New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-24
r,ue Of Greatest Battles of Mod
ern Times Raging Near Ad-
rianopIe Between Bull
garianS and Turks.
ENORMOUS LOSS OF LIFE
necisive Result Likely To- day
servian Army Captures Novi-
pszar and Greeks Win
Signal Victory at Ell
assona and Serbia.
rBv Cable to The Tribunel


London, Oct. 24.-Over front be-
tween thirty and forty miles in extent
one Of the greatest battles of modern
times is raging between the Bulgarians
and Turks in the Adrianople-Kirk
K;Iiseh district. The fighting is of a
dssperate character and there has been
an enormous loss of life. As all the in
d,pendent observers are detained miles
tron the scene Of battle, the only in
formation coming through is from Off
cial sources.
This, as might be expected, is contra
dictory. Constantinople, on Che one
hand, reports the Bulgarians driven
hack with heavy losses, but no details
are given. Bulgaria, on the other side,
claims to have been successful all along
the line, and supports this by giving a
number Of details. Several important
forts around Adrianople, according to
their version, were captured, and one
Turkish force which made sortie was
annIhilated and many prisoners were
taken. II is alleged that whenever
they retire the Turks are burning vii
lagos and massacring the inhabitants.
Fierce battles also are proceeding be-
tween the Turks and. the Servians in
the west, and the latter met notable
success yesterday. when they captured
Pristina. Novipazar and other towns.
In their fight the Turks have blown
up bridges and abandoned stores. The
Greek army also declares that the
Turks are retreating before its ad-
vance.
From such accounts Of the fighting
at Kirk Kiliseh as have been received
at Sofia. it is possible to form an idea
Of the desperate nature Of the Bull
garians. They appear to have displayed
m their attempts 10 stormy t,rkish
outer works the most extraordinary
contempt of death. To the strains OF
the "SHvitzka March" infantry reEi-
ment after infantry regiment advanced
with bayonets at charge to attack the
chain Of hills which stretches out be-
fore Kirk Kiliseh to the north, and,
after a struggle lasting hours to-
gether It fell TO the fortune Of the
Bulgarian storTning column to estab"
lish itself on the heights, though only
after it had suffered terrible losses.
As to the operations in front OF
Adrianople, a bulletin gives very
meagre information. one Bulgarian
force is described as advancing on the
Roght railway TO Agur, with the object
Of outfanking or enveloping the strong
Turkish position at Kirk Kiliseh.
1t Is further stated that the Turks
are burning villages on their line OF
retreat down the River Struma and
are violating international law by pom
harding unfortifed towns, monasteries
and hospitals on the coast Of Bulgaria
from warships. Many specific exam
pies of these ouefages are given.
King Ferdinand was on the firing
line and was greeted with boisterous
enthusiasm by the advancing troops
Other reports show the steady progress
Of the Bulgarian forces across the from
tier. bounded by the Rhodope Noun
tains and the Raslog and Tarmarasch
districts, in which hostile force
might have threatened to cut com
munications between Sofia and Philip
popolis, are now permanently occupied
and have passed out Of Turkish posses
sion.
Messages from Constantinople show
Continued on third page, first column.