THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

THE CAMPAIGN IN SERBIA. .. A STUBBORN DEFENCE. - DEFEAT OF BULGAR TROOPS. Salonika, Nov. 14. The Italian cruiser Piedmonte has arrived. ' ' The Serbians captured Tetovo, putting to flight two Bulgarian regiments. Some guns were taken. The total Serbian casualties from the outset, including prisoners, are 30,000. The main army is concentrated northward of Tetovo and in the mountains towards Old Serbia. Novividgar, Mitrovitza, and Prislitina are able to offer a stubborn and prolonged defence. The French routed the Bulgarians in the Strumnitza sector, inflicting heavy losses. Rome, Nov. 14. Advices report that the Mitrovitza situation has greatly improved. The enemy attempts to separate the Montenegrins from the Southern Serbian forces have failed. The Bulgarians were defeated- ten kilometres from Nish and forced to retire. / ' '

AN IMPERTINENT DEMAND. KING CONSTANTINE'S ANSWER. Received Nov. 15, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Nov. 14. Le Petit Journal's Geneva correspondent says that the Austrian and German Ministers at Athens have demanded that the disembarkation of the Entente troops at Salonika should be prevented, even by force. The King has replied that Greece will remain neutral until one or other of the belligerent has ceased to respect her rights. Salonika being a free port the disembarkation has not constituted a transgression of neutral rights.

ANGLO-FRENCH ADVANCE. LANDING AT SALONIKA CONTINUES. Received Nov. 15, 10.30 p.m. London, Nov. 15. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at Salonika reports that the Italian cruiser Piedmonte has arrived at Salonika. The French in advancing have doubled the extent of their territory, capturing several villages on the Strumhitza front and repulsing the Bulgarians with great losses. The British continue to receive reinforcements and are advancing, clearing the Bulgarians from the allotted sector. The Serbian advance in the Kanehanik region resulted in the capture of Tetovo, near the Albanian frontier. Considerable Bulgarian reinforcements are likely to prevent the Serbian advance in the Uskub region. The landing of troops at Salonika is being accelerated.

A BATTLE NEAR VELES. ROW THE BULGARS WERE ROUTED. Received Nov. 15, 11.50 p.m. Rome, Nov. 15. II Corriero Delia Sera prints a despatch from Prielp which describes the Bulgarian repulse, at Udvor. The .Serbians are quitting Veles, not desiring to waste time in defending unimportant points, and have retreated for ten miles to the Baboiua range, behind Izvor, and organised tueir defences awaiting the Bulgarians, -who numbered twenty thousand against six thousand. The Bulgarians attacked furiously, nnd the (Serbians were iu danger of being overwhelmed when there came a fortunate error. The Bulgarian column marched into a narrow defile and the Serbians allowed them to advance to close range. Then they made a bayonet charge and completely routed the Bulgarians.

This success electrilied the remainder of the Serbians, who drove back the enemy, and then the distant sound of the French guns compelled the Bulgarians to withdraw the portion of their forces in this region.

ROUMANIAN ATTITUDE. MUCH DEPENDS ON GREECE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Nov. 14. The Times' Balkan correspondent says that the British communique announcing tile impending dispatch of Anglo-French troops, and the news that the Germans arc. fortifying the Serb bank of the Danube has deeply impressed Bucharest. The satisfaction caused by the prospect of the opening of the river for ilic export of Roumanian produce is considerably diminished 'by the menace of German military domination of the great commercial waterway, and appreltcnsion is felt that Roumania will soon Ibe. isolated and exportation he only possible to the Russian side. Military opinion views gloomily the strategical situation in Serbia. It is not believed that any efforts of the Allies can now save the Serbian army from the combined Anstro-German and Bulgarian attacks, whose forces amount to 000,00(1 men. If Russia would send 200/1011 men, disembarking them on the Black Sea or via Reni, while the AngloFrench landed a similar army on the Aegean coast, it would probably result in the adhesion of Unnmonia and Greece and the failure of the German advance On Constantinople, because Itouniauia could attack the Bulgarians- in the rear and the Germans*™ the front. The Balkans are watching events in Greece wilh the keenest interest and the outcome of the crisis in Athens will greatlv affect the attitude of Roumania. Jt is believed that, if the Allies simultaneously dispatch adequate forces to the Balkans, Greece will resolve to support the Allies, and this will decisively affect Roumania°s policy. German prestige has diminished in the Balkans hecause of the cheeks in Russia. The early British capture of Baghdad would considerably impress them,"but the determining factor with Roumania and Greece will be the proof of the Allies' ability and readiness to inaugurate n great Balkan campaign. Russian participation is of prime importance. The Court party in Athens is using every device 'to discredit M. Veniz*lo%,

A GREAT BATTLE RACING. SERBIA'S HOPE. Received Nov. 15, 5.5 p.m. London, Nov. 14. A Serbian official communique slates: A fierce battle is proceeding at Kachanek. The Serbians are making a desperate stand against a large force of Austrians, Germans, and Bulgarians, who. are equipped with long range guns. The Serbians' principal hope is to hold up the enemy until a junction is effected with the Anglo-French.

RUSSIAN REINFORCEMENTS. A BULGARIAN SUCCESS. Received Nov. lfi, 1.55 a.m. Alliens, Nov. 15. Five Russian transports, full of troops, left Odessa on Saturday. The Bulgarians have retaken Netovo. NEW BULGARIAN ARMIES. Berlin, Sept. 10. The German press has been supplied with some semi-official figures regarding the strength of the new Bulgarian armies. According to these figures, which are probably of German rather than of Bulgarian originj the army of operation consists of ten, infantry divisions (actually small army corps'), each of three brigades of twenty-four battalions, two squadrons, and thirteen to fifteen batteries, besides mountain guns. In addition there is a division of cavalry. The lighting powqr of a division of three brigades is estimated at 24,000 rifles), 24 machine-guns, 200 troopers, 72 Held guns, -1 field howitzers, and from S to 12 mountain guns. This works out at 240,000 rifles, 240 machine-guns, 8000 cavalry, 720 field guns, 40 howitzers, besides the mountain weapon. There is a field reserve of 20,000, and in addition a sort of semi-trained militia corresponding to the German Landsttirm. According to the figures published in the German newspapers, Bulgaria can dispose of a total of close on half a million of men.