THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

BULGAR ATTACKS REPULSED. 'WITH HEAVY LOsSliX Received Dee. 0, y.."> p.m. Salonika, Doc. S. The weather improved on Monday, and tlio Bulgarians were 'bombarding the entire Britisli line at Strumnitza all day long. Infantry attack* which followed were easily repulsed. Fighting was resumed nn Tuesday, when German cavalry appeared at Strumnitza. Latest reports state that the Allies cormtor-attaekod at Valandovo, Doiran, and (jhevgcli. driving 'hack the Bulgarians. The Allies' heavy artillery inflicted considerable losses. FRANCO-GREEK COMMISSION .'.X OFFICIAL DEXIAL. Received Dee. !), 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. S. Router's Athens correspondent reports that Franco-Greek military commissions are conferring. Those in responsible circles are confident that a satisfactory understanding will be reached. It is officially denied that Britain has prohibited the export of British goods or that grain ships are being detained at Malta. SITUATION MORE COMPLi;:.

I'L'KKS AXD BULGARS MISTRUST EACH OTHER. Received Dec. 9, ;">.5 p.m. London, Doc. S. The Daily Telegraph's Salonika correspondent states that the latest news from Constantinople reports that the situation is grave, and a revolution and a change of Government is considered likely. Turco-Bulgarian distrust is deepening. ROUMANIAN TROOPS CALLED UP. A STUDENTS' PROTEST. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Reecived Dec. 'n, 5.55 rj.ni. London, Dec. S. Bucharest reports that the Government has called up the 1917 and 1918 classes, and also mobilised naturalised and other foreigners of military ago. As a protest against the nomination of a neutrality rector, 28,000 university students have struck, demanding the appointment of M. Tacjonescus, brother of the ardent interventionist.

AT SALONIKA. MUST THE FORCES BE WITHDRAWN? FRENCH EXPERT OPINION 1 . Received Dec. 10, 12.55 a.m. PavisJ Dec. 9. General Perot, writing in L' Eclair, advocates re-embarkation of the forces at Salonika, on the ground that France will soon need all her Eastern troops. He states that the British have mistakenly decided not to abandon Gallipoli. Lieut.-Colonel Roussa, writing in La Liberte, says that the abandonment of Salonika would give Germany the Aegean, and the Allies must decide, immediately 'between reinforcement and re-embarkation.

GENERAL ITEMS. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Dec. 8. The latest, Bulgar'and German reports indicate that the harrowing Sorb misery compelled them to abandon almost everything when the pursuit caught them up. Correspondents state that the Bulgarians behaved ferociously, and Hungarian patrols had to intervene at Nish to prevent outrages on women. (Street fighting followed and several were killed. The Germans are invading Albania.

M. Venize'los, in an election manifesto, says: "Successive dissolutions have transformed the constitution into a veritable scrap of paper, suggesting that the monarch is the supreme head of tin: State. My people will not lend themselves to an election comedy unworthy of a free people and contrary to the national will, consequently they will not participate in the elections, but leave to the Government the full and entire responsibility for the politie.il regime and plans which the Government is preparing. The Liberals will resume the struggle for the defence of constitutional liberties when the external crisis terminates. Should disaster come it will be unshaken in its belief in the future of Hellenism. The Government's maintenance of mobilisation proves that they are afraid unwillingly to make war in defence of territorial integrity." 'Wholesale German bribery proceeds. A Roumanian newspaper was offered £40,000 to turn pro-German, but accepted £24,000 to cease publication. Writers are paid .faOOi) to X, 12,000 for pro-German articles. A politician's wife was offered a necklace worth £13,000 to secure her husband's voice at Court. The Queen (a daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh) is on the side of the Allies, and the Germans have left no stone unturned to stultify her views.

Tin? Times, in a leader, says King Constantino's description of the Dardanelles expedition as a• gamble is delicate ground, because its risks were largely due to liis refusal to sanction -M. Venizelos' policy in the spring. His defence of Greece's failure to respect treaty obligations adds nothing to the singularly feeble explanation of his present advisers. Amsterdam, Dee. 8. 'A Bulgarian communique states that the French iroops are retreating on both banks of the Vardar. Our pursuit continues. We occupied Resnia town, and also Di'bi-ii (on the Albanian frontier), following a sanguinary battle. It transpires that the Serbian defeat at Kulaluma, near Prizrend, was a catastrophe. They lost all their artillery, automobiles, the royal carriage, and 320 omnibuses. We and abandoned guns at every step. The Albanians are revolting and fallhig on the Serbian bands who are wandering in the mountains, TUa Mallisaoiig are p&rtieularly hostile.