their own artillery, the Germans suffered tremendous losses. The enemy, in attempting to advance eastward 02 .the left bank of the Styr, were driven baek with heavy losses. Three enemy attacks westward of Chartoysk were repulsed.

WESTERN CAMPAIGN.

GERMAN BLOOD SQUANDERED. TO RECAPTURE LOOS. PARIS.. October 29. A corespondent states that to effect the recapture of Loos, Prince Rupprecht hurled 23 battalions to the assault on October Bth. All were decimated. In front of the British and French trenches were German dtfad estimated at 10,000.

INTENSE ARTILLERY WORK.

PARIS, October 29. A communique states: There have been prolonged and intense artillery actions on the Hetas-Stremstrae front, also at Boisenhaehe and in the region of Rochoincourt.

CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS.

LONDON, October 2S. Great crowds, including many Australian, New Zealand, and Indian wounded, attended the Horse Guards parade to see the captured guns. Some were taken, at Le Cateau in August, 1914. Many wore badly battered. Tlie recruiting officers are using the exhibition with excellent results. BELGIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH AMSTERDAM, Oct. 23. The court-martial at Liege convicted nine more Belgians of espionage, ind sentenced four, including a woman, to death. ——— BRITISH WAR COUNCIL. ANNOUNCED NEXT TUESDAY. LONDON. October 20. The Daily Telegraph says it is understood that Mr. Asquith will announce on Tuesday the formation of a War Council not exceeding six or eight members of the Cabinet, clothed with executive powers to carry out decisions without reference to the Cabinet, with the reservation that any proposal involving new expenditure or a xievr departure in the war operations must be referred to the full Cabinet.

THE DARDANELLES.

MR. BARTLETT'S CRITICISM. LONDON, October 29. Mr. Aslimcad Bartlett, in a special interview, said it was impossible for the Fleet alone to pierce the Dardanells, and to attempt to do so was silly. The original expeditionary force was also far too small. The troops were insufficient for anything further than landing on the hills. It would have been wiser never to have landed at Anae. After the failure at Achi Baba and the final attack on May S, the whole expedition should have been seriously reconsidered, having learnt the fighting strength of the Turks. feut the staff seemed to desire to avoid facing the facts. The subsequent attacks on Achi Baba, involving tremendous loss, should never have been made. We advanced on June 4th and July 28th; then, having lost 30,040 men. the attacks were suddenly abandoned. Even if we had taken Achi Baba,- we would have been faced with an even stronger position i?i the Kilid Bahr salient. Of all the troops engaged. Mr. Bartlett specially praised the Australasians. Bulgaria, continued Mr. Bartlett. has entirely changed the situation. 3t is futile to try to save Servia by a Few scratch divisions in Salonika. The great danger of these Balkan adventures is the huge distances from the bases, whereas the enemies have the advantage of the interior linos.

DOMINIONS' ANXIETIES.

QUESTIONS NEEDING ANSWERS.

LONDON, October 20

Several cabled commeyits by Australian and New Zealand newspapers elicited an important message from Mr. Bonar Law regarding the so-called "political warfare" in England. Mr. McCall (Agent-General for Tasmania), directed Mr. Bonar Law's attention to the statement in Australian papers that it would be lamentable if the appeals for recruits in Australia met with the retort, "The people of Britain arc quarrelling among themselves. Why should we enlist?" Mr. McCall added that the comments in Australian and New Zealand newspapers show considerable unrest and uncertainty in the outlook, which i* accentuated by the hint of the possible withdrawal of our men from Gallipoli. What is most required in the present crisis are definite and strong statements from responsible Ministers.

MR. BONAR LAWS MESSAGE

NATION ABSOLUTELY UNITED

LONDON, October 2 r >

Mr. Bonar Law, replying' to Mr. Me- , CaD. welcomed the opportunity of sendiiag a message to Australia and New Zealand. He added: Regarding the statement that political warfare ir ' England is calculated to injure Imperial solidarity, it is a gteat misfori tune if it is supposed that there is po- : litical warfare in England. I have , been a member of the Cabinet for | four months, and can say with absolute confidence that no political issue : of any kind has ever been raised. This is true of the Government and, as far as I can judge, also true of the country. The whole nation is absolutely united in the determination .to carry the war to a successful l termination. The only difference of opinion is whether the strength which ought to come from this material unity is being most efficiently used in the prosecution of the war. From this viewpoint there is much criticism of the Government, regarding which, as a member of the Cabinet, I can say nothing. Our kinsmen beyond the seas can be sure there will be no weakening on the partj of the Mother Country. I may add that greatly as we at Home prize the honour and sacrifices which have been made and the splendid heroism displayed by our colonial fellow-sub-jects, I, as a colonial by birth, may be permitted to say that my opinion is, the rest of the British Empire has a right to be proud of the part being played in this war by the men of the Old Country.'»

