THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

GREAT BATTLE PENDING; MULSH IN CONTACT WITH ENEMY. Bccehed Oct, 15, 5.5 p.m. Paris, Oct. 14. T.e Petit Parisien says: We arc apparently cn the eve of a great battle on the Struma. The British are in cojita?t with the Bulgarians on u seventeen iti'lu front between .lenhnah and iSoi-cs. Tht British patrols Jiave a', ready reconnoitred the enemy's positions. London, Oct, 15. The British on the Struma, are in contart with the enemy at Seres, Savjak, Barakli, DzuiUci, and on the Jcninia front. FRANCO-RUSSIAN REINFORCEMENTS. 1 HE KING COMMANDS KOUMANIANS. J'weKcd Oct. 15, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, Oct. 14. A wirtless from Bucharest states that coniHlf-raWe Russian reinforcements are cxpfictctl, nlso a French military mission, 1 in: Jving is assuming the personal com-, maud of the army. Paris, Oct. 15. General Bethelot heads the mission to Roumania. He commanded the army corps at the Somme and prominently collaborated with General Jo Are at the Maine. He has a considerable reputation as a strategist. FERDINAND INTERVIEWED. WHY ROUMANIA JOINED ALLIES. ENEMY CRAVING FOR VENGEANCE. London, October 13 Mr. Stanley Washburn, at Bucharest, had a series of conversations with King Ferdinand, of Roumania, who said it was well that the world .should knew the dangers that faced them. When entering the maelstrom of the great war Roumania was not moved by policies of expediency or bad faith to the Central Powers, but by the highest principles of national ideals. The tic of race and blood underlay every consideration, and the appeal from the pure Roumanian blood in Transylvania was the strongest force. In Roumanian opinion, fromthe throne to the lowest peasant, Hungary had been our traditional enemy because she held a million of our blood in political bondage. While Bulgaria, with an efficient army on a frontier difficult to defend, had been logically a potential enemy at the beginning of the war, we had no hostility to Germany whatever. Friendship for her was potent commercial asset bringing prosperity. We had blood sympathies with France, neighborliness for Russia and respect for England. 'During the war there had grown up as regards Germany w'hat might be called an enemy viewpoint, due to her principles that might is right, that the means justify Die end, and that small nationalities exist merely as pawns for tlie Central Powers to advance their industrial and commercial aims. She had attempted to write her theory of frightfulness and lawlessness into international law, but what affected us deeply in Roumania was that we began to feel that Germany was trying to force us into war against our real interests. Roumania maintained her neutrality until she could act with reasonable assurance* of protecting herself and having her great Allies' support. As a small Power, with small armies, surrounded by giants and long frontiers, she could not act before without instant annihilation. She waited no longer than was reasonably safe. Roumania, said the King, stakes her ent'.'e future on the courage of her people ami the economic and military support of her greater Allies in the great war, which promises to last at least ailother year. She facea the certainty of the consumption of her resources, Lut feels .certain that the Allies will prevent (her being the third small Power destroyed. Roumania has no delusions. She knows that Germany will make every sacrifice to obliterate 'her from the map. The. enemy is craving for vengeance and now, by aeroplane attacks on defenceless cities, is making the innocent pay the penalty for the sound and just action of the Government. This has created a bitterness which has enlisted the whole nation, making peace witliout victory an utter impossibility. 1 [Roumania will not falter in her allegiance, nor can Germany wean us from faith in England the just, France our brother Latin, and Russia our neighbor. The Allies, in the exigencies of the huge pvoblejns, will surely not allow Roumania, who has staked all, to pass to the back of their minds and suffer the fate of the Serbians and Belgians. We are confident in our Allies, in the justice of our cause and the fortitude and sacrifices' of our people. t ENEMY TRENCHES RAIDED iLondon, October 13 The War Office reports that on the Struma front, from Prosenik to Polova, patrols went forward east :>f the railway and armoured cars reconnoitred the Seres, Demirhissar and Salonika roads. North of Doldzeli we raided the trenches driving out the enemy. OFFICIAL REPORTS Amsterdam, October l'U. A' German communique says that the Gyergyo-Mszk Valley is free from the enemy, Who still resists in the Osik-Szereda-Gymosh Pass and at Brasso. Serbian attacks failed on the Gerna salient. A Bulgarian communique states: "We repulsed six attacks at Skotchwir. Thq enemy shelled Seres." I

ROUMANIANS HOLDING. SERBIANS HAMMERING THE ENEMY deceived Oct. 14, 5.5 p.iii London, Oct. 13. - A Roumanian fonimunique states: We repulsed the enemy in tlfc Uzuk valley. Our cavalry six times drove back his infantry in the Magsyatnds defile. We 'forced the enemy to retreat in the liuzkui valley, repulsed the enemy at Predeal, and 'he retreated to Timos. Times Service. Mr. Calvert, war correspondent, writ- ; ing from Ostrovo, states that from the 1 Bth to the 10th the Serbs ceaselessly harassed the retreating enemy. Meanwhile the second army steadily increased its pressure upon the Mostcna mountain positions, which are still in enemy hands. On the !)t'h and 1 Oth the first and second armies again progressed against +he enemy's third line, the last on the Coma river, capturing 800. It is stated that the enemy at Monastir is commanded by the German General von Winskler, and that he has again received reinforcements. Received Oct. 15, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 14. Mr. Bourchier, wiring from Bucharest, states that the troops in the region of lirashov have retired to the northern exits of the Carpathians. It.is'believed that, the explosives found Iniried in the gau'den of the German Legation were imported shortly before Roumanian intervention. They bear the seal of the Foreign Minister at Berlin, and ire sufficient to blow up all the public buildings in Bucharest. ROUMANIAN ACTIVITY. < G KEAT ENEMX LOSSES. deceived Oct. la. 5.5 p.m Bucharest. Oct. 14. A .communique states: After sanguinary st;:rt fighting we re-captured the vil'age of Poinasarata, in tne uituz Valley. We quitted Geuvala and retired to ]!i;c<ar. We captured Moimt Sigleul in the Mount Cclul Jinl region. The enemy :-- u stained gi'eat losses •ind Withdrew in disorder from our cannonade and infantry fire from the whole Danube front,. We sank a.number of vessels convening Bulgarians intending to pilla;;v. The total number of prisoners is I'nlV. J." OftO.