Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-24
TEUTONIC ALLIES
READY TO STRIKE
FOE IN MACEDONIA
Swift Preparations Made
for Launching of
Offensive
VAST FORCES MASSED

PARIS, Dec. q.
French war correspondents at Salonica
state that the Germans and Bulgarians,
after swift preparations. are about to
attack the Allies in Macedonia.
Sixty thousand Germans are reported
to be massed at Monastir and $4,000 Turks
in the Struma valley. The bulk of the
Bulgarian army Is concentrated In the
Vardar valley.
The correspondent of the Petit Parisien
estimates that the Bulgarian. German
and Turkish troops on the Scrbo-Greek
frontier number nearly half n million,
but most of the military experts figure
that the German allies In that region
do not exceed 100000 men.
The Allies. strongly cntrenched on
Greek soil. are ready to give a. defen-
sive battle to the German Allies The
left wing of the Entente forces rests upon
the Nardar River the centre faces the
frontier near Doiran and the right wing,
made up of British corps defends
Chateldica.
ALLIES ARTILLERY READY.
The Allies supply of heavy guns Is
stated to be fully adequate, and the war
ships in the Salonica roadstead are ready
to support the land batteries If the bat
tie comes beneath their guns.
That the French War Office regards
tle bblhul Htlu VI OptlollohS OiiS
full OF menacing possibilities is shown
by the fact that General Castelnau. chief
of staff of the French army, has been
sent to Salonica to confer with General
Sarrail and General Sir Charles Monro.
A news agency dispatch from Athens
saws that Germany has served notice
upon Greece that the Teutonic allies in
tend to attack the AnElo-French forces
on Greek soil and that Germany hopes
to have her troops in Sanonica by Janu'
airy l5 According to this dispatch, Ger
many promises to evacuate Greek terri
tory as soon as her task is completed.
Although 1t was regarded here as en-
| tirely possible that Germany had given
notice of an offensive against the Allies
1t was deemed exceedingly doubtful If the
| Kaisers Government had made any pre-
! dicton as to the time the Germans might
| be at Salonlca
| Relations between Greece and Bulgaria
| are growing more intimate.
| The following Central News Agency
| dispatch from Athens is regarded as high
| ~ significant in this regard: Owing tc
! delay in the arrival of consignment OF
| American wheat the Government is ne
| gotiating for the purchase of wheat from
| Bulgaria."
German and Bulgarian aeroplanes have
! attacked the Anglo-French cantonmentS
north of Salonica, dropping many bombs
! according to a press dispatch received
! here today.
The aeroplanes evidently operated from
| a base at Ghevgheli. which is only A
! miles north of Salonica.
| The allied forces in the Balkans are
well equipped with both aeroplanes ant
high-angle guns.
ALLIES MASSING 100000 MEN,
The Athens correspondent of Reuter-
sends a dispatch stating that the cen
| ira! Powers are concentrating their force
| in the Ghevgheli sector lin southeastern
Serbia) and are expected TO take the OF
| fensive this week.
This correspondent also says that Ger
many is reported to have informed Greece
that she hopes to reach Saloniea by Jan
uary Is, promising at the same time 4
evacuate Greek territory as soon as tn
| ,aak "a hnished