THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

CREEK SITUATION ACUTE.

IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. Received Dec. 18, 7.5 p.m. London, Dec. 17. Reute.r's Athena correspondent says that the situation in Greece is again acute. The nature of the reply which Greece gave to Germany is naturally kept secret, hut there is reason to believe that Greece will adopt a firm attitude towards the Central Powers, while insisting on the Allies confining their defensive measures to the limits of the present understanding. Athens, Dec. 1". MM. Skouloudis and Gounaris visited the German Minister, and explained that the entry of German and Bulgarian troops into Greece would raise questions that might place Greece in a position of difficulty.

GERMANY MUST INVADE. TROUBLE BREWING. Received Dec. 18, 8.10 p.m. Athens, Dec. 18. The German Minister states that owing to the Allies' fortifications Germany will be compelled to invade Greece. NO BULCARS ALLOWED TO . .._ ENTER GREECE. i < THE GREEK ELECTIONS. Received Dec.| 19, 11 p.m. London, Dec. 19. M. Scouloudis states that the Bulgarian troops will not be allowed to enter Greeec. The Times adds that the Austro-Ger-man forces alone are insufficient. Owing to the abstention of the Venizelists from to-morrow's elections there will only be 450 candidates, the majority of whom favor neutrality. A CLEAR FIELD. GREECE'S DETERMINATION. Received Dec. 20, 1.30 a.m. Salokina, Dec. 19. Although anticipating that the Austro-Germans wfil not enter Greece, but transfer their activities to Albania against the Serbs and Italians, the Greek Government states that even in the event of an invasion of Greece, ithc Greek army will withdraw, leaving a clear field to the belligerents, tho Greek Government placing the railways leading to Central Macedonia in the Allies' hands.

A FORMAL PROTEST FREM3H SUCCESS. Received Dec. 19, 11.30 p.m. Athens, Dec. 19. Greece will address to the Entente a formal protest against the fortification of Salonika, in terms somewhat similar to the protest against the Allies' landing. The French occupied the heights of Sariguel, near Kilkis, and blew up part of the Karasuli-Ghevgeli railway.

FORTIFYING SALONIKA. AUSTRO-GERMANS IN GREECE. Received Dec. 19, 5.5 p.m. Salonika, Dec. 18. British transports are still landing troops and materia], including armored motors and heavy guns. The installation of the Allies' heavy artillery has commenced, and trenches are being constructed similar to those on the West front. The enemy are hurriedly repairing the railway and other works, and are concentrating on the frontier, but their heavy guns have not arrived.

The Austro-Gcrmans arrived first, and the Bulgarians are following as reinforcements. It is reported that the Turks will replace the Bulgarians.

ITALY IN ALBANIA. A SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION. Receive Dec. 19, 11.30 p.m. Rome, Dec. 19. Great satisfaction is expressed at the landing of the first Italian expedition of eighty thousand men in Albania, with the loss of only one transport and one destroyer, and a total of forty-three lives. EXAGGERATED CLAIMS. OF AUSTRO-BULGAR BOOTY. Received Dec. 18, 8.40 p.m. Rome, Dec. 18. A Serbian communique says that the Austro-Bulgarian claims of prisoners of war and booty arc greatly exaggerated and pass all bounds. The Serbs did not leave a single intact gun. Everything that was not saved was destroyed, the guns resembled scrap iron, and motor cars were wrecked and buried.