The Balkan War

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 11 October 1912, Page 5

The Balkan War

FIGHTING IN TURKEY

(Received October 10, 12.10 p.m. 'BERLIN, October » The newspaper Lokal Anzeiger publishes ;t Belgrade telegram to the effect that the Servian Government's reply to the Powers' Noto is tantamount to a rejection. BELGRADE, October 9. A general conflagration is imminent. The Servian authorities are feverishly completing the transport of troops and war material. THE POWERS' INTERVENTION. CONSIDERED TO BE TOO LATE. (Received Last Night, 8.30 o'clock.) BELGRADE, October 9. M. P asier, the Premier, when receiving the Austro-Russian No f n <> plied that the Cabinet would consider the representations, but lie feared their intervention was too late. KING NICHOLAS AT THE FRONT. MONTENEGRINS SURROUND A TOWN. BRISK ENGAGEMENT. (Received October 10, 8.10 a.m.) CETTINJE, October 9. King Nicholas has arrived at the headquarters of the Montenegrin army at' Podgoritza, 17J miles east bv north of Cofctinje. The inhabitants of Skutari, a Turkish town near the Montenegrin frontier, have proclaimed Nicholas their King., and begged the Montenegrins to occupy the town. The Montenegrins surrounded the Turkish town of Berane. There has bewi a brisk engagement there since • Monday niglrt. ' The Montenegrins number forty thousand. They consist entirely of militia and highland infantry. and lack the transport facilities necessary for a successful invasion of Turkey. AN" ARTILLERY DUEL. ' FORTIFICATIONS ATT ACK ED. THE TURKS REINFORCED. (Received Last Night, 8..'50 o'clock.) LONDON, October 10. A Router telegram from Podgoritza states that the artillery duel lasted for hours. The Turks evacuated the heights of Planinitza. The Montenegrins then attacked a fortified position at Detechich. ' The Turks were reinforced in the afternoon. A general engagement continues. A REPORT DENIED. CONTRADICTORY INFORM ATION. (Received Last Night, 8.30 o'clock.'* LONDON. October 10. The Bulgarian Legation deny the reported massacre of Turkish women and children alt Turtukai, .a Bulgarian town on the Danube. Information from Bulgarian soi.rces indicates tlm the action of Montenegro in declaring war was the outcome of the frontier situation. Montenegro had not consulted the other States. It is said to be unlikely that. Bulgaria, Servia and Greece will declare war until the reply of the Powers is received. . Unconfirmed- reports have been received ■ from other sources that Bui garia and Servia have invaded 1

GENERAL CONFLAGRATION IMMINENT

) negro's K.-tive. s.ty,'-. I:. :s surmised that the intention to divert -a certain portion of ihe Ottoman forces before a general advance of the coalition armies. Newspapers fulminate garnet M. Sazonoff (Russian Foreign Minister) for deceiving them by vain hopes. BULGARIA'S ARMY. / (Received October 10, 3.17 a.m.) SOFIA, October 9. The Bulgarian Army mobilisation has been completed, and the work of concentration continues. The infantry are sturdy on the march, , and the discipline is good. Some of the men are rather too old for a winter campaign. . The staff estimates thai the infantry can maintain a da.il; march -of twenty miles. The transport carts are the weakest element, i their pace being only two miles an hour. FIGHTING BETWEEN BULGARS AND TURKS. (Received October 10, 8.20 a.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, October 9. An engagement is proceeding between Turks a.nd Bulgars in the 1 Djumaibala district. The Greeks have concentrated four battalions of troops and a battery of Mitrallenses opposite Matvozo, and threaten an attack. Shevket Pasha (well-known as a Minister for War) has joined the Council of War. Martial law includes the forbidding of the publication of news, mobilisation, the holding of conferences, distribution of fly sheets, and the utterance of cries in the streets; consequently there was no demonstration when the news of the declaration of war was received here. Strong detachments of soldiers are I " j patrolling the city. PILLAGING OF A TOWN. MASSACRE OF TURKS. VIENNA, October 9. I The Neues Wiener Tagblatfc reports that armed Bulgarians pillaged the Turkish quarter of Turtukai, a Bulgarian town on the Danube, killing women and children. Piles of corpses lined the streets. A few Turks escaped to Roumania. \ STRENGTH OF ALLIED ARMIES. ' OFFICIAL ESTIMATE. I (Received October If, 8.20 a.m.) CETTINJE, October 9. The Turkish representative here received his passports ninety minutes before the Austro-Russian representations in favour of peace were made. SOFIA, October 9. The tfficial nfiper Mir estimates that the strength of the allied armies of the Balkan States will be 600..000. DETENTION OF GREEK STEAMERS. RTGHT TO CLAIM AN INDEMNITY. (Received October 10, 9 a.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, October 3. The Powers have protested against the detention of a Greek steamer, and reserved the right to claim an indemnity from Turkey. The Porte is selecting the Greek steamers most suitable for transports, and releasing the remainder. GREECE PROTESTS. (Received Octobed 10, 9 a.m.) ATHENS, October 9. Greece has sent a protest to the ' Powers against what she describes as an act of piracy on the part of Turkey in sending warships from the Black Sea and seizing Greek merchantmen on the high seas. ' A CATSPAW. (Received October 10, ,9.10 a.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, October 9. In political circles the opinion is held that the Balkan allies used Montenegro as a catspaw for confronting the Powers with an accomplished fact in order to avoid negotiations concerning reform. A. committee purporting •to represent 30,000 Albanians, recently beg- ' gcd the Porte for arms for use against the Balkan League, but the request was ignored, the Porte being dubious regarding their good faith. The Albanians now promise to, without assistance, restrain Montenegro. "ROUMANIA ORDERS GUNS. (Received October 10, 9.12 a.m.) BUKHAREST, October 9. j Aeroplanes were used during the army manoeuvres for tho first time with success. Their work aroused enthusiasm. Tho airmen gave precise information regarding the positions of the troops. Roumania has ordered fifteen mountain guns from the Creuzot works. They are to be delivered in a week.