BULGAR REGIMENT WIPED OUT.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1915, Page 5

BULGAR REGIMENT WIPED OUT.

SURROUNDED ON THREE SIDES, Received Dec. 15, 5.5 p.m. Rome, December 14. La Tribuna's Athens correspondent states that the Bulgarians in the recent battle at Deinia Kapu were surrounded on three sides for.a space of three miles in length, and were under fire from 200 French guns. A Bulgarian regiment was annihilated, and 300 men were taken prisoners. THE ALLIES' RETREAT. STATEMENT BY GENERAL SARRAIL. Received Dec. 15, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 14. The Times' Milan correspondent says that General Sarrail, interviewed by Italian correspondents, stated that the order to retreat was given on December 2. He had insufficient forces to advance, but simulated preparations for an advance towards Ishtib. Taking possession of the bridge-head he left the Vardar, and easily effected the evacuation of Krivolak. The immense deposits of materials in the sector required time for removal, but the retreat to Detnirkapu was effected with the loss of twenty men and no material.

The bridges at Vetcharno and Gradsko were blown up, and Demirkapu was evacuated on the Sth. The tunnel and railway bridge were blown up, and the railway destroyed from Krivokk onwards. The British were attacked by enormously superior forces in the DoiranKosturino sector, and were in grave danger of envelopment, 'but were fortunately saved by the arrival of a new division from Salonika.

THE MASK THROWN OFF. MONASTIR GIVEN TO BULGARIA. Received Dee. 10, 1.10 a.m. Salonika, Dec, 15. Germany has thrown off the mask concerning Monastir. Having allayed Greek fears until Serbia was conquered Germany has now established a Bulgarian administration at Monastir. Tile German Minister at Sofia declares that the town is irrevocably Bulgarian. INVADING BULGAR'S ROUTE. Received Dec. 16, 12.10 a.m, Paris, Dec. 15. Le Temps says that the Bulgarians who are crossing Greek territory in a south-westerly direction came from east of Lake Dorian.

BULOAR REPORT. NOT AN ENEMY IN MACEDONIA. PURSUIT STOPPED. Received Dec. 15, 11.40 p.m, Amsterdam, Dec. 15. A Bulgarian communique states: The enemy is everywhere beaten, and there is not a single enemy soldier on Macedonian soil, ' The French ignited the barracks and hospitals at Ghevgheli and blew up the Vardar bridge. They fought more bravely than the British. We fought against 97,000 French and 73,000 British, who had 600 field guns and eight heavy howitzers. Pursuit is now stopped.

GENERAL ITEMS

NOTES FROM THE TIMES. A BIG FIGHT COMING. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, Dec. 14. The Daily Mail's Rotterdam correspondent is firmly convinced that a big fight is coming and will be fought to a, finish on the West front, where both sides are massing enormous quantities of men and munitions. It will be a battle of artillery. "More and more guns" is the constant cry of modern generals. Something must give in the coming big battle, and it will not be the British and French. We shall probably strike immediately a hard frost makes the ground passable for artillery and infantry, probably early in the new year; meanwhile reinforcements are increasingly pouring into France anil Belgium. GREEK KING AND THE PRESS. King Constantine perused the report of the interview with him published in the Times, and requested the following amendment: "The King emphatically denies the existence of a Graeco-Bulgarian treaty. Greece refuses to be dragged into war, even against her hereditary enemies." REPORTED CONCESSIONS TO GREECE. The Turco-German press at Athens says that the Military administration at Monastiv has been handed over to Austro-German and Bulgariaa officials. The civic administration is by n commission of citizens. The Greek flag has been added to those of the four allies over the town. The Greek flag alone flies over the railway station, which, with the section of the line from Monastir to the frontier, is now recognised as purely Hellenic property. Railway traffic has been restored. CENSORS TO WORK AT CHRISTMAS. The Press Bureau has arranged for the continuance of the censoring of Australasian cables throughout Christmas.