THE BALKANS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS

MONASTIR ENTERED. j ( BY ALLIED TROOPS. London, Nov. 10. A French communique says: —Allied troops entered Monastir this morning. Desperate Bulgarian counter-attacks oi: the Cerna loop were repulsed by the Serbians, the enemy retreating in disorder northward. London, Nov. 19. A Bulgarian official report says:— The Allies renewed their attacks on the Cerua loop, but failed. THE GERMAN VIEW. SARRAIL'S SUCCESS ADMITTED. Received Npv. 20, 10.10 p.m. New York, Nov. 10. The, New Y'ork Times' Berlin correspondent confirms the evacuation of Monastir, and adds that military authorities say they are withdrawing to more favorable lines north of the Macedonian front. The French 'held dominating heights in the south, commanding Monastir. Therefore, th« losses would be too heavy to justify holding. While the authorities claim that Monastir is tactically of little value, they admit the political effect of the evacuation, which gives the Allies a foothold in Serbia, and strengthens ths Serbians' aspirations. Germans admit that General Sarrail'a forces have made, a great strategic advance up to the present, having an excellent railroad from Salonika via Fiorina to the fighting line. General Sarrail has also improved the roads in recent months to the Bulgo-Cerman railroad at Ebds Veles, Aviience supplies of munitions are brought on a one-waggon road.

THE KEY TO MACEDONIA. ..WHAT MONASTIR MEANS. feeceived Nov. 20, 9 p.m, < London, Nov. 20. The Serbtan colonies ii. London and Paris are intensely delighted with the recapture of Monastir, which is regarded as the key to Macedonia, and is proof that the Allies are once more established on Serbian territory. Whoa the Franco-Russians followed i;p the Serbian offensive the GermanoBulgars foresaw disaster and fell back along the whole front on Saturday night. The Russo-French infantry entered Munastir early on Sunday morning. The ,)l.rn of Monastir is suitable for cavalry, and it is hoped they will be ablo to harry the refcreaters and cut off the flight of many Bulgars, who are now in difficult and high ground in the Ccrna bend.

ENEMY RETREATING. SERBIANS CLOSE ON ENEMY'S HEELS. Received Nov. 20, 8 p.m. London, Nov. 20. A Serbian communique states: The enemy is retreating in disorder towards Prilcp. We captured the villages of Ciunista and Benik, also Garatok hlli, and took numerous prisoners and booty. V/e continue the pursuit. Oreat- conflagrations were observed in Monastir and violent explosions heard. 'I he Allies to-day entered Monastir. THE CONSEQUENCES. The reason why the enemy have, been fighting so stubbornly for the Monastir line is that their right flank was there protected by Lakes Presba and Ochrida, and this ga;-c. them a relatively short front which could not easily be turned. To grasp ths consequences which will result from their being forced back from it. the best way will be to take a paiy o? compasses and stretch them from Glievgeli on tiro Vardar river, which represents the Allied centre, to Lake Presba. Then swing the western point of the compasses northward from Lake Presba to the Babuna Range, which lies to the north of Prilep. That will represent the pushing back of the enemy hv General Sarraii's left wing. It will be seen that the Bulgarian right flank then rests on no natural obstacle which cannot be turned. Indeed, a road runs up the oast bank of the Black Drill* to I'Jibra, which would form a suitable line o* advance for the Italian mounted troops, ami from which they could reach round the enemy's fiank through Albania, if necessary. Even the line from Glievgeli to Dibra would be 50 per cert, longer than the line the enemy have been holding. W hen the enemy have been turned out of the Babuna position, Sarraii's army, still swinging round to the left, will strike the V'ardar river. Simultaneously hi» centre will advance up the Vardar Valley, and the combined movements should give him possession of it. General Sarrail will then be in a position to lengthen the enemy's line indefinitely, lie can turn the Belesk Range, northeast of Doiran, by an advance down tie Striimuitza Valley, while his left wing swings round in a north-easterly direction across the Bergalnitza Plateau upon Sofia. Simultaneously part of his forces can inarch straight up the Vardar Valley, thus pursuing a continuous turn ing movement against the ever-lengthen-ing Bulgarian line. Nor can tlie enemy shorten their line in any way, because if they should fall back from the Struma River in the south they would be pursued towards Adrianople, aitd the result would be to lengthen, not to shorten, t/ieir line. All these results should follow from the capture of the Monastir position.