THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

BULGARIAN FEARS TAKE SHAPE. CATCHING AT A STRAW. STARVATION AND DISASTER AHEAD OFFENSIVE AT A STANDSTILL; Received August 25, 5.5 p.m. Paris, August 24. Wireless- reports from Petrograd states that Bulgaria is about to sue for a separate peace, if the request has not been sent already. Bulgarian newspapers are unanimous that the export of foodstuffs to Germany ought to be stopped, otherwise Bulgaria will be faced with starvation. The Bulgarian offensive is at a standstill. The only result of the advance hitherto is the occupation of Greek territory, where there are no Allied troops* BULGARS TALE OF WOE. NO MONEY AND NO MEAT. GERMANY'S IRON RULE. Reecived August 25, 11.20 p.m. New York August 24. , *A correspondent at Sofia, in an uncensored message, says usually nothing, exj cept a despatch approved by Germany, is allowed to be sent from Sofia. The Bulgars are very dissatisfied as the German general staft treat them like a vassal nation. Germans control the post, telegraph and telephones, and even the press censorship. Germans attempted to take two-thirds of the crop, but the Sobranjt (Parliament) protested, and tha German officers gave way. The scheme of finances is going from bad to worse. Austro-Germans have loaned Bulgaria ten million dollars in money, but half was sent in the form of products, and the balance was paper money, whereof nearly 140 millions of paper money is in circulation, as against seventeen millions of gold. Food is scarce and costly, with two meatless days weekly. Bulgaria has< nearly 350,000 men on the southern frontier. German troops number 60,000. The Bulgarian people are utterly tired of the war.

ROUMANIAN INTERVENTION. GERMANY AND AUSTRIA ANXIOUS n Amsterdam, August 24. According to the well-informed Bucharest correspondent of the Berlinw Tageblatt the tranquility of Roumania docs not signify that the country is not thinking of intervention. The Premier would certainly intervene on the side of the Entente, but it appears that the various Governments have not reached an understanding whether Roumania at the peace negotiations shall have a codeciiive or only an advisory voice. Paris, August 24. The press refers to Roumania with increasing confidence in M. Bratianu. A difinteicsted Nationalist declares that the Government has decided to grasp the opportunity to gain its national ambitions making the German situation grave and the Austrian one tragi/}/ Berne, August 24. A story is circulated that the Kaiser wnJtc to the King of Roumania announcing that he was sending Prince Albrecht as an envoy. The King replied refusing to receive Pv'iicc Albrecht as, being a constitutional monarch, he would be guided by Ms "Ministers.

BULGARS MASTERED. AMIES CONSOLIDATE POSITIONS. Paris, August 24. A carres p (indent says: Tuesday's opi rations were entirely favorable to the Allies. In the centre the FrancoBritish maintained and consolidated all position? won between Veles and the mountains east a r " Lake Doiran and the Mcglena river parallel to and west of the Varditr. Further left the Serbians increased their progress up the wogded slopes of Kikurofl', north of Strubino, thus rifaVirip one of the rare passes crossing the Moglena mountain chain. Fir.ni'iy on our txti'> me wings the Bulgarian double- (AVhmvc towards Lake Ostrovo to the -ivtstward and on tlie Struma. Kiver to the eastward are now completely niD'jlera'i and we can therefore confidently await further operations. , ~*,

EXTENT OF AUSTRO-GERMAN AID. Salonika, August 24. A correspondent authoritatively states that the only Austro-Germans with the Bulgarians are those in charge of the motor transport, machine-guns, aircraft and some of the artillery. BULGARS CLAIM SUCCESSES Received August 25, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, August 24. A Bulgarian communique states: We captured several positions south of Fiorina. We completely cleared the enemy to the left bank of the Struma, and buried five hundred of the enemy. BRITISH ARTILLERY ACTIVE Salonika, August 24. Official.—The British commander reports artillery activity on the Doiran front. There has been no infantry action. Our artillery on the Struma front dispersed the Bulgarians who were entrenched on the left bank. The enemy shelled Orlak Bridge. EFFECT OF BULGAR OCCUPATION. London, August 24. The Athens correspondent of The Times states that M. Venizclos, interviewed, thinks that elections are impossible in the districts occupied bp the Bulgars, who are apparently disposed ito advance as far as Larissa-

CREEKS PREDICAMENT. REFUGE IN ENTENTE'S ARMS. I Received August 25, 8.30 p.m. Paris, Augii9t 24. One hundred and fifty presidents and members of workmen's corporations deputationed M. Venizelos to-day, asking what ought to be done in the present emergency. Venizelos replied: "I am unable to draw up a programme at present, but our safety lies in refuging in the Entente's arms. Let's organise a manifestation, provided the nation still lives." A committee was appointed to arrange a manifestation, GREEKS CLAMORING FOR WAR. AGAINST HEREDITARY FOE. Received August 25, 5.5 p.m. Rome, August 24. As an outcome of the fighting at Seres, a great meeting held at Athens, carried resolutions declaring that the Greek people must rise in arms against the hereditary enemy. VOLUNTEER ARMY. GREEKS TO ASSIST THE ALLIES. Received August 25, 10 p.m. Athens, August 24. A Greek volunteer corps left Salonika yesterday. Colonel Christodoulos hopes in a few days to command 25,000 men. As an outcome of the demonstration at Salonika, six hundred Greek' have enlisted with the Allies. It is reported that the Bulgarians have captured the 18th' Greek infantry regiment at Demivhissar. SERBIANS ATTACKED. DESPERATE FIGHTING Received August 20, 1 a.m. London, August 20. The Daily Hail's Athens correspondent states'that 10,u00 Bulgarians attacked the Serbians between Lakes Petrisko and Ostrovo, in an effort to capture the Vodena railway. Desperate fighting resulted at Sotir. The Serbians, being reinforced, recaptured Sotir and Patele. GERMANY ALONE TRUTHFUL. London, August 24. A German communique says: West of Ostrovo the Serbians are still resisting the Bulgarians. All enemy reports of Serbian, French and British successes at Deemaatjero and the Vardar and Struma are false.