SALONIKA OFFENSIVE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 87, 11 April 1916, Page 2

SALONIKA OFFENSIVE.

GREAT "DRIVE" TO START SOON

WILL BULGARIA FACE THE MUSIC

A dispatch from Rome, dated February 18th, is very positive in its statements regarding the coming offensive of the Allied armies at Salonika. It runs as follows:

It was stated here, semi-officially, today, that the Allies are planning a smashing offensive from Salonika in the spring. In this great drive Roumania is expected to play a part, and it is thought possible that Greece may join the Entente Powers, too. Dispatches from Bucharest report that the fall of Erzeroum is hastening Roumania's entry into the war, and official circles state that Russia will make a great concentration of troops

on the B'essarabian frontier in March. These, uniting with Roumanian armies, will sweep across Roumania and strike the Central Powers' lines of communication to Turkey, while the armies of the Entente from Salonika will smash at the same objective from the south.

From Salonika, to-day, came dispatches which reported that the transportation of Serbian, Albanian and Montenegrin troops was being hastened to the Greek city now held as the Allies' eastern base. It was asserted that, when the offensive comes, these subjects of the Balkan Powers will be utilised in the recapture of their over-run countries.

Official dispatches from Bucharest to-day reported orders issued by the Roumanian Minister of War, which indicate that a crisis is imminent. His order commanded that all foreisruers under 40 years of age who remain in Roumania' must be enrolled with the colours before April. While no definite announcement com e from Athens, the opinion is officially held here that the way has been paved for Greek participation in coming offensive. French and occupation of the banks of the Vardar River, it i s held, is an indication that there is, at least, a concurrence of views between the Entente Powers and the Greek Government, and that even if Greece still holds to her neutrality, her occupation of the Vardar territory will act as a protection to the Entente advance. In this connection it is pointed out here that the advance of Grand Duke Nicholas in the Caucasus has alreadv greatly weakened the Turkish position, and it is expected that further nrcgress by the Russians will demand «o many Ottoman troops to on ,lf>c " Miern that, no bono of sneerm- th." 1 TurkP mav VIP pnt'e T ' +r >i r, P r l v " +v, « Pari. f r .,| Pnivprs Tbon the f>H°pk boe;ivs. Bulgaria's occupation cf 'ncursions into Mcpt"Po°To air 1 aiv>->-nia, and her reported clashes with thp Hreeks in Monastir have spread a feel- -■'-)£ throughout the Balkans that t'h* Bulbar is looming too largp in srdiere. 'lt is believed that the wl 'n'» shnpk of the Entente attaek will havp to be borne by Bulgaria. Failing pnw. M*fnl help by Germany and Austria, which they are unFkely to be able to °ive, the Bulbars cannot long sustain the attack. Predictions are general here that, if the advance is made as scheduled, the whole Balkan situation will be speedily reversed, and thaiphase of the Avar definitely closed with victory for the Entente Allies.