Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-31
War Zone Widens


No official declaration of war has
yet been made, but Turkeys action
seems to make it probable that the
area of conflict may be greatly Wild
ened and the issues complicated. The
Balkans, whence sprung the present
European conflict, present such net
work of hostile interests that Greece
and the other Balkan nations may
easily be drawn into the vortex. Greece
it is believed, will likely be the first
state now neutral to throw her weight
against the Ottoman army. Bulgaria
holds a remarkable position. She is
bound to Russia by racial ties and to
Great Britain by obligations for diplo
matte support in the last war. But her
interests and sympathies are violently
hostile to Turkey and Greece. An at
tempt to invade the Caucasus on one
side and Egypt on the other is the
program military men think the Tur-
kish army is likely to endeavor to
carry out Turkish forces have been
gathering recently in Syria and Pal
estine but march across the Sinai
peninsula will be hard one. because
the country is virtually desert. The
English papers are confident that the
protection of the Suez canal against
a raid and Of Egypt against invasion
are well provided for.
They recognize that the addition OF
Turkey to the beligerent forces prob
ably will prolong the war and increase
its horrors. They say that this means
htat Great Britain must raise more
men. How long Italy can remain
aIoof is a question that is being ask
ed by the newspapers.
The Portuguese government de-
scribes the German invasion of An
COLA as a small affair but II is thought
here that it may result in bringing
Portugal definitely into the general
war on the side of the Triple En-
tente.
News received from the western bat
. tie lines tonight indicates that the
Germans desperate attempt to gain
Calais and command of the English
channel has failed for the present
The flooding of the valley of the
User canal, together with the work
of the British warships and of the
Belgian army along the coast are re-
ported to have compelled the Germans
to withdraw somewhat, while the
British and French are said to have
been able to advance on the line fur
Their into the interior.
The British naval force near Nieu1
port consists of three monitors. threc
cruisers and a battleship with 12-inch
guns Destroyers are protecting the
ships from attacks by German sub
marines, which have been lowering
around the coast.
A German official report says thai
Dunkirk is preparing for a siege and
that the populace is prepared to flood
the locality in case of a German ad-
vance
No important developments have
been reported from Poland or Galicia
today.
With the announcement that Baron
Fisher will succeed Prince Louis OF
Battenberg as first sea lord of the ad-
miralty, the newspapers believe thai
the warfare on the part of the navy
will be prosecuted sternly.
1.-The essense of war is violence: mod
Grafton in war is imbecility;" is one
of Admiral Fishers sayings.
A renewed demand is being made
for the closing of the entire North see
and the planting Of mines there.
A majority of the newspapers ex-
press confidence in the loyalty to the
country of Prince Louis Of Batten-
berg, but a few of them consider thai
his resignation was wise and desir-
able.