THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1915, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

"SPRING WILL TELL." GENERAL CASTLENAU OI'TJ .M I.STIC. Received Dee. 20, 1.20 a.m Nev.' York, i re. W. General Castlenau, interviewed by an American ecrro3p.;n'loni at Athene, .-aid that the situation fit Salonika was excellent, and he had rarely seen an emplacement lend itself better (o defence. It also provides most favorable conditions for the offensive. Asked wdether the Allied foivcs contemplated an offensive from {Salonika, in the spring he replied: "The spring will tell." It was impossible to discount the exigiencies of the military situation so .far ahead. Should an offensive from Salonika be decided upon it would be under peculiarly favorable conditions. Asked how soon the war would be finished, he replied: "That does not matter. The material thing is victory, and that is certain sooner or later. In France every Frenchman and every Frenchwoman is ready to go the whole way for a complete triumph. There will be no weakeniug. France is not only determined; France is sure."

A HOTTER RECEPTION. THAN CALLING ON NANCY. Received Dee. 28, 8.50 p.m. Athens, Dec. 28. General Castelnau, speaking at a luncheon, said: "My only fear is that the enemy may not attack us. If they do they will get a reception such as they did not receive when they tried to call on me at Nancy." BULGARIANS WITHDRAW. ANGLO-FRENCH IN SOLID POSITION. Salonika, December 28. It is rtwted that the Bulgarians have withdrawn for four mile? between Ghergeli and Doiran, fortifying their line in a strong natural position. The Anglo-French fortifications, facilitated by fine weather, are being energetically pushed forward.

IMPREGNABLE. THE POSITION AT SALONIKA. Received Dec. 28, 7.5 p.m. Athens, December 27. General Castlenan, conversing witß the British Minister, said lie considered that the position at Salonika is absolutely impregnable. General Castlenan has departed homewards. ' SENT TO SARDINIA. . 30,000 AUSTRIAN PRISONERS. Received Dec! 28, 7.5 p.m. Rome, December 27. Thirty thousand Austrian prisoners who were captured by the Serbians have been handed to the custody of Italy, and have been sent to the interior of Sardinia. SERBIAN REFUGEES. Received Dec. 28, 8.50 p.m. Malta, December 28. Vessels with 320 Serbiau. orphans have arrived at Marseilles. POSITION IN ALBANIA. PEOPLE FOODLESS AND PENNILESS. Rome, December 27.

A terrible picture is disclosed in despatches from Albania, where 150,000 Albanians have died of starvation during the year. The outlook is equally bad for 1016 unless superhuman efforts are made.

Mr. Hoard, owner of an American felief schooner which is landing provisions, says there is a complete failure of the crops. Two hundred thousand Serbians have just arrived foodless and penniles, in addition to 30,000 Austrian prisoners. Distress is acute at Bera Sanjalc, where 200,000 people are foodless and homeless. Numbers are starving to death daily. "While unloading my food I personally fed 1000 famished Serbs, also Austrian prisoners, many of whom had not tasted bread for several weeks, and were on the verge of starvation. Numbers were so weak that they could not carry provisions." THE MACEDONIAN CAMPAIGN. DECLARED TO BE ENDED. Athens, December 27. " The Bulgarian newspapers state that M. RadoslavofT has declared the campaign in Macedonia ended, and that the Bulgarians will conserve their position on the new Greco-Bulgarian frontier.