Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-20
SITUATION IN BALKANS
NOW At CRITICAL STAGE
Car Ferdinand of Bulgaria and King
of Roumnnia Reported in
Conference.
MEETING PLACE is SECRET
Will Decide Action of League, Which,
IL Is Believed. Will Determine ALI
Important DardnnelleS Campaign.
Turks in Desperate Plight.

lSNec!al Gable to The Times DiSpa tCh. ]
LONDON. September l?.-The situa-
| ton In the Balkans and ut the Darda :
nelleS has reached crisis. Car Fer
d!nand. OF Bulgaria. AMI the King OF
! Roumania are reported TO be holding
q conference al place OH the Danube,
The location OF which is kept secret
II Is believed that this conference will
decide the action of the Balkan pow
ers The chief interest lies In the fact
that the action OF the Bo!kin league
VIII decide the all-important Darda-
neUes campaign.
SO desperate is the plight OF the
Turks that Enver, Pasha is reported
In dispatches from: Rome a having de-
ciared Constantinople in a state OF
siege. The central powers are pre-
pairing 70 detach 5oo.ono men from the
Russian front and hurl them 10 the
assistance OF treir Ottoman ally. ac-
eoroiNE 20 the same source
The latter part of October is said
10 have beer set for a great Austro-
German drive through Serbia 10 the
relief OF the Turks. II is then tina,
bulgaria must say whether she viii!
cast her lot With the central powers
ana allow passage to their troops
Dispatches from Berlin describe che
sstsH~6 confidence that she Will!
BULGARIA. OPEN no ATTACH
FROM LAND AND SEA
Bulgaria is wide open to attack from
LAND and sea. however. and this fac,
leads 10 the belief here that she Will
hesitate long time before detyins
tