THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

■GREEK PREMIER IN DEFENCE. BLAMES THE ALLIES. London, Dec. 2!!. Mr. Donolioe, writing from Athene, ftates tliat ho interviewed M. Skouloudie, who is a cultured, sympathetic and witty conversationalist, replete with vijile energy despite his 78 years. He said: "This is the most critical moment in Greek history. The future is as black as night. Greece has tried to play the' 1 game, as you English say, and sought to see eye to eye with the Entente. If Greece is not lighting whole-heartedly on your side it is because the Entente's statesmen and diplomatists have failed in their duty. The Allies flouted Greece instead of placating her. They coquetted with Bulgaria, treating Greece disdainfully. As the result the Allies have fallen between two stools.

"If the Allies had frankly asked aid Greece would not have hesitated a moment, but instead England and France began demanding the sacrifice of Kavala and Seres to our bitterest foes. When Greece asked to co-operate in the Dardanelles we were warned on no account to dream of marching to Constantinople. The Greeks were forbidden, in deference to Russia, to show the flag within fifty miles of the Byzantine Ttapital, yet Greece nourishes national dreams and ambitions. Nevertheless, we have not forgotten Gladstone and Byron, and, though you bullied us, we turned the other cheek and warned you of the difficulties and dangers of the Dardanelles expedition. Moreover, we offered a perfected scheme of operation?, which the Greek General Staff had worked out long ago in the evfent of war with Turkey. Yet the Allies ignored and humiliated us, and when we decided to continue neutral almost goaded us into hostilities."

GREECE DID HER UTMOST FOR THE ALLIES. Received Dec. 23, 5.5 p.m. Athens, Dec. 22. M. Skouloudis continued: ''"You laid an embargo on our commerce, held up our ships, suppressed our cables, and we were within an ace of starvation. Nevertheless we have done out utmost for the Allied cause, which your blundering, highhanded, haughty way permits. We have now to face the problem of lioiw to prevent the ingress of the Bulgars, who have an eye upon Kavalla and Seres. We are under no delusions about retrogression of the occupied territory, for paper guaranteees are at a discount nowadays." M. Skouloudis added that he contemplates retiring from the Premiership in favor of M. Gounaris, who received the largest following at the elections. OCCUPATION'OF VARNA. REPORT NOT CONFIRMED. 'BOMBARDMENT OF BULGARIAN COAST. Received Dec. 24, 1.25 a.m. Buciiarest, Dec. 23. The occupation of Varna is not confirmed. Advices from Baltchik state that forty vessels appeared off Cape Kaliakra ana proceeded in the direction of Varna. Four large warships bombarded the town for it couple of hours, but a fog caused a cessation, and the squadron returned to Caliakra.

Simultaneously with the attack on Varna two Russian gunboats bombarded th# Bulgarian frontier near Ekrene. Two Turkish sailing vessels that were proceeding to Constanza were sunk and their crews taken prisoner, PORiy AND BARRACKS DESTROYED. ' Rome, Dee. 22. The Tribune's Athens correspondent states that the Rusians bombarded Varna all day long, destroying the forts and barracks, German submarines sallied out, but were driven back by gunfire. GREECE TO BE INVADED. REPORT PROM BULGARIA. Sofia, Dec. 22. The newspaper Mir states that King Constantine has recognised as a military measure of precaution that German and Bulgarian troops must pursue the Entente forces on to Greek territory. A BULGARIAN APOLOGY. Athens, Dec. 22. The Bulgar commander apologised for the Kuruza affray. GERMANS IN BULGARIA, Received Dec. 24, 1.25 a.m. Rome, Dec. .23. Large forces of Germans have been sent to Bulgaria to, command the route to Constantinople. KING PETER. ARRIVES IN IT4LY. Received Dec. 23, 5.5 p.m. Rome, Dec. 22. King Peter of Scrvia has arrived at Caserta Palace. He is enfeebled and suffering from mental strain and chagrin at the enemy's occupation of Serbia. One hundred notables accompanied him. The heir apparent remains in Albania leading the army.