The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-19

up, where another big battle is antici-
pated. In northern Albania, where the
Turks and Montenegrins are striving for
supremacy there is hull in the fighting.
This, however, is regarded in military
circles as only the lull which precedes the
big storm that will break when the two
armies come together in the struggle for
| the possession of the Turkish town of
| Scutari, Many rumors are published OF
heavy fighting on the Bulgarian and
! Servian frontiers. All these reports lack
confirmation while more reliable accounts
say the Turkish army marching on Bull
garia has not yet met with any serious
opposition. On the other hand, Bel
grade dispatch says the Servian army Is
proceeding toward Uskup without en-
countering resistance. The campaign
opens at. the worst possible season for
the unfortunate soldiers of the rival
armies 1t has been suggested in this re-
gard that the troops of Bulgaria and
Servia, being largely composed of noun
taineer peasants and conscripts, accus-
toned all their lives to the rough wealth
err of middle Europe are likely to fare
better under the rigors of such cam
paign than Moslem soldiers drawn large
w from warmer climates and used to the
comparatively easy living of the low
lands. But the endurance and hardihood
of the Turk was amply proved when he
was last seriously engaged in contest
in these regions. The great struggle of
1877 was chiefly waged in the Danubian !
provinces of Bulgaria or in the mountain
passes dividing eastern Roumeia from
her neighbors to the north and south.
How the sultan's forces suffered during
the winter of 1877, and how CALAMITY |
they bore themselves under all sorts of
priyations, the records of that bitter
fully show. The populations
on behalf of whom the Balkan states
have taken the field dwell for the most
part in mountainous and almost mae
cessibe country. OF the disputed terri
tories, the vilayet Of Adrianople is the
most easily trayersed by an army, and
It lies within the easiest reach of Philip
Dopolis. the probable headquarters of
The Bulgarian forces. Both for this rea
,on and because it is on the road from
Sofia to Constantinople. the province OF
7oumelia is the one which is most i'm |
threatened as q theatre of '
var. A chain of mountains follows the {
ronter. but this chain is traversed by
everal passes and pierced by the gorges
# the Martha and Tundla rivers. The q
rontiers of Macedonia lie in wild noun I
ain regions, and they are of no present t
trategic Importance. The same may {
lmost be said of the Servian and Mon 2
enegrin borderland The present quar- r
ell will inevitably be decided by the clash a
/ large forces on a scale necessltatlng z
ailway transport Motor transport is a
OF at present available in the theatre Of a
,ar, though it will perhaps be brought
1to use in the more civilized regions
{ Bulgaria and Roumelia later. The
ecisive operations must then take place 2
long the two railways which traverse
ne peninsula from north TO south. So
n invasion by one side or the other
lust take the form of an advance along h
he railway and by the neighboring 81
,ads. The Turkish army in Europe con- fl
SITS of two principal groups. The east /,
m group lies along the railway from Il
to Adrianople; the west
N group is quartered on either side of a
he railway connecting Uskup on the (,
Drth with Salonica on the Macedonian 81
lore of the .Fgean. These forces have al
cen REINFORCED by the army corps inI
STA Minor but it is premature to say d
what force the Turks will operate on 81
he western line of railway. OF neces- cl
ty the principal struggle must take ii
ace on the road and railway connect tc
g the two capitals-Sofia and SIAM al
,ul. An important battle on this line nj
likely to follow closely on the formal di
Of war just made. de-