Balkan War

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 158, 21 November 1912, Page 5

Balkan War

THE ATTACK ON CIIATALD.JA. A BLOODY BATTLE. TURKS' MAGNIFICENT DEFENCE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright, Received 20, 9.45 p.m. London, November 20.

Mr. Donohoe, the Chronicle's correspondent, says that there were two days' severe lighting at Chataldja. The issue was undecided. The fight was the bloodiest of the present war, and there were fearful losses cu both sides. The Turkish artillery inaugurated a vigorous attack, followed by furious infantry assaults, during which the Bulgarians captured several redoubts. The Turks were magnificently courageous, the officers exposing themselves in order to set an example to the men. The Bulgarians lost four guns. The extreme Turkish Tight disputed every inch desperately, dying bravely, and held their own. Constantinople, November 20. Nazim Pasha reports that the Bulgarians on the Turkish right wing on Monday lost 400 killed and wounded, including 20 officers. The Turks captured two machine guns. A desperate artillery engagement began on Tuesday morning. The Bulgarian infantry, operating on the centre, were repulsed. Part of the enemy's batteries were silenced, while the Turkish infantry attackd and flrove out the Bulgarians from the trenches. A number of uniforms captured showed that the Servians were participating. Nazim Pasna claims that the third day's fighting ended in the Turks' favor. Mukhtar Pasha, while inspecting the advanced points in the Buyan Lidelunyus district, while approaching a trench which ought to have been occupied by the Redifs, \va3 fusilladed by the Bulgarians and wounded. Mukhtar Pasha and three officers were conveyed to the German hospital. The bullet has been extracted fro'm his le.<j. General Abuk will replace Mukhtar Pasha as comman-der-in-chief.

THE .BULGARIANS CHECKED. AN ARTILLERY DUEL. TURKISH WARSHIPS IN ACTION. Received 20, 9.45 p.m. Berlin, November 20. The. Lokal An/.eiger's correspondent at Chataldja says that on the dawn of November 17 the Turkish sharpshooters opened fire on the Bulgarians occupying the, heights across a deep broad valley, wiUi a small river flowing between them. The artillery began at intervals, slowly on the left wing, more unbroken on the right, hut rapid in the centre, where the main attack was concentrated, the Bulgarians attempting to break through at ten o'clock. The Turkish shrapnel was pitched into the village of Ezetan, to the south of the high bluff of Otluk, where the Bulgarians were lodged. The village flared up, though it was raining incessantly. A thousand Bulgarians advanced across the river. The Turkish guns were silent for a moment, and then concentrated on the advances. Within two minutes not a man was left standing. Meanwhile the Bulgarian artillery was vainly trying to get the range, but passed over the Turkish batteries. Another Bulgarian detachment encountered the artillery fire and dissolved. The remnant sought cover without reaching the river. / The Turkish cruiser Hamidien throughout covered with her fire the narrow neck separating the lake from Budjiikchak Mcdje. A TERRIBLE SCENE. HORRIBLE DETAILS. Received 20, lO.fio p.m. London, November 20.

Mr. Maxwell, the Daily Mail's correspondent, states that the horrors on the road to Sfradja evidence a demoralised flight after the liunarhissar defeat. Ox waggons toiling over the heavy clay passed over the dead, whose bodies and faces were worked deep into the nits. Southward of Visa the road was churned into a quagmire by shells. Scores of bodies were mixed with broken waggons, half buried in the mud. Blood-stained hands and livid faces were seen afloat in the morass. Some were those of grey-bearded men, others those of mere boys. Amid these terrors women and iliiidren roamed, seeking what the dead no longer needed. The Turks, in their retreat, fired the villages. There is little doubt that they foully massacred the Christians. Eye-witnesses recount that women :wcre cold-bloodedly murdered and infants slaughtered. A despatch found on a wounded officer showed that Abdullah Ilamil had appealed to the Grand Vizier to invoke Europe's aid. A TURKISH VICTORY.

ROUT OF THE BULGARIANS. j Constantinople, November 20. The Turks occupied Papa Burgas, outside the Chataldja line, the Bulgarians hastily evacuating, apparently finding it impossible to break through the Turkish left. All the schools are closed, owing to cholera. * THE AUSTRO-SERVIAN SITUATION. THE CONSULAR TROUBLE. Received 20. 11.40 p.m. London, November 20. The Daily Mail's Vienna correspondent says that M. DanefF's mission was to inform Austria that while Bulgaria was anxious for an Austro-Servian settlement, the allied armies would stand solidly in the event of Austria's barring the way to the Adriatic. The Servians alleged that at >the Albanian Consulate at Prizrend M. Proelia-',!■■ displayed inconvenient curiosity. The military officers decided to isolate Prochaska until operations were concluded. Vienna, November 20. It is expected that unless Scrvia gives a satisfactory reply within twenty-four hours respecting the Consuls, the Austrian Minister at Belgrade will demand Servia to comply within three days with Austria's request for means to communicate with Prochaska. Six bacteriologists and another Red Cross unit have been sent to Bulgaria to combat the cholera. THE DEATH ROLL. THE ALBANIAN PERSECUTIONS. i Received 21, 1 a.m. Belgrade, November 20. The death roll on both sides at Monastir is estimated at 20,000. The Turks had 17,000 dead and wounded. It is semi-offieially stated that the reports of the persecutions of Albanians at Prizrend are unfounded. During the lighting measures which may have been severe were used, owing to the Albanians misuse of the white flag.