THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

THE PROBLEM OF GREECE, KING AN OUT-AND-OUT GERMAN. THE ALLIES' MISTAKES. '•'CONSTAXTINE IS GREECE." Received Nov. 0, 10.10 p.m. London, Nov. 8. Dv. Dillon, writing from Rome, says that Kins' Constantino's nomination of General Yanakitsas as War Minister constitutes a 'bold challenge to M. Venizelos and a large section of the nation. It shows the lengths he is preparer. :o go in defence of German interests and the carrying out of his solemn resolve, made in July, 1914, of loyalty to the Kaiser. The Allies, says Dr. Dillon, made a mistake in assuming that King Constantine is a mere figure-head, and that M. Venizelos is virtual master. Another mistake was the systematic attempt to encourage a brotherly union between Bulgaria and Greece, which countries intensely hate each other. Whichever one we propitiated with promises of captured territories we inevitably drove the other into the enemy's arms. When we held out alluring prospects of a Serbian extension along Hie Adriatic we unwittingly threw fuel to the flames of Bulgaria's hatred. "I cannot," says Dr. Dillon, "ascertain the truth of the report that King Constantino sAit an autograph letter to King Ferdinand, in response to the Kaiser's exhortations, but it is curious that % military mission arrived at Athens a few days before the crisis, consisting of German military attaches from Sofia and Bucharest. Also, the son of Prince Bulow, on arriving at Salonika, hesitated to take the sea journey, fearing Anglo-French warships, and finished his journey to Athens in a motor-car. "The Entente must understand that King Constantine is Greece," concludes Dr. Dillon. DOWN THE DANUBE. AND ON TO CONSTANTINOPLE. THE AUSTRO-GERMAN ADVANCE. Received Nov. 9, 10.50 p.m. Bucharest, Nov. 9. The Austro-Germans are using the Danube to pass supplies to Bulgaria and Turkey. The first convoy reached Rustchuk, escorted by Austrian monitors, with troops, munitions, and motorcars. General von der Goltz's army and another convoy are passing down the Danube to other Bulgarian ports. The Germans are within thirty miles of Nish, and when this section is captured the direct railway to Constantinople will be cleared. ALLIES PUSHING AHEAD. WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS. DISAFFECTION IN BULGARIA. Received Nov. 10, 1.5 a.m. Salonika, Nov. 9. The French General Staff announces that a fierce action continues northeast of Strumnitza. The French are pushing northward, the British closely co-operating upon the right. An artillery duel is raging at Valandovo, the Serbians also participating. The French guns are causing frightful devastation. The Serbians have gained an advantage at Vrania. Splendid weather favors a continued considerable disembarkation of the Allies. Prisoners declare that serious trouble will break out in Bulgaria the moment the Allies gain a military success. Several Turkish divisions have crossed the Bulgarian frontier towards the Danube, and the troops travel at night, fearing a reaction of the population. FRENCH VICTORY. THE FIRST TIME OF ASKING. THE BATTLE AT VARDAR. Received Not. 9, 10.5 p.m. Rome, Nov. 9. Details have been received of the opening fight between the French and the Bulgars on tho east bank of the Vardar terrain, adjoining Strumnitza, railway station. The battle took place on a hillside, divided by ravines, and rain rendering it more difficult. Four Bulgarian regiments, preceded by bomb-throwers and Macedonian irregulars, advanced to the attack in dense formation. The French reserved their fire until the enemy were within a few hundred yards. Then the entire front burst into a devastating hurricane of fire. The attackers wavered and the French seventy-fives opened with shrapnel, and machine-guns also blazed. This completely surprised the Bulgarians. Suddenly, as a forlorn hope, five hundred Bulgars, supported by two Krupp seventy-sevens, dashed forward with the bayonet, and in a hand-to-hand struggle broke the French centre.. General Bailloud signalled the Chasseurs to advance, and the struggle was renewed in the middle of the battlefield, the artillery firing over the heads of the combatants. The forlorn hope was wiped out. Of thirty prisoner taken, eighteen were wounded. The whole French line then advanced, forcing the Bulgarians to abandon their wounded and a quantity of munitions. The victory enabled the French left wing to be extended to Negotinand Krivolak. AUSTRIAN SOLDIERS DROWNED. Paris, Nov. 8. A belated Cettigne message states that, in the last week in October several barges full of Austrian soldiers were sunk in the Drina, near Vishegrad. OCCUPATION OF KRUCHEVATZ. New York, Nov. 8. Reuter's Berlin correspondent reports that the Austro-Germans have occupied Kruchevatz, a town on the Morava, south-east of Kraeuievatz.