THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

TOMMIES AT PLAY. CHRISTMAS AT SALONIKA. Received Dec. 27, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 20. A Salonika correspondent says that he has never seen such a celebration of Christmas as that in the Allies camps, which lost their military atmosphere. There wag music, singing, and football, and the most amusing event was a barebacked and reinless mule race, in which the Tommies were seen struggling like Turkey and Greece. Every shop was depleted of raisins, nuts, and figs, and there were boisterous sing-songs in the evening.

SCENE IN A CAFE,

GERMAN-BULGAR FEUDS. Received Dec. 27, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 28. Mr. Donohoe, from Athens, reports that a heated argument took place in a cafe at TJskub, where a German officer fired a revolver point-blank and killed two and wounded three of the Bulgarian officers. The remaining Bulgars, from cover, overturned the tables and fired, killing five Germans. Troops then intervened. These sanguinary feuds are of almost daily occurrence.

REPORTS FROM ATHENS. ENEMY ADVANCE DELAYED. Received Dec. 27, 10.5 p.m. Athens, Dec. 27. Some newspapers anticipate that the German-Bulgarian advance has been delayed for a fortnight, and that the possible delay indicates the abandonment of an advance in favor of digging in and prosecuting the Egyptian campaign. Other reports state that Bulgaria has lost 120,000 out of 480,000 mobilised, and refuses to attack Greece now unless Germany assures Bulgaria possession of all the territory occupied. Otherwise Bulgaria will dig in on the Greek frontier and continue on the defensive.

Forty carloads of German uniforms have arrived in southern Bulgaria, with which it is believed it is intended to disguise the Bulgarian contingents who will be used in the advance on Salonika, but it is more than probable that the reports are merely German bluff. Austro-Germans from Monastir, Turks from Nevrokop, and Bulgars from Lake Doiran, are preparing for a simultaneous attack.

SERBIAN CROWN PRINCE. GIVES CHEERY REPORT. . Received Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. '._,.. Rome, Dec. 27. The Serbian Crown Prince, interviewed, stated that the retreat of the Serbians was accomplished under the most favorable conditions. They took their guns, and the army i 9 now spread in the Albanian mountains from Scutari to Sangionanni, and from Durazzo to Drana. The cavalry at Sciak are watching the roads, while the Macedonian army is marching to join the Italians at Valona. The Bulgarians and Serbians are fighting east of El Basan. The temper of the Serbians is excellent. They suffered from a scarcity of provisions, but help is beginning to arrive. Engineers are beginning to construct roads across Albania, and the Serbian and Italian generals held a conference and decided on joint action.

NOT A PEACEFUL COTERIE. BIRDS OF A FEATHER FALL OUT. Received Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. Rome, Dec. 28. The Milan paper II Secolo says that the Bulgarians and Turks are engaged in lively recriminations, so as to ensure the postponing of the cession of Tliraeian territory until the Bulgarians have obtained possession, peacefully or otherwise, in the Seres and Kavaila drama.

THE ATTACK ON SUEZ. GERMANY'S CATSPAWS DIS- "' CONTENTED. Received Dec. 57, 10.30 p.m. Paris, Dec. 27. Reports via Geneva confirm the seriousness of Germany's preparations for an expedition to the Suez Canal. Much rolling stock and railway material is assembling at Rustchuk for despatch to Syria, where the Turkish army, with German officers as instructors, and heavy artillery are massing. The Eclio de Paris says thai the Germans have established at Nisli a provisional Government, wherefrom Bulgarians are excluded. The whole attitude of the Germans shows that it is decided, to transform Serbia into a German dependency. There is the greatest discontent among the Bulgarians and Austro-Hun-garians, who are beginning to perceive they are only pulling out the chestnuts from the Are for the Kaiser.

BULOW WANTS PEACE. PROPAGANDA IN SWITZERLAND. Received Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. Berne, Dec. 27. General von Bulow and a large staff of Lucerne agents are overrunning Switerland trying to produce an atmosphere of peace. KING PETER'S BREAKDOWN, Received Dec. 27, 10.30 p.m. Rome, Dec. 27. La Tribuna says that the Serbian army is still suffering acutely from lack of provisions in Albania, but is laboring incessantly at the construction of new roads. King Peter embarked for Duraazo on the eighteenth, on an Italian destroyer, but on the voyage was so overcome at the thought of having abandoned his brave warriors that he prevailed upon' the commander to return and land > him at Verona,