THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

A PICTURE OF HORROR. FROM XISH TO MONASTIR, New York, Xov. 20. Mr. Shepherd, correspondent of the United Press, sends graphic pictures from Monastir of the miseries of the Serbian refugees. He describes the road from Xish to Monastir as worse than tlic Klondyke trail in evidences of privation, exhaustion and death. A Government party had a terrible journey, lasting twenty days on horseback. It included the American wife of a Serbian official, who said: '■There are three million starving people in Serbia. Horses are starving in thousands, and dogs left behind without food arc scouring the hills in famished packs in pursuit of game. "The roadside from Nish to Mor.:i tiv is a continuous horror, with dead horses interspersed with the corpses of the starved and exhausted fugitives, women and children. Our horses were starving, and some fell from exhaustion and died where they fell. Our party was the j best equipped of all on that trail of death, yet all we had to eat was half | a loaf of bread each daily. Host of the refugees were without food for days. Many struggled into the villages hopefully, expecting bread, but found nothing, and lay down and died, unable to prolong- the cruel struggle. "One night I heard screams—a man was being murdered by hunger-maddened men for his half-loaf of"bread. What is happening in Serbia is the 'blackest page in history. When M. Micliotte, the •Belgian Minister, offered the Serbians money, tbey burst into tears, appealing for bread." Mr. Shepherd appeals to Americans to aid the refugees, and adds: "Batches hourly arrive in Monastir delirious with joy, but even there food is terriblyscarce and the fuel is exhausted." FRENCH AND BULCARS.

DESPERATE FIGHTING. Salonika, Nov. 20. The Bulgarians are apparently concentrating their efforts on the Lower Cerna against the French. Fighting has proceeded for several days in the Gradsko region. • The Bulgarians roade furious efforts to capture Rajez bridge, on the Cerna, which marks the extreme French left. Hitherto they have failed, hut a desperate struggle continues. AT SALONIKA. IMPORTANT REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE. Paris, Nov. 27. The Salonika correspondent of 1> Journal des Debats announces that the first important reinforcements reached Salonika yesterday. BULCARS FALL BACK. ALLIED FORCES NEAR MONASTIR. Received Nov. 27, 8.30 p.m. London, Nov. 27. The Exchange Telegraph correspondent at Geneva says that a Bulgarian source announces a. vast developing movement by heavy Allied forces on the Monastir front from the Corna river and Reka to Orvenik. The Bulgarians are falling back before the violent Serbian attacks. General Galhvitz has arrived at Prilep to the Aiistro-German operations against Monastir.

ANOTHER WARNING. .. AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO GREECE. Received Nov. 28, 5.5 p.m. Athens, Nov. 27. The Allied Ministers have handed M. Skouloudis an important Note defining the material disposition expected of Greece in conforming to her previous agreement and principle. The Note adds that it is taken for granted that Greece will not oppose the practical measures involved, especially after the Allies' benevolence in the matter of trade, thus ensuring facilities of supplies. NEWS FROM ATHENS. SERBIANS FIGHTING DESPERATELY. REINFORCEMENTS LANDING AT VARNA. EN3MY EVACUATING ROUMANIAN PORTS. Received Nov. 28, 5.5 p.m. Athens, Nov. 27. The Serbians have captured Krushevo and the Serbs and Bulgars are engaged in a battle north-west of Uskub, the former fighting with desperate courage. Transports, escorted by the Goeben, the Breslau, and three submarines, are landing troops and munitions at Varna. The authorities are evacuating all the Roumanian towns on the Danube, in view of the impending Russian attack on Bulgaria. GREECE'S FINE WORDS. PARIS PRESS DEMANDS FURTHER ACTION. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Nov. 27, 5.20 p.m. London, Nov. 2fl. The Paris press is demanding further action in Greece. M. Pichon says that the Greek Government is trembling before the Germans and deluging us with fine words, protesting friendship. The Government is illegal and is in a representative minority. We have a right under existing treaties and cannot tolerate the position any longer. I.e Gaulois says that between a system of terror and magnanimity there I is room for firmness; between a'gentle- [ man and a bandit there is room for a i soldier, and we should occupy it,

HEROISM OF THE SERBS. BULGARS HARKING TIME. Received Nov. 28, 8 p.m. Paris, Nov. 27. Tlic Serbians are concentrating a fresh position parallel to the Albanian frontier, and have established communication with Durazzo. This has ensured a safe reviclnalling base. Thirty thousand Bulgarian wounded wore repatriated during the week. The Serbians fought with unexampled heroism at Pristina. Although greatly outnumbered tlicy kept the enemy at bay for ten days, inflicting terrible loss'es, and retreated only when without ammunition. The struggle exhausted the Bulgarians, who are now marking time. A bombardment by aviators of the ; stores and troops in the town of Strumnitza was completely successful. BULGARIA BECOMING WEARY. HER MISSION. FRENCH RETAKE THE OFFENSIVE. Received Nov. 28, 8 p.m. London, Nov. 27. The Daily Mail's Salonika correspondent say's that the French have retaken the offensive and captured the majority of the positions that were lost on the Krivolak-Rajec line. The Bulgarians were obliged to retreat, as they attacked in full force, holding no covering troops in their rear. The Serbians, continuing their retreat in a new direction, attacked the Bulgarians at Prilep and fighting continues. Bulgarian newspapers are unanimous in saying that after the occupation of Macedonia Bulgaria's mission is ended, and she is not disposed to consent to fresh activities. Bulgarian public opinion is troubled by the presence of Turkish forces in Thrace. There are five divisions at Sufli, one at Mustafa Pasha, one at Varna, and one at Burgas. Turkish newspapers claim that Germany promised Turkey that she should have Thrace, but M. Radoslavoff denies this. ROUMANIA FIRM. THWARTS THE INVADERS. Received Nov. 27, 8.15 p.m. London, Nov. 27. Renter's correspondent says that a few days ago Austro-Germany made a joint demand to Roumania to allow war vessels to proceed down the Danube towards Galata and the Black Sea, but ft was refused. It is fairly certain that AustroGermany desired to menace the Russian concentration at Reni from Galata. Roumania's decision prevents the enemy from reaching Galata. (Galata is the largest suburb of Constantinople, on the north side of the Golden Horn. It has a custom house for Constantinople, and is the chief port for its foreign trade.) (Reni is a town in Bessarabia, .140 miles south-west of Odessa.) ROUMANIA'S ATTITUDE. RUSSIA'S ACTION IMPRESSIVE. Rome, Nov. 2'cJ. II Corriere della Sera states that Prince Ilohenlohe's and Prince Sehaum-burg-Lippe's activities, and the renewed German intrigues with the Roumanian newspapers and politician-;, have had little elfeet. The Roumanians are enormously impressed with Russia's concentrations, believing Russia to have concentrated half a million men and two thousand guns.

RUSSO-ROUMANIAN AGREEMENT, Received Nov. 27, 5.20 p.m. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Lonaon, »»v. id. Lo Petit Journal's Bucharest correspondent says that the Russo-Roumanian negotiations are succeeding. 11. Bratiano has officially announced that relations were new better. ill. .Tonescu states that the Government lias decided to follow the national policy, and believes that it will intervene for the Allies.