RECRUITING BANNED IN U.S.

BRITISHEES MEET TROUBLE. NEW YORK, Oct. 29. At San Francisco. Ralph Blair, a doctor, and Thomas Addis were found guilty of conspiring to enlist Britons for military service in the British army. Cases against two others, one a British army officer, were dismissed. The penalty is a fine of two thousand sterling, or,two years' imprisonment. An. appeal has been entered.

GERMAN-IRISH BRIGADE.

LONDON, October 2S. Papers smuggled .from Germany detail a plot to enrol Irish prisoners for the proposed German-Irish Brigade.

BATTLE ON THE ISONZO.

GREAT ARTILLERY DUEL. 140,000 AUSTRIAN CASUALTIES. ROME, October 29. The first phase of the Isonzo battlelasted for 43 hours. Two Austrian regiments were annihilated. In the Gorizia battle the Austrians brought all their guns into action, ineluding numerous 12-in and two 36inch guns, but the torrent of Italian casualties in the first three days of the new Italian advance were over 140,000.

WONDERFUL ALPINI

ROME, -October 29. Although there is heavy snow in the Trentino, the Alpini, with artillery, scaled heights of 9,000 feet and destroyed the Austrian trenches. They captured the summits of Seikofel, Syes, and Stria, where the Austrianas bad constructed comfortable winter quarters.

OFFENSIVE RESUMED

GENEVA, October 29. The Italians have begun the bombardment of Roverto.

CALLING UP MORE MEN.

ROME. October 2f>

All untrained men belonging to the third category of the 18S6-ISS7 classes are called up for November 6.

PEACE TALK.

EMPHATIC DENLVL BY LLOYD GEORGE.

BRITAIN STANDS BY HER ALLIES

LONDON, October 29

In the House of Commons, the Right Hon. Lloyd George said emphatically that no negotations whatever had been, or were lw'ng, carried on between London and Berlin with a view to an early peace. Mr Asquith's words at the Guildhall still hold good. (Cheers). We would not think of entering into any peace negotiations except in accordance wtih the agreement with the Allies.

SACRIFICE OF SERVIA

FAILURE OF BRITISH DIPLO-

MACY

LO\NDON, October 29

The "Evening News" declar3s ti at Lcrd Lansdowne's statement will be read with no little shame. It is confession, not of a deliberate, cynical betrayal, but of neptitude almost passing, yet no military preparations were made, and Servia has been sacrificed by her friends to her enemies. The "Standard" believes that the Cabinet, if a reduction is decided upon, will include the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, Sir Stanley Owen Buckmaster, Sir E. Grey, Lord Kitchener, and Messrs. Balfour, Bonar Law, Lloyd George, Chamberlain and McKenna, also Lord Lansdowne, the latter with out portfolio.

A TELL-TALE DIARY.

LONDON, October 29.

Extracts published from the diary of Pvt Becker, Professor of Latin at Bonn Gymnasium, testify to the brutalities of the German officers towards the soldiers. Becker states that on both the Russian and the western front the men are badly fed and uncared for, while the officers fare well. He does not disguise how, during attacks, the officers disappear until the danger is past.

BLOCKADE OF THE BALTIC,

(Times and Sydney Sun Cables) COPENHAGEN, October 29

British and Russian submarines in tihe Baltic are extending their operations northward to Urea, near Skaergaarden and Lulea, at the head of the Gulf of Bothnia, with the object of tutting off the enormously Swedish ore exports to Germany. German vessels in Lulea have been ordered to remain in port.

ZEPPELIN DEFENCES

LONDON COPIES PARIS

LONDON, October 29,

Mr Balfour announces that it is intended to make the London Zeppelin defences similar to those of Pai v is. SIR lAN HAMILTON. MESSAGE TO THE TROOPS. CONFIDENT THEY WILL WIN. LONDON, October 29. Sir lan Hamilton, in a farewell order, thanked all ranks at the Dardanelles for the wonderful way they had seconded his efforts to lead them towards a decisive victory, which he had implicit confidence they would achieve under Major-General Menro.