THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

THE WAR CENTRE. SHIFTS TO THE BALKANS. ENEMY EFFORTS TO SMASH ROUMANIA. ALLIES 'ALIVE TO DANGER. Received Oct. 1(1, 7.30 p.m. Londcn, Oct. lfi J>. Dillon, wiring to the Daily Telegraph, says: The Entente Powers are throwing themselves into the Balkan entanglement with' praiseworthy zeal and expedition. Their measures "have been adapted whole-heartedly and eoncerned- " I It is clear to the dullest comprehension I that the war centre has shifted to the Near Last. Germany considers the maintenance of her communications witli the Near East so important that slie is ready, as I know, to make peace on the basis of the evacuation of France and Belgium, on condition, that she is given a tree 1..".',u! to deal with Russia in respect to the Balkan States. The Allies' preventative measures appear to be comprehensive, and certainly the position demands immediate and adequate correctives. llindenburg's objective is undoubtedly Bucharest, and ho is employing a very considerable number of troops. Optimistic calculations concerning the enemy's reserves should be accepted. Bulgaria alone is raising large armies among her Moslem subjects. General Sarrail is doing remarkably well and has shown great foresight. He will certainly attain his end, but much time must elapse before he reaches Nish. Ever Monastir will not fall soon. The enemy will make every conceivable effort to stave off sucb a tremendous blow to his prestige. The Daily Telegraph's Bucharest correspondent states that the situation on the Dobrudja is now in our favor, but that on the northern front is serious. The enemy's, pressure continues formidable. The Allies must recognise it as such. Amsterdam, Oct. 10. A Bulgarian communique states: The Serbians attacked in considerable strength north of Slevitza. We repulsed patrol encounters oil the Struma SITUATION NOT SERIOUS. ROUMANIANS SHOULD HOLD PASSES United Service Received Oct. 16, 11 p.m. London, Oct. 18. 'Dr. Hamilton Fyfe states that militaiy opinion believe; that if the Roumanian-; can hold the crests of the Carpathians the situation need not be considered serious. Von Filkenhayn '.ias only three genuine German divisions, one Austro-German and six AustroHungarian divisions. His plan appears to be, after corking up other passes, to send his main forces through the Cituz Pass, forty-five miles north-west of Brasso, and attempt to capture the railway junction at Focsani. A Roumanian communique says: In the Colemon mountains area we retired towards the frontier. There have been violent encounters in the Uzul Valley. We repulsed the enemy in the Vituz Valley and in all his frontier attacks. We drove the enemy from the Polisto nean Valley and captured the summit of Zoukaza, in the Jiul Valley area. There has also been artillery and infantry activity along the Danube. Mr. Bourchier, wiring from Bucharest, reports that in addition to the explosives found in the German Legation grounds a. case has been discovered containing many packets of glanders germs, each packet containing sufficient to infect ?.00 horses. The case was addressed to members of the Bulgarian Legation. > TURKS AND BULGARS. RETURN TO SAVE TITEIP COUNTRIES. Received Oct. 10, J1 p.m. London, Oct. Ifi. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent states that owing to heavy engagements on the Balkan front the Turks and Bulgarians ins'sted on Hie return of their soldiers to defend their vital home interests. The Germans ivtre compelled to accede to the request, which entailed a considerable re-shuffling. .The Bulgarians had been employed as far nortii as Dvin.sk, and the Turks against Brusiloff in Galicia. Paris,. Oct. 10. Moderate artillery activity has taken place on the whole of the Macedonian front. The Serbians are progressing on the left bank o? the Cerna. A French squadron cut the railway south of Seres. 'Athens, Oct. 10. General Navoularis has been commissioned to reconstitute the Third Cretan Regiment, now interned in Germany. He has issued a manifesto appealing to Cretans to avenge the regiment, which had. been a victim of treachery. : OPERATIONS NEAR SERES London, Oct. 15. A War Office communication from Salonika says we shelled the Seres station and came into contact with the enemy on the railway southward of Seres.