THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

SARRAIL'S OFFENSIVE. MOVEMENT CAREFULLY PLANNED THIRTY-SIX HOURS' FIGHT, HEAVY BULGAR LOSSES, Received Sept. 13, 11.23 p.m. London, Sept. 13. The newspapers are delighted with General Sarrail's offensive launched alter ten months' inactivity. They point out that General Sarrail is attempting both the practicable routes northwards of the Struma Valley and the Vardar Valley. Experts admit that the natural obstacles to the Anglo-I rench advance are considerable, but the movement has been carefully prepared, and should prove most, successful. The fight lasted thirty-six hours, the Bulgars having heavy losses before they retreated, BRITISH CROSS THE STRUMA AT HOSTORICAL SPOT, The British crossed the Struma at the spot Xerxes crossed when invading Greece, as Herodotus describes Neehori. The British crossing place was the ancient Amphipolis, where Xerxes sacrificed nine youths and nine maidens. DECISION BEFORE WINTER WANTED. If General Sarrail's offensive seems Viaftd, it must be remembered that General von Mackensen's attack on Serbia was initiated a month later, and that the Balkans advance towards Turkey in 1012 was later still.. Those were short and sharp campaigns, and the Allies desire a similar division before die Balkan winter. Onco the Allies are across the great Balkan railway, Bulgaria anl Turkey w-ill be crushed, as it is impossible that Germany can any longer supply them with munitions. The health of the Allied troops continues good, and munitions are inexhaustible. ' MACKENSEN'S FOLLY. General Sarrail's- offensive is likely to prove that General von Mackensen simply sacrificed his southern front when he moved 120,000 Bulgarians to attack Roumania. AUSTRIAN COMMUNICATIONS CUT. ENEMY RIVER CRAFT IN HIDING. BULGARIAN SUCCESS NULLIFIED. Received Sept. 13, 10.10 p.m. London, Sept. 13. Renter's correspondent is reliably informed, as the result of the Roumanian occupation of Orsova, the Austrian river fleet on the Upper Danube is unable to assist or communicate with the Austrian craft in Bulgarian waters, but those that are there are compelled to hide and dare not venture out to bombard the Roumanian towns, in consequence of the intensity of the latter's artillery fire. The river, from Silistria towards the Black Sea, is free to Roumanian navigation. The entire length of the Roumanian Danube has been heavily mined. The new operation of Russo-Roumanians in Dobrudja and the northern borders of Bulgaria will nullify the Bulgarian small advantage. WHY THE CREEK PREMIER RESIGNED. SITUATION GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. ATHENIANS EXCITED. Received Sept. 13, 7 p.m. London, Sept. 13. -Mr. Jeffries, writing from Athens, states that M. Zaimis resigned because, owing to incoherence, the situation was getting out of his control. He desired fuller sympathy from the Allied Ministers who are now urging him to withdraw his resignation, and promising every facility. The Athenians are excited at the firing, and there is an aggravation of the internal and external troubles consequent upon the Cabinet resignation, and the launching of the Allies' offensive from Salonika. , M. ZAIMIS' RESIGNATION ACCEPTED. Received Sept. 13 10.10 p.m. London Sept. 13. Mr. Jeffries, at Athens, states that Kinjr Constantino has accepted M. Zainiis' resignation, but it has not yet been officially announced. ITALIANS ORDER GREEKS TO RETIRE. Rcuter Service. Jteecived Sept. 13, 7.35 p.m. Athens, Sept. 12. Official: The Italian military author* ities at Tepeline ordered the Greek regi'ment to vacate Gyoneri within an hour, and retire to Paleokastro. FRENCH AIR RAIDS, London, September 12 A French communique says:—Our air raid squadron at night bombed the forts at Senoncourt, the railway station at Metz-Sablons and military depots at Dilligen,

VIGOROUS ALLIED OFFENSIVE BULGARIAN TRENCHES TAKEN, GOOD PROGRESS MADQ London, September 12. Official.—The British nad some lively fighting on the Struma front. Tliey captured the village of Nevoljan. A vigorous Allied offensive westward of the Vardar captured all the Bulgarian trenches on a front of there kilometers and to a depth of 800 meters. A French communique says:—The English engaged in heavy fighting on the Struma front and captured Nevol, jan by assault. The artillery had violent work in the region of lake Doiran. Our batteries effectively bombarded the Bulgarian positions in the Makukovo sector, westward of the Vardar. The Allied vigorous offensive brought excellent results in the region northward of Najadag, capturing all the Bulgarian trenches on a front of three kilometres and to a depth of 800 metres, and taking prisoners. The Serbian artillery is very active westward of Lake Ostrovo. We progressed as the result of partial engagements at Banic-a, south-weLward of the lake. Our fire repulsed Bulgar attacks, inflicting heavy losses. ■ RETREAT OF AUSTRIANS. BULGARIAN TRENCH CAPTURED. Petrograd, Sept. 12. The Roumanians are advancing towards Hermanstadt and occupying the villages. The Austro-Hungarians are retreating towards the Maros river. London, Sept. 12. On the west of the Vardar a Bulgarian trench, south of Najadag, comprising a front of three kilometres, 800 metres deep, was captured. Prisoners were also taken. ALLIED ACTIVITY. CONTINUOUS BOMBARDMENT London, Sept. 12'. ■Salonika officially reports that the detachments mentioned yesterday as crossing the Struma >at Neosort seized the trenches on the east bank. The French detachment co-operating ivith the British captured the village of Yeniniah and secured thirty prisoners and caused the enemy to suffer heavily. On the Doiran front our artillery systematically bombarded the enemy trenches north of Madiukovo. Rome, Sept. 12. A wireless message states that tile Allied offensive extends along the whole of the Salonika front. The bombardment is continuous. The Bulgars continue to retreat opposite the Serbians and Italians. PRONOUNCED BULGARIAN RETREAT. ALLIES' PRESSURE EVERYWHERE. London, Sept. 12. Reports from Athens speak of the Bulgarians being in retreat, with the Allies pursuing, and of enormous enemy losses. Semi-official news from Salonika indicates that the Allies are exerting enormous pressure everywhere along the front, and the Bulgarian withdrawal is becoming pronounced, Athens, Sept. 12. Seven Ministers and eighty-eight Deputies attended the Serbian Parliament at Corfu. M. Pashiteh, Premier, expressed the conviction that Macedonia would be recovered entirely. I ""

AUSTRIA FEELS THE PINCH. / LESS FOOD AND MORE TAXES. I London, September 12. ( The effect of Roumania's entry into the war in indicated by Austria instituting three meatless days weekly, instead of two, and prohibiting malting and imposing new taxes amounting to ,£13,000,000. / "F MORE OR LESS INTEREST. Berne, Sept. 12. The Italians who have arrived in Macedonia have taken up their allotted front. A German military commission lias arrived at Constantinople and is hastening to dispatch Turks to the European fronts. London, Sept. 12. The Times states that General Anerescu lias been appointed commander of the Roumanian Danube army. Athens, Sept. I*2. M. Zaimis, in submitting his Cabinet's resignation, declared that internal incidents had interfered with his dealing with the external situation.