BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1916, Page 5

BALKANS.

GREEK PORT OCCUHiw.^ COMMANfIER PROTEST*.' Received Jan. 30, 5.5 p.m. Salonika, Jan. 20. The Allies' marines have occupied a Greek port on the Karabura peninsula. The Greek commander evacuated it after protest. DINING WITH THE KAISER. SECRET SERVICE -MAN'S STORY. AN INTERESTING JOURNEY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Jan. -20, 0.35 p.m, " London, Jan. 28. The Secret Service man who dined with the Kaiser relates that he was closely watched at Constantinople, German secret service men searching his papers in the hotel, and he determined to leave as quickly as possible when the press published the news that the Kaiser was coming to Belgrade.

The spy describes how he managed to secure an invitation to the Xish banquet. ''l saw Halil Bey, and explained that T desired the great honor of seeing the All Highest. Halil Bey was in such great spirits over the Gallipoli evacuation that he gave me a letter to the prefect of police of Stamboul. The prefect told me that the only way to journey to Belgrade was on the German military train. 1 mentioned that I had had an' interview with Enver Paslia and asked him to facilitate my movements. The prefect replied that he would see if it were possible to leave wtyh a passport, and asked me to call again in the morning.

"With much trepidation I went agaiu, and was given a passport permitting me to travel by the military train. As the train approached Xish a German noncommissioned oflficer looked out of the window and saw the decorations, and he exclaimed: 'Our Kaiser is here!'

,; I was markedly uncomfortable at the banquet,' even more so than the Kaiser, who had an awful cough. If the secret service men surrounding the Kaiser had recognised me as having been in the Xear East before there would have been a short and simple ceremony at the Town nail, I playing the principal part. "During my journey in the military train I noticed the wonderful German work of repairing the broken railway? and,bridges in Serbia, for the purpose, of enabling the speediest transit to Constantinople. Evidences of the retreat were visible in the destroyed and blown up tunnels,' the 'completely restored bridges, and the remains of dead horses. The careful Germans are skinning the carcases of the horses for making leather.

"I heard frequently that the Germane intended to disguise Bulgars in German uniforms in the event of an invasion of Greece. I saw immense quantities of uniforms at Xish, but I am not convinced that the Germans will attack Salonika. They heartily respect General Sarrall, whose wonderful work at Verdun kept them off. The Turks do not want a Salonika invasion; they are heavily entrenched south of Adrianople, fearing an Allied attack from northjvest of Constantinople." GERMAN PLANS Salonika, January 28. . There is serious trouble between the Germans and Bulgarians. General Mackcnscn interviewed King Ferdinand at Sofia, requesting urgent intervention, and also urging him to push the Albania campaign. They are bringing up new troops, and it is expected that the Herman campaign will be against Albania and Mesopotamia, not Salonika and Egypt.

TURKISH CLAIMS. ' . London, .Tan. 2S. Times and Sidney Snn Services. The Echo tie Paris says that Churn Bey, President" of tho Committee of Union ami Progress, interviewed, said tliat Konmania had neglected two opportunities to enter the war advantageously and was unlikely to enter now until the enemy was defenceless, Greece was paralysed with fear of the Central Powers. Turkey is truculently claiming all the fiermanic successes and intend-, to clear out the Germans soon. It' we are conquerors we expect a new and regenerate Turkey.