LOOTING OF SERVIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1916, Page 2

LOOTING OF SERVIA.

THE NATIONAL TREASURES. INVADERS SEIZE EVERYTHING. Little news has emerged into the miter world about the condition of invaded Serbia and the conduct of the invaders. But from information received in Serbian quarters in London it would appear that the exploits of "Kultur" in this unhappy country have exceeded in ruthlessness and rapacity those reported in Belgium -and Northern France. The enemy had hardly entered the city of Belgrade before they ransacked King Peter's' private library and ' the priceless collections found in the Royal Palace. As soon as the Bulgars had occupied north-eastern Serbia, they despatched M. Cilingiroff, the vice-director of the National Library in Sofia, to seize all valuable books and manuscripts throughout the conquered territory. A Bulgarian correspondent of the Neue Freie Presse, of Vienna, says, in a recent message:— "We received an order to search for and seize all objects of antiquarian interest, libraries and archives, which the Serbians had concealed. First we found King Peter's service of antique plate. After this we searched the college library. We found a large hall, lined with huge book-cases full of wonderful books, mostly in precious bindings, and all in perfect order. This library, which contains about 4000 volumes, made a most profound, impression upon me. . . All those which were worth preserving —about 3300—were carefully packed in cases and sent as spoils of war to Sofia." The possession of' other historic Serbian treasures provoked fierce dlssenions between the Austrians and Magyars, but nothing of any importance escaped the greed of the invading armies.