The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-10-31
TURKISH FORCES
ARE HARD PRESSED
ALLIED ARMIES PREPARE FOR
THREE GREAT BATTLES.
PREDICT DEFEAT OF SULTAN
Montenegrins Are Fighting Desper.
ately at Scutari to Dislodge Mos
lem Garrison - Adrianople
Still Holds Out.

London, oct. 3O.-The beginning OF
the end of the great Balkan war
drama is being played today, and to q
climax, the military critics agree, that
will mean overwhelming defeat and
humiliation for the armies OF the sui.
tan.
For hours the main divisions Of the
federated Balkan armies have been
wheeling into position for three bat.
ties, victories In which will bring to a
successful conclusion the tremendous
enveloping campaign and bring the
troops Of the rebellious states to the
gates Of Constantinople and Salonika,
where only impoverished defenses re-
main.
Three Battles Expected Hourly.
These battles are expected hourly,
according to dispatches from the war
centers. The Bulgarians are march.
ing down the Erskene river to attack
the main Turkish army between Eski.
Bahia and Lule Burgess; the Servians
are about to attack the Turks at
Veles, or Kuprili, the capture Of which
will give them a clear path to Monas.
tir, the most important post in Mace
donia, and the main Greek force, only
80 miles south of the Servian divi'
sions, is approaching Ianina with the
object Of securing control of the en-.
tire southwestern portion of the sui.
tan's dominions in Europe.
The sultan, whose troops, besides
being hemmed In on all sides, are
badly demoralized, holds uninvaded
and completely under his control only
strip OF territory varying from forty
to fifty miles wide, along the Turkish
south coast from the Bosphorus to the
west coast of the Gulf Of Salonika.
The only Turkish resistance of i'm
portance is being made at Scutari
where the Montenegrins are fighting
desperately to dislodge the Turkish
garrison. Much cavalry has been de
stroyed by fire, but the Turks are
holding out with fanatical determine
ton.
Greeks Take Turkish Town.
The most important victory was
that at Tripatamus, a Turkish town
which was occupied by the Greeks on
the way to Verria. The Greeks first
occupied the city of Castania and the
Fifth Turkish division occupied the
town of Grevena
The main Greek force in conse
quenCe is threatening Verria. or Kars
Feria, fifty miles due north from the
Turko-Greek frontier and on the rail.
road connecting Salonika and Monas,
tir. The Greek front extends seventy
miles
Adrianople is holding out, though
desperately pressed. Formal posses
sion of Adfianople is unimportant
however, since its garrison has been
reduced and demoralized and the city
itself, with its magnificent forts, made
a scene of devastation.
Turk Army Hemmed In.
The main Turkish army. between
Baki-Baba aud Lure Burgess, oc.
cupies a suicidal position The Bul.
garians have cut off it's retreat by rail
to Constantinople and escape 10 the
southwark has been forestalled by the
burning Of the bridge over the Tabor.
lu river. On its right flank. at Eski-
Baba, is the main Bulgarian army.
cutting it off from the Turkish army
at Adrianople, which is itself effect
lively hemmed in.
HAHN Pasha, the Turkish minister
OF war, and commander-in-chief, must
await the attack of the Bulgarians or
advance to meet them in the only di-
rection left open to him. His commits
sariat has broken down and the army
is sadly in need of provisions. One
of the most sanguinary battles OF the
war is expected when these armies
meet.
Dispatches from Salonika state that
all communication with Constantine
pie must have been cut. for no orders
for the army have been received from
the capital for two days. The city Is
without sufficient provisions and
three more days Of the existing condi-
tons must bring the city to the point
of capitulatiOn.
Egyptian Prince Shot.
COustautinoplc, Oct. 3O.-Spccial:
Azig Pasha, the Egyptian prince I'M
der command in the Turkish caVulry
in the battle of Kirk Kilissa, was shot
here today for failing to make q bet
ter showing against Bulgaria.
Russia and Austria,
st. Petersburg, Oct. 3O.-Special.
Russia and Austria have agreed on
the changes to be made as tue result
or the Balkan war in the event Tur.
key is defeated, which will make u
general European war over the divis'
ion of the spoils less likely.
War News Censored.
London, Oct. S0.-Speciol: No war
news was obtainable early today from
the front although it was known the
Bulgarians and the Turkish main ar.