The Osceola times., 1885-11-21
THE DOGS OF WAR.
Let Slip By King Milan Over the
Bulgarian Frontier.
The Initial skirmish Disastrous to the Bul'
garians advancing On Dragoman Pass
Where a sanguiDary Conflict
Is Inevitable.

Where n saneuiDary Conflict
Is Inevitable.
LONDON, November l5.-Grim'vlsased
Wars wrinkled front is glowing over
the Balkan provinces. Seryla Is at IL
In earnest, and there Is not to be child's
play. A dispatch received last evening
SAYS the FIRST actual battle occurred on or
about noon Yesterday at Tru, little VII.
lage on the Bulgarian frontier, on the
road to viasina, by the advanc, guard
coming Unexpectedly upon body OF
Bulgarian sklrmishers. The Servians'
advance was compelled to halt dnder the
heavy fire OF the enemy. ReinfoTcements
were hurried forward and were met by
large body Of Bulgarians who had come
up to support their sklrmlshers:
The Servians formed ana
gallantly charged the Bulgarian
position, forcing them to retreat after
hot fight. The pursuit was kept up for
some distance. The casualties arc not
known vet, but from what can be ascer-
tanned the Bulgarians suffered severely
This first victory greatly elatcs the Ser
vians, who are pressing forward with all
speed. The first great battle Is expected
to take place this Sunday morning,
when the advance forces expect to reach
Dragoman Dehle, rocky gorge on the
frontier. A large force OF Bulgarians
have been concentrated In this pass aud
have thrown up intrenchments
bloody and sanguinary coanct Is ex-
! pected.
A. Belgrade 1t was officially announced
| yesterday that force OF Bulgariaus on
| Thursday attacked body Of Servlans near
| Viasina. The Servians returned the fire.
| Ten Bulgarisns, killed or wounded, were
| left on Servian territory, Several OF the
Seivlans were wounded. In consequence
of the attack OF the Bulgsrians, the Cabi-
net on Friday decided to declare war.
Accordingly peace ended and war began
| Yesterday morning, when the Servlan
army moved over the border. King
| Milan has assumed command OF the
| Servian army and active operations will
| be begun at once. The Servian army has
| commenced moving forward and an ad.
vance on Sofa Is anticipated. The
troops displayed much enthusiasm.
| The Scrvian army Is marching In three
| divisions on Sofia. Ge neral Horvatovltch
| commands the left wing, General Losh-
yeania the right and King Milan the
| center. The VIII lie force Is expected
to concentrate at Sofs on November 22d.
| The roads are covered with snow, re.
| tatding the progress OF the army.
| Dispatches from Belgrade state that
King Milan has informed the powers that
Servia has declared war against Bulgaria
because Bulgaria arbitrarily attacked a
position which the Morava division Of
the Kings troops held In Servian terri
torv. opposite the bulgarian frontier.
King Milan has also issued a procla-
nation, which Is In substance as follows:
"Servls eau not allow Bulgaria. which
has already proved n hard neighbor, to
disturb the balanc.( If power in the Bal
kans to her exclusive advantage" lie
then alludes to what he calls the unjustl-
fable Bulgarian customs duties on the
frontier; the unlawful seizure OF Bregova
and the encouragement by Bulgaria Of
the Servian rebels condemned for high
treason. (King Milan here refers probably
to Peko Pavlovich, the Herzcgovinisn
chief, and Pashico, the Servian Ridlcal
leader who was expelled by King Milan
from the Skups'schIna. Copies OF revo-
lu,ionary proclamations signed BY these
men and distributed throughout Servia
were recently found by Servian officials,
and the latter claimed that they were
disseminated by the revolutionists under
Bulgarian protection. This Bulgaria
denied, claiming that the men were manv
miles distant from the Servian frontier
intcrned in a fortress.)
King Milan also alIudcs to alleged ILL
treatment Of Servian cmigrants In Bull
caria; the blockade OF the frontier by
Bulgaria, and alleged attacks by undis-
ciplincd Bulgarian volunteers on tho
Scrvian people and troops. In conclusion
the King says: al cannot suffir these IN.
territorial provocations, and | therefore
adopt the policy of open hostility which
has been forced upon me by Bulgaria.
Servia's Just cause now rests on the arDi.
trament OF arms, the bravery OF her
army, the protection OF the Almighty.
I RELY upon my peoples patriotism"
The various forces OF Servia are as
follows: Field army, 62,0ss men with
26t guns; reserve formations, l2, S5f
men with 81 guns; reserve army, oil
landw 52,270 men with l20 guns;
landstrum, IS, 900 men, or total of l70,-
| 4l2 officers and men, and 4l3 guns. The
infantry is armed with the Mauser rife,
improved b7 Major Mecovanovitch, which
| is Of a calibrc of 1915 millimeres. Thu
artillery Is variously armed. with muzzle-
leaders and Krupp tuns. The total cav
airy force included In the above, numbers
1900 men.
The Bulgarian field army consists OF
"a, 900 infantry 400 cavalry, two rcgi.
ments and one Company Of artillery, $3.50
men; a battalion of engine RS, $50 mcu |;
a detachment of train, 2 900 men, and a
force OF gendearmerie, l,G00 men; or a
total force OF 32,220 men with l0t guns.
The infantry Is armed with Bcrdan rifles
and the batteries have Krupp guns and
guns Of the latest Russian pattern. The
reserve force consists OF $4,000 men.
There are also twelve battalions OF land.
sirum OF 600 men each, or 1900 men,
making total force OF 10000 men
There is no want OF arms, but there IL
scarcely q sufficient force of cavalry and
artillery. The cavalry numbers l,50(
men. The scarcity of officers since many
OF the Russian officers returned home, IL
also a serious matter. Prince Alexander
Is an soe and energetic soldier.
The Eastern Roumelian army com
prises 22i men OF the first levy, 10,
ls7 Of the second, 23,l97 Of the reserve
aud 2,422 men OF the active reserve, max
log total OF Gi, 030 men The number
OF officers available is altogether out o.
proportion to the number Of men. There
is no scarcity Of arms, as there Is abou
$4,000 Kruks, 1000 Berdan aud 5000
Martini Henry rlf.s in the province
| The artillery consists of four guns The