THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

JLIGHT FOR BUCHAREST. •CONVERGING GERMAN MOVEMENT. tNEXPECTED RUSSIAN DEVELOPMENT. ißeuter Service. 1 "Received Dec. 2, 8 p.m London, Dec. 2. r- tvere are no details of the battles believed to be raging round Bucharest. It fe reported that General von Falkenpayn is directly attacking the eitv from £he north-west and south-east, in cooperation with General von Maekensen. French experts opine that if the Roumanians are defeated, they will retire po « prepared line od. the SerethArgereg, wheTe the Russians are in strong force. It ia reported from Zurich that the civilian population have evacuated (Bucharest. f The converging German movement greatly endangers Bucharest. A close investment is threatened if General von Mackensen crosses Argesu River east of Komana. The success of the Russians near Kirlibaba may result in the capture of Jacabein, on the Dorna Watra, enabling them to cross the Carpathians, and descend on the Transylvanian plains through the Syamas valley, thus helping to re-establish the situation, even If the capital is lost. M. Marcel Hntin, the French military expert, thinks it is difficult to avert the fate of Bucharest. !*•• ; ROUMANIANS HOLD UP ENEMY GERMAN CLAIMS. Received Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m London, Dec. 2. Details of the operations in Roumania ire chiefly from enemy sources. Berlin's latest claims are that the Germans captured 7000 prisoners and 83 gum in the 1 vo days. rding to Paris reports, the Rou.lß are holding up the enemy west if i.ucharest. A most violent battle is jroceeding on a considerable front, ihowing a complete volte face by the Roumanian, who have concentrated rest and south-west of the belt of forts iround the capital. Experts emphasise that the operations of the Roumanian army is not Sound up at Falicagul (?). ROUMANIAN ARMY INTACT. "TJSSIAN OFFENSIVE MUST TAKE TIME. Received Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 2. . The Roumanian army is still intact, . >ith its heavy artillery and guns. Ttfe Russian offensive from the MolI&vian border cannot immediately affect Ihe Wallachian position. The Germans state that the RussoRoumanians are using British armored prs at the Dobrudja, and that two have destroyed. RUSSIANS' INCREDIBLE VIOLENCE. BREAKING THROUGH TO HUN- , : GARY. v CUTTING OFF FALKENHAYN'S ARMY. \ ■> • Received Dec. 2, C p.m. ' • Rome, Dec. 2. News from a German source states Hi at there is great concern in Berlin aver the incTed&le violence of the Russian attacks on the north-west frontier of 'Hungary. General Brusiloff is employing fresh troops and countless guns, defying the season and snow. It is evident that his intention is to penetrate (Hungary, and get behind General von ;Palkenh*yn and his army in the Walliachians. s Archduke Joseph is demanding large Teinforcements, fearing that he cannot longer' resist the Russian pressure RUSSIANS AT KIRLIBABA. FURIOUS STREET FIGHTING Petrograd, Dec. 2. / arnvate advices are to the effect that jfte Russians fought across the intervening heights, and gained a footing at Kirlibaba, where furious street fighting a proceeding. The Germans have eonjettrated, and, with the assistance of jheir reserves, are counter-attacking. I . RUSSIA'S HELP. ; 'A DIFFICULT TASK. Receiced Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m. . . Paris, Dec. 2. 'An Important Russian army, under Grand Duke Nicholas, has been concentrated, in order to aid the Rouuianians. Received Dec. 2, 8.20 p.m. London, Dec. 1. : 'the Daily Telegraph's Petrograd correspondent states that when the situation in Roumania was desperate, Russia intervened with an offensive over a 200mile front, retarding Falkenhayn's and Mackensenoperations. The terrain ivas most difficult, being densely wooded mountains, 7000 feet high, thinly populated, and devoid of means of communication. The movement began favorably. GERMANS NEARING BUCHAREST. Received Dec. 3, 3.5 p.m. •London Dec. 2. The latest- news is to the effect that the Germans' are ten miles from the Bucharest forts, and are approaching the city's last river-line, six miles from the forts. Falkenhayn's troops are very Bear the oilfield. The Daily Mail fears that the enemy itt captured vast herds of sheep and tattle, thereby greatlv increasing liis mtfr trf f»t*l

J BUCHAREST BOMBED.

RUSSIANS ATTACKING. THE STRUGGLE IN THE DOBRUDJA London, Dec. 1. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at Bucharest says that aeroplanes on Thursday twice daringly bombed Bucharest, killing several people. A largo force attacked in .the Oiul Valley, and the Houmanians retreated southward of Targujia, reaching Filiashi. The snowfall lias ceased and it is singularly fine, giving an advantage to the enemy's advance on tiic northern frontiers. A Russian communique reports a successful offensive along the whole Roumanian frontier south of Kirlibaba, where the Russians, despite powerful artillerying and violent counter-attacks, occupied a whole range of heights. A Bulgarian communique claims that they defeated the Roumanians in bayonet fighting between Giurgevo and Bucharest. An Austrian communique speaks of great masses of Russians constantly attacking between the Uz Valley and Tarmar Pass for l elief of the harassed Roumanians. It admits a slight Russian success. A Roumanian communique says:—We are violently attacking on the whole front in the Dobrudja. There is violent fighting south of Pitesti, also in the Glavacioc valley and at Neajlow as far as Komana. We took prisoner several hundreds. There are lively engagements along the whole front from the west frontier of Moldavia as far as the Buzcu valley. Paris, Dec. I. Lo Journal'-! Bucharest correspondent says that Roumania is infested with spies, owing to uninterncd alien women, of whom 10,000 are at liberty. ROUMANIA'S WHEAT. ■PROBABLY BE SACRIFICED. Rome. Dec. 2. It is believed to be unlikely that the Roumanians will he aide to carry off large quantities of wheat, including that purchased by Britain. Probably tho wheat will be destroyed. ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. London, Dec. 1. A French communique says:—Two violent Germano-Bulgar counter-attacks on the new Serbian position north-west of Grunista were repulsed with severe losses, though they regained a footing in lost trenches at some points. Bad weather continues to prevent operations. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. Wellington, Dee. 2. The High Commissioner reports under date London, December 1 (3 p.m.): A French official report states tint Thionviile and factories at Damvjllers and Bovouver (Boverkerke) wore bombed by our airmen yesterday. Oil Wednesday, north-westward of Grunista, two violent German-Bulgarian counter-at-tacks on positions captured during tho preceding days were checked in embryo by the Serbians with heavy enemy losses. The enemy yesterday again entered at some points the trenches he had lost. FIERCE ATTACKS BY ROUMANIANS. Received Dec. 4, 12.45 a.m. London, Dec. 3. A. Roumanian communique states:— In tho Damovitza valley we retired southwards. Our troops violently attacked in the Piesci region, and retired slowly. We fiercely attacked enemy positions in the Dobrudja, and passed the entanglements at some points. OFFICIAL REPORTS. Received Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 2. A Serbian communique states: Despite bad weather, there has been local fighting and artillerying, notably at Gruuuishte and Soyol. An Austrian communique claims to have broken the Roumanian resistance south-east of Peteseo and south and east of Kaiupolung; also to have captured many thousands of men and large quantities of guns and War material It says the Russians continue to exert all their efforts in Moldavia. At a most fierce battle cast of Kezdevasarhely, the Austrians gained further successes. ENEMY'S INTENTIONS AS TO ROUMANIA. Received Dec. 3, 5.5 p.m. Rotterdam, Dec. 2. General von Bluner, writing to the Kolnische Volk Zeitung, says the Central Powers intend to permanently annex parts of Roumania, with the object of protecting the Bagdad route, and securing a permanent additional corn supply.