BULGARIA FROM WITHIN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 21, 26 January 1916, Page 6

BULGARIA FROM WITHIN.

WAR IN SECRET.

NO VISITS TO WOUNDED.

A Greek who has arrived at Salonika from Constantinople and Philippcpclis gives an interesting account of conditions in Bulgaria. He assures me (writes Mr. G. Wavd Price) that there is as yet, no diree* communication by rail from Germany to Constantinople.

The line from Nish *.o Constantinople is all right, but between Belgrade and Nish it was disorganised by the Servians in their retreat to such an extent that a friend of his was informed by a high Bu'ganan railway official that it was expected to be five weeks before trans could run through from Austria to Turkey. Meanwhile munitions come down the Danube to Rustchuk, and passengers arrive through Roumania, crossing the Danube at Giurgevo to the same town. Though the Bulgarians are ple'ased at their success in occupying Macedonia, there is very evident an undercurrent of uneasiness among the more intelligent classes of the population, who feel that they have been made the cat's-paw of Germ'any in what may yet prove a perilous adventure. Much greater helu yas expected from the Germans than has been received, and it has. been hoped that the price of victory against the'Servians would be limited to 'about 10,000 casualties. What the actual losses have been is unknown, though Bulgarian rumour places them even as high as the evidently exaggerated figure of 100,000. The most rigil martial law prevails throughout the whole country. All news of the war is suppressed except the official reports. Relatives are not allowed to see their wounded or to receive any news from them. No one is permitted to leave a town without a pe.rmi| ! . Bulgarian residents of Philippopolis who want to go to the station only.to meet a friend 'are unable to do so without a pass. The windows of all railways carriages are painted over and fastened so that it is impossible to see through them. Popular opinion realises its own ineffectiveness against the Government, but the impression of this Greek traveller is that the mass of the people regret Bulgaria's entry into the campaign and would be glad to see a chance of m'aking peace. German influence in the country is, however, clearly omnipotent. German officeds are to be seen in the strets'of th towns and in considerable numbers at Sofia. The peasants, though fearing to express themselves openly, are emphatic in private conversation that they will not fight against the Russians, and if a Russian landing on the Danube bank, which the Bulgarians apparently consider likely, were to be made, the Mohammedan Bulgarians who have now been called up for military service would probably be the first troops to be sent against them. Constantinople, when my informant left, was much as usual except for a considerable rise in the price of food. The casualties at the Dardanelles have been very high, one estimate placing them at at least 200,000. Many sick arrive at Constantinople from the peninsula, and judging from the ; ragged state of their clothing the Turkish troops there tare none too well supplied with stores. The Turks maintain their confidence that the Dardanelles cannot be forced, and look forward, when they receive ammunition freely from Germany, to driving the Allies off the peninsula.

My Greek informant himself saw a party of Austrian and German gunners starting for Chanak (at the Narrows), and a aihvay official told him that a battery of German 10in. guns had recently been sent there.