THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

, A SENSATIONAL REPORT, ONE OF THE SURPRISES OF THE WAR, RUMORED CAPTURE OF NEGOTIN. ITS IMPORTANCE EXPT.ATXED. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 0. If the Athens report that tin- Russians have captured Negotin, and are threatening Widin. is confirmed, it must be regarded as one of the surprises of the Balkan war. There is a possibility that this report is a solution of the reference to a mysterious Russian army, which was likely to effect farreaching changes in the Balkans campaign. If the report is true, the Russians are only sixty miles from the main railway line running between Sofia and Constantinople. This railway is a vital artery of Germany's power in southeastern r irope. German newspapers were recently showing extreme anxiety regarding the safety of this railway, some even declaring that if effectively blocked it will be the begiivumg of Germany's strangulation In any case, the possession of Orsova is important, as here the river runs through a narrow rocky delle, only 18(1 yards wide. This possession has given Roumania the key to the whole Danube position, and is the back door to Serbia. VITAL IMPORTANCE OF SUCCESS. RUSSIAN BLOCKADE WOULD BE JFTED London, Sept. 3. Balkan telegrams do not confirm the extent of the German round-up of prisoners at Turtukai. His use of the most powerful artillery suggests that General von Mackensen intends to direct the biggest efforts against Roumania with the object of dividing the Roumanian forces. An Entente victory in the Balkans would lift the blockade of Russia which has operated for two years and enable the Entente to receive grain and troops in return for guns and munitions. . French writers declare that it will be a disappointment if the Allies are unable to make the best use of Roumanian intervention and if the operations fail to quickly achieve a complete Bulgarian collapse and the entry of the Russians into Constantinople.

REVOLUTIONARY CREEKS ORGANISING. BULGARIAN LOSSES AT ORSOVA. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Salonika, Sept. 9. Revolutionary troops are organising into a division. The prisoners who surrendered from the barrack are joining other volunteers arriving from Mitylene, and Thasos. Bulgarian losses in the Orsova region are now estimated at 15,000. GREAT BATTLE PROCEEDING. London, Sept. 8. A Rome dispatch reports that a great battle is proceeding along the whole front in the Dobrudja. ARTILLERY FIRE CONTINUES. ■Paris, Sept. 8. A Freneh communique says: Artillery fire continues on the Struma and Doiran fronts. The Serbian front is calm. BULGARIAN TERRORISING. Athens, Sept. 8. It is officially stated that the Bulgars are terrorising the Fiorina district, outrages being unpunished. JCHENK INTERVIEWED. Athens, Sept. 8. Baron von Schenk, interviewed, said lie was well pleased with the success of his campaign, wherein the Entente were his greatest helpers. He did not believe his work at Athens would be unfruitful, but it depended on the Allies whether Greece abandoned her neutrality in their favor. Captain Kakoulidis. of the Greek navy, has been arrested for writing a letter to M. Zaimis, wherein he denounced the violent policy of those defending the Government. The officer enjoyed a high reputation. Government newspapers describe the contents of the letter as sufficient to warrant the scaffold. GREEK SITUATION MORE J HOPEFUL. London, Sept. 8. The Daily Chronicle's Athens correspondent states that the situation is unchanged, but more hopeful. The Venizelist press Patris say that the Government realises the- gravity of the situation, and seems entering on the path demanded oy the national will. Anti-Venizelisrt newspapers believe that amicable relations between Greece and the Entente will continue, but the announcement of a closer compact is premature. It is stated that Germany could only persuade Bulgaria to declare war on lioumania by promising her the occupation \>f Macclonii. P.ig demonstrations against neutrality are expected on Sunday. BRITISH RAIDS ON DOIRAN FRONT. Received Sept. 10, Ti.'i p.m. London, Sept. 9. An official message from Salonika state that British patrols made successful raids on the.-Doiran front They crossed the river and raided Jenikoj. A strong enemy patrol was driven back eastward of Gudelli. TRAMWAY MEN STRIKE. . Athens, Sept. B._ There is a general tramway strike in I Athens and the Piraeus for higher i wages, owinif to the war-time cost of 1 living,

FIERCE BATTLE AT "LORINA. TEBBIBi.'-: BULGARIAN' LOSSES. Received S-j> 1 . 10, 11.80 ]>. m. j " Athens, Sept. 0. A telegram repnns that a fierce battle is proeecdih;; between the BnlBars and Serbians \r t'loi'ina. The 12th mid 30th Bulgari;::: regiments sustained terrible losses. The Italians also attack"ii ;!ie Bulgars and captured .important doi-ichments, whilst others surrendered. SERBIANS REINFORCED. LIVELY ENCOUNTERS WITH BULGARIANS, Received Sept, 10, 3.15 p.m. Athens, Sept. 9. Allied troops have teinforccd the Serbians along the whole front, and are having lively encounters with the Bulgarians. THE FIGHTING AT TURTUKAI. BULGARIAN FABRICATIONS. Received Sept. 10, 11.30 p.m. Amsterdam, Sept. !). A Sofia communique reports violent fighting south of Turtukai on the Gth. \Ve captured the fortress, fortified in the manner of a bridgehead The garrison which capitulated included eight infantry regiments, two battalions of gendarmerie, a howitzer regiment with artillery The regiment was taken prisoner, and we captured all the 'fortress guns, and four hundred officers, twenty-one thousand unwounded, and over a hundred modern guns, including two batteries stolen in 1913. The Roumanian losses in killed and wounded were enormous. Many became panic-stricken, and in their flight were drowned in the Danube. I (Note.—The foregoing is unconfirmed from Allied sources. Bulgarian communiques are notoriously untruthful. The Roumanians state tlie total troops in the district are less than 20,000. CAPTURE OF KAVALLA FORTS. ALLIED WARSHIPS ASSIST. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 8. The Morning Post's correspondent at Athens states that the fire of the Allied warships assisted General Chriatodoulos to retake two of the outer forts at Kavalla. The Greeks now hold all the forts on the Jiills around the town, commanding the Bulgarian positions, but the Bulgarians have apparently received heavy guns, as they intermittently fire I at the Allied warships.

CARPATHIAN HEIGHTS CARRIED. 21 BULGAR BARGES SUNK Received Sept. 10, 11.30 p.m. Petrograd, Sept. 0. A communique states: The Russians, in the Carpathians, south of Baranov, carried a series of heights. A number of cannon werr thrown into ravines Torpcdoers bombarded Balmjik, aiTd sank twenty-one Bulgar barges, loaded with bread. EXIT OP UNDESIRABLE! Received Sept.'lo, 5.5 p.m. London, Sopt. 8. Baron von Sclienk and forty-seven Austro-Germans have sailed to Kavalla when they will be escorted to the Bulgarian lines. Hoffmann, Germany's chief agent for submarine supply, has also surrendered,) - AN AUSTRIAN REPORT 1 . Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 8. An Austrian communique reports: We re-captured some mountains on the Petrohen on the Sotszog road on the Roumanian front. Fighting in the Carpathians continues with undiminished bitterness. Eastward of Halicz the enemy attacn were rcsultless. GUNS TAKEN AT ORSOVA, Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Bucharest. Sept. 9. A communique states: We captured seven guns and many machine-guns at Orsova. • ■ " - TWO GREEK HEROES. Received Sept. 10, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Sept. 9. Colonel Condilis, who defended Fort Pheapatra. to the last cartridge, has joned General Christodoulos, (A recent cable stated that Colonel Christodoulos and the garrison of Seres had reached Kanalia, and seized two forts. Volunteers were joining. The last cabled reference to the above officer was that he, with 3000 men, had been captured by the Bulgarians,)