THE BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1916, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

ROUMANIANS BRILLIANT ATTACK. FIERCE! ENEMY ATTACKS REBU'LSED. , I Received Dec. 27, 8 p.m. London, Dec. 27. A Petrograd communique states: — The Roumanians, by a brilliant attack, recaptured a height on the ICasin River, in a valley on the Moldavian frontier. Fierce enemy attacks on" the Roumanian front in the region of Dragoslave were repelled. The Russians repulsed strong attacks elsewhere, inflicting heavy losses, except in one area, at Filikesti, which we abandoned after a particularly sanguinary struggle, in consequence of the enemy's artillery concentration.

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ATTACK,

BULGARIAN RESISTANCE OVERCOME, Received Dec. 27, 6.40 p.m. " Saloinika, Dec. 27. Britlsjf operations south of Doiran and west of Dolzzeli were entirely successful despite the weather and the heavy mud. The preliminary operations on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday consisted of iminor infantry attacks. The Bulgarians resisted stubbornly, ibut the attack wa,s pressed with determination, and eventually the front line was rushqd on Saturday, the trenches being partly demolished. The British then withdrew.

CALM AND STUBBORN, .ROUMANIAN ATTITUDE Petr'ograd, December '2B. Despite the reverses of the Roumanian ariny, the people are calm and stubborn. The rearguard actions resulted in the capture of 14,000 German prisoners. The extent of booty captured disappointed the enemy. The biggest haul consisted of 1.300 waggons of grain at Craiova. The invuders showed no mercy to the villagers, but seized their winter stores of wood and petrol and sent the able-bodied men to work in the trenches. Before the arrival of the tfoops.aviators swooped down and fired machine-guns cm the peasants at point-blank range.

THE THREAT TO BESSARABIA. FRENCH OPINION. •Paris, December 20. . Experts agree that while Bessarabia is now somewhat seriously threatened and the situation is uncertain, there is o. disposition to believe that General von Jlaekensen will endeavor to defeat the army opposed to him before seriously venturing on such a difficult operation as the invasion of Bessarabia. THE ENEMY'S ADVANCE. LOSING ITS MOMENTUM, HELP FROM RUSSIAN REINFORCEMENTS, Received 27, 5.5 p.m.London, December 2G. There are indications that the German advance north-east of Bucharest is losing its momentum. Each day gained enables Russian reinforcements to come within striking distance and nelp to hold the present line, north-west and "south-east of Filikesti. Mr. Boureliier, the war correspondent in Roumania, reports that General Polson, hitherto commander of the Fourth Army, has been nominated Chief of General Staff.

A BOMB OUTRAGE. APPARENTLY AGAINST VENIZELOS. # Received Dee. 27, <5.45 p.m. •Paris, Dee. -27. Le Petit Parisicn states tliat two men were passing tlie Toplane arsenal on Christmas morning, when one of them dropped a parcel. A loud explosion followed, windows being smashed within a hundred yards. The bearer of the parcel was killed, and papers Eound in his possession suggest that he was commissioned. to perpetrate an outrage on M. Yenizeloa.