THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

LAST SCENES AT MONASTIR. RETREAT OF THE GALLANT DEFENDERS. London, Dec. 3. Salonika telegrams detail the last agony of Monastir. For days the Allied commander telegraphed to General Vassitch asking if all was well, and he iuvavialily replied: '•'Still holding out." On Monday afternoon, however, there was an unaccountable. delay in replying, and it was midnight before General Vassitch telegraphed: "We arc holding positions 011 the Cerna.'' Other telegrams from the frontier showed that the end had come and the Bulgarians had advanced southeast fifteen kilometres (nine miles) beyond Monastir, threatening to surround £he little army. General Vassitcli's only chance was a precipitate retreat to Ochrida. Six thousand men from the north arrived at the last moment, who would have enabled General Vassitch to prolong the defence, hut they were worn out. They had been without food for 48 hours, their uniforms were in rags, and they had hardly any boots, after 17 days' march on mountain roads. They had lost 120 by cold and hunger, who were left to die on the mountains. When they marched in they seemed haggard spectres, more fit for a hospital than the firing line, but they were immediately ordered to join the battle outside the town and figlit like tigers. As the Serbians withdrew, the Bulgarian commitadjls, under the brigand Pasl Kristov, took possession and placarded the following manifesto: "For five hundred years ye were under the Turks, and for three under the Serbs; pow yc are free." , The commitadjis paraded the town, singing and looting the deserted buildings. There were pathetic scenes during General Vassitcli's retreat. The Serbians trudged, footsore and famished, in a hurricane of snow, the stronger encouraging and helping the weaker men. It was only the ghost of an army, and it was a wonder it still held together. The Bulgarians pressed them hard, but were beaten off, and the retreat to Ochrida resumed. Civilians at Ochrida were panic-stricken, and commenced a general exodus to Albania and Greece. A Reuter's message says that the Austro-Germans entered Monastir yesterday and hoisted the Austrian flag. The Bulgarians enter to-day. "AU REVOIR." THE AGONY OF MONASTIR. LAST MESSAGE OF THE DEFENDERS. Received Dec. 5, 5.5 p.m. Milan, Dec. 4. M. Magrini witnessed the Serbians' retreat from Monastir, which began at ten o'clock on Wednesday night, after the civic militia had organised, pending the occupation. The American flag was then hoisted on the hospital where the American Red Cross Mission were tending three hundred wounded. General Vassitch 'entrusted the American Mission with a stock of provisions, which could not be removed, for distribution amongst the poor. General Vassitch, in bidding farewell to M. Magrini, said: "Our mission is now to defend the Gorge of Rosna. We will fight to the last s«ldicr and to our last drop of blosd. We have faith in tho final victory of the Allies and in the resurrection of a greater Serbia." General Vassitch placarded the town: "The army must retire, but is leaving you its bread. In separating from you I pray for your life. Au revoir." He then motored to Resna with his staff. NO TROOPS PRESENT YET. Received Dec. 5, 11 p.m. Athens, Dec. 5. No enemy troops have entered Monastir, but only Austro-Geraan and Bulgarian officers. SERBIANS RETREAT TO ALBANIA. WHERE THEY WILL RE-FORM. Received Dec. 5, 11.5 p.m. Paris, Dec. 5. The Echo de Paris' Athens correspondent states that the whole of the Serbian Northern and Southern Armies have retreated safely to Albania, and that the Greek Government has given assurances that they wilt not be disarmed. M. Pashitch telegraphs that the Serbians are going to re-form in Albania and Montenegro. Lc Matin's Bucharest correspondent says that three Bulgarian divisions have crossed the Hungary frontier, either bound for the Italian front or the British Western front. ON THE DANUBE FRONT. BULGARIANS MASSING. TO RESIST RUSSIAN ATTACK. Received Dec. 5, 11.5 p.m. Geneva, Dec. 5. The Pense Wisener Journal says that, anticipating the Russian attack, the Bulgarians have concentrated forty thousand men on the Danube front. Much material is arriving at Ruatchuk. SERBIAN HORRORS. MORE INSTANCES OF GERMAN BRUTALITY. Received Dec. 5, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Dec. 4, Dutch Red Cross Sisters from Serbia give graphic accounts of German brutality at Kraguievatz. . Many Serbians were wounded by dumdums, and the Germans painted the Red Cross on the foreheads of slightly wounded soldiers, and also with nitrate of silver made a cross on the cheek. They goaded a man with a fractured skull until the bayonet jags covered his body with red bleeding wounds. A MONTENEGRIN SUCCESS. London, Dec. 3. A Montenegrin communique says: There was a sharp fight at Fotchi, and the Auitrians retreated in diiord«r.

THE CREEK SITUATION. NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS. Received Dec. 4, 8.10 p.m. London, Dec. 4. Athens messages declare that there are no fresh developments in the diplomatic situation. The Government is still hoping for a reduction of the Entente's demands, wliich will render possible an understanding to which the Central Powers would not object. COMMERCIAL RESTRICTIONS REESTABLISHED. The Echo de Paris, however, announces that owing to doubts about the Greek action the Allies have reestablished their restrictions upon Greek commerce, which were rescinded as a mark of what has proved rather premature confidence. CABINET IN SITTING. Mr. G. Stevens, the Daily Telegraph's correspondent at Athens, states that the censorship at Alliens renders cables valueless, so he telegraphs from Salonika that the Cabinet is sitting continuously. As a result of extreme German pressure the Greek Cabinet is divided, and the Austro-Germans arc straining every nerve to make the Allies' position untenable. M. Skouloudia is anxious to avoid unpleasant relations with tho Allies, but he is in a most difficult position. ON THE EVE OF EVENTS. The Paris Journal states that the Allies hold the whole of the railways from Salonika, and are in a naturally entrenched camp at Ijeemca, at the bend of the Varzar. Meanwhile, a big German column, abandoning its march southward and making eastward, has penetrated considerably beyond the Bulgarian frontier. The Allies' are awaiting reinforcements, and are doubtless 011 the eve of events of great importance. Copenhagen, Dec. 4. The Berliner Tageblatt savs .that Greece has agreed to give the Allies the free use of the railways in Greece and Macedonia, also the Aegean harbors, including Kavala. The paper adds that Austro-Germany has offered Greece the Aegean Islands and southern Albania if she will remain strictly neutral. GENERAL MACKENSEN WOUNDED. BY A SERBIAN BULLET. Received Dec. 5, 11.5 p.m. Petrograd, Dec. 5. It is reported that a Serbian bullet slightly wounded General Mackenaen.