Blaze in the Balkans

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 133, 23 October 1912, Page 5

Blaze in the Balkans

Strong Press Censorship. Wild and Unconfirmed Rumors Britain's Neutrality An Alleged Seyere Turkish Defeat Women and Children Fighting The war news to-day gives evidence of some interruption in direct communication. A strict Press censorship has been established by the Governor of Adrianople, where the most severe fighting centres at the moment. London reports a number of wild and unconfirmed rumors, which include the capture of the Crown Prince of Greece and the capture of 20,000 Turks with an army corps and supplies in a sudden raid on Kirk Kilissia. Mr. Beaumont, the Daily Telegraph correspondent, reports that 10,000 Bulgarians stormed the fortress of Cherin and bayoneted the defenders. The fighting at Plava was very severe, and the Albanians only left when the town was in flames. Nine hundred were killed, including a' number of women and children, who were found dead with weapons still in their hands. Britain has decided to maintain a position of neutrality,, and this has been officially gazetted. '

The Greeks have captured the historic Island of Lemnos, in the Aegean

Bulgaria and Servia are both keeping up a strong attack over the frontier, and are more than holding their own in the exchange of hostilities.

WILD RUMORS.

TWENTY THOUSAND TURKS CAPTURED. TURKISH MASSACRES. HORRIBLE ATROCITIES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 22, 10.10 p.m. London, October 22. A number of wild and unconfirmed rumors from Sofia and elsewhere included the capture of the Crown Prince and the capture by Montenegro of twenty thousand Turks in a sudden raid on Kirk Kjlissia, with an army corps and supplied, •,/«■<, It is stated in Sofia that the Turks in the Adrianople district are terroi stricken and are abandoning their rifles and Howitzers and flying in disorder.

Vienna, October 22.

The Reichpost states that the retiring Turks massacred the villagers, and that 150 bodies were found at Bacero, 100 at Railoska, and 150 at Jakonda. Mutilated corpses amid the burning ruins of Mickut formed a particularly terrible sight.

STRICT PRESS CENSORSHIP. Received 22, 10.10 p.m. Constantinople, October 22. The Governor of Adrianople has issued a proclamation warning the inhabitants to be as careful of supplies as possible. The town is invested, and he recommends those able to do so to leave the town.

CAPTURE OF LEMXOS. Athens, October 21. The Greeks have occupied Lemnos, an island in the Aegean Sea. THE BULGARIAN NAVY. Constantinople, October 21.

CHERIN STORMED. THE INVINCIBLE BULGARIANS. Received 22, 10.10 p.m. Sofia, October 22, Mr. Beaumont states that ten thousand Bulgarians attacked the fortl'Cgft of Cherin, ten. mi]es south, of r Mustafai stormed the outw'Ji it u ,' , , and bayonetted the !lgfen*' ers> PRESS CENSORSHIP. Received 22, 10.10 p.m. Sofia, October 22.

The Bulgarians have announced that journalists evading the censorship will bo eourt-martialled. The Bulgarian officers and soldiers are forbidden to refer to the operations in private letters. Sixty correspondents have gone to Starazagova, ■is-- ■ /V ' F A DESPERATE FIGHT % - WOMEN AND j oK Iy y Received 22". 10.10 "p.m. ' "■•" Octtinje, October 22. The fighting at Plava was very severe. The Albanians only left w'nen the town was in flames. Nine hundred we-re killed, including women and children, w ho were found dead with weapons st'ffl in their hands.

A RED CROSS SURGEON.

London, October 21.

THE CAPTURE OF t EM nj O S, THE GREEK ' mt Received 22~ m4(5 p . m . - .thens, October 22. The ba tleships Averoff , H ydra. Spets.a and Phara, ar jfl flotmft occupied Lemnor The Greek d „ .. 4l . rn ~ , estrover Smyrna captured a Turkish tr ' ', m * ' «. , ■ansport. The officers and men and for ' , . , , , jrteon Turkish spies were arrested. .Tv •• a-ttalions drove out the Turks at Dissi .. „, .kata, in Xorth-West Elassona. THE ELASSONA FIGHT.

' REPULSE OF THE ALLIES. Received 22. 10.45 p.m. Constantinople. October 22. Fighting continued at Elassona. Fifteen hundred Greeks have been killed. It is officially stated that the Turks induced the Bulgarians to concentrate in the Hanlar district at Doipad and to advance by means of a feigned retreat. The Turks suddenly attacked the left wing, capturing two guns. Pursuit of the Bulgarians continues.

THE BULGARIAN ADVANCE. Sofia, October 21. On Friday "evening, General Ivanoff, with the first army corps, occupied the banks of the Maritza, and found the bridge, station and telegraph office at Mustafa practically intact. On Saturday he drove the Turks from the forts forming the outer defence of Adrianople. The second urmy corps, under General Radknodimitrieff, advancing on Tunjavalley, captured Turnovo. The third army corps is under General Kutincheff.

The Turks in the Razlog district are arresting Bulgarian notables, and demanding ransoms, asking £3OO from each village, and, beating hundreds of .villages, ...*«i!S'--:-ti.-v-v .■<■":■;; ;

THE SERVIAN ATTACK. Belgrade, October 21. The Servians are transferring their headquarters from Nisch to Vranja. The Arnauts, while retreating on Prepolatz, hoisted the white flag, and fired, killing Captain Popovitch and twelve men. The Servinn artillery reopened fire, killing two hundred. The Turkish warships bombarded Mavarna Customhouse and destroyed it.

The Turks sank one Bulgarian torpedo boat, while another took refuge near the Varna forts, which" the Turks silenced, - ''• : ; _ S •»'>,..' ,■ '"-"'"■ _i "■ i'" SERVIA PUSHING FORWARD. Belgrade; October 21. The Servian headquarters advanced from Vranja to Zibeftohe. The Servians under Janoics captured, til"? Turkish trenches at Podujvo, near Mitrovitza, seven Servians being killed and 120 wounded.

TURKISH VESSELS SEARCHED. ✓ r Athens, October 21. Several vessels have been searched, and rifteen Turkish officers have baen captured, en route for the seat of war.

Dr. Mark Gardener, of Melbourne, has joined the British Red Cross unit, and -safe for Turkey on Friday.

THE CASE AGAINST TURKEY.

w .' at*** Vienna, October 21. The Zeit describes King Peter's manifesto as grave and significant. It indicates, not merely Turkish misrule, but Europe, whose diplomacy ia blameable for the. war, firstly for the want of timely intervention, and secondly for indolence in dealing with Turkey. Every effort must be made to coerce Turkey into treating non-Turkish races as human beings.

BRITISH NEUTRALITY, London, October 21. The proclamation of Britain's neutrality has been gazetted. Mr. George Lloyd (Unionist member for West Staffordshire) in view of Britain's neutrality, protests against Mr. Masterman's anti-Turk~Tsli speech at Bethnal Green. A LESSON FROM TURKEY. Constantinople, October 21. ' Turkish opinion deprecates the proclamations of the Kings of Bulgaria and Servia, as emphasising the struggle of the Cross against the Crescent. It contrasts the Sultan's proclamation, wherein it is stated that the motive of the war is political, not religious, and that their opponents are men deluded . by vainglorious ambitions.

STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES,

The Turkish command firs are: Alirgia Pasha, Generalissimo of the Western Army at Salonika; Faik Pasha, of the cavalry division at Uskubj and Fethi Pasha, at Kossovo. REMARKS OF CRITICS. London, October 21. Military critics in London point out that none of the correspondents are yet allowed at the front. Much of the war news is evidently intended to sustain enthusiasm in' Belgrade and Sofia and to deceive the enemy. The Morning Post estimates the Turks as being 160,000 strong, with 412 guns at Adrianople and Kirk Kilissia. The Bulgarians are 270,000, including guards of the communications, and 788 guns. Vienna, October 21.

Vienna critics opine that the Turks are mistaken in concentrating at Adrianople. The Allies' real objective is Salonika, which the Servians, Montenegrins and Greeks will capture, while the Bulgarians check the Turks at Adrianople.

THE AFTERMATH. The following important comment on the Balknn situation was made by the London Times last week and cabled to the Sydney Sun:—The Times, m a special article, says that '■' perhaps the most dangerous sign in the present crisis in the premonitory news that Russia is unofficially backing the Balkan allies. The predominant position of Austria becomes more and more marked as the j armies of Servia, Bulgaria and Montenegro march south and east. If these armies, and the nations behind them, are exhausted in the course of war, Austria will stand on velvet and will be able to shape events as she may please. The war will be serious and distressing enough, but the aftermath will be more serious still, and may, conceivably, revolutionise the situation of the Continental Powers." The article continues: "Nothing short of a European guarantee of drastic reforms is likely to stop the war. European diplomacy is apparently unable to mobilise as speedily as the Balkan armies."

Latest estimates of the war strengths of the possible belligerents places Turkey's full force at 1,000,000 men, as against Bulgaria's 320,000, Roumania's 350,000, 100.000 serving under the Grecian flag, 175,000 from Servia, and 50,000 from Montenegro. Turkey's field army consists of 260,000 officers and men, while the composite opposing side would be made up of 250,000 from Bulgaria's hills, 170,000 Roumanians, 50,000 from Greece, 110,000 from Servia, and 30,000 from Montenegro. Bulgaria has 700 guns, Servia 500, and Greece 400.