THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

THE TURTUKAI AFFAIR. MACKEXSEX'S TIIEUST. London, Sept. 10. Tile situation in the Balkans is obscure. The Roumanian authorities state that it is impossible for. 20,000 to have been captured at" Turtukai, and, though tliey do not deny the importance or the town, explain that the (Jeneral Stall' lias taken measures to prevent serious results. There is some doubt as to whether 4he fort, lias fallen or only the town and the Danube bridge-head. A Huc'liarcst message to tile Daily Telegraph on Thursday, however, states that the Roumanians at Turtukai resisted gallantly, but the enemy had i crushing numerical superiority. It adds tihat the Bulgara are murdering Roumanian prisoners a.nc' torturing them "horribly, ilackensen's thrust towards Bucharest is n characteristic move, but depends on the. possibility of preventing the Russians at Dobrieh and elsewhere attacking llack'ensen's rear. CAPTURE OF TURKUTAI CONFIRMED.

extraordinary enemy losses. Times -Service. Received Sept. 11. 8.20 p.m. London, Sept. U. •Generalßourchir reports that during the battle at Turkutai the enemy att-u'ked for four days in compact formations, supported by tile most violent cannonade. The Roumanian fleet assisted the | defenders, who inflicted extraordinary losses. Piles of corpses confronted tfee Roumanian trenches, but heavy reinforcements enabled the enemy to capture tlie town. HEAVY FIGHTING. OSIKERLA OCCUPIED. WIDIN AND OTHER TOWNS IN FLAMES ■ Renter Service. 'Received Sept. 11. 11.40 p.m. Bucharest, Sept. 11. Official: Heavy fighting is proceeding at Marcos valley, west of Toplitza. We occupied Osilkerla. T.he Roumanians are bombarding Widin, Lompalanka. and Rahova, which are afiaine. RETURNING AUSTRIANS HELD UP*

TO PREVENT GIVING INFORMATION Received Sept. 11, 5.50 p.m. Copenhagen, Sept. 10. The Russians stopped Count Czernier. Ambassador at Bucharest, and other Austrians homeward bound, to prevent Germany from obtaining information regarding Rouraania and 1 the latest military measures. : BULGARIAN 'FICTIOXg. Received Sept. 11, 5.50 p.m. Vienna, Sept. 10. 'A Bulgarian communique states 1 : The Dobrudja advance continues. The -Roumanian garrison at Silistria attempted to assist at Turtukai on Wednesday, but were defeated and driven back to the fortress.

The Russo-Serb-Roumanian troops participating in the bitter fighting at, Dobric (luring Wednesday and Thursday were completely defeated. ' GERMAN CLAIMS. Received Sept. 11, 5.30 p.m. Amsterdam, Sept. 10. A Berlin official message states: Our submarines shelled the town and harbor works at Mongolia. -Hydroplanes also bombed the grain sheds and 'Russian warships at Con-stanza. FACTION TROUBLES IN GREECE. Received Sept. 11, 6.-50 p,m. Athens. Sept. 10. Arr-xl men entered the :ourtyard of the French legation while the Entente Ministers were in conference, and lired pistol shots, crying: "Long live t/he King; down with England ami France," and then Hod. M. Zaiinis called and apologised. The Government has decided to suppress the so-called Reservists' League, which is encouraged by the Gounarist press. They sent patrols to search the Venizcloist.s' houses, and I committed other outrages. | A ROYAL CONFERENCE.. Amsterdam, Sept. 11. The King of Bulgaria lias arrived on the easte-rn front to confer with the Kaiser. OFFICIAL REPORTS. London, Sept. 10. A German communique says: We have come into touch with the Roumanians southward of Dorna Vatra. Silistria has fallen. There is no incident on the Macedonian front. Sofia, Sept. 10. A communique says: Our troops advancing on the fortilicd town of Titrakan approached the defences of the place and occupied the heights west of the village of Starisniil. We occupied the bridgeheads at Titrakau and Silistria, and after a successful light occupied the towns of Dobrioh, Bolchiek, Kavarna, and Kallakra, where the population received us with indescribable enthusy'-"" RUSSIANS CONCENTRATING. -Rome, Sept. 10. A wireless message states that the public at Bucharest is indifferent to the Bulgar advance into the Dobmd'ja, which is considered likely to prove ephemeral, as the forts at Turtukai and Silistria are impregnable. The Russians continue to concentrate in the iDobruiiag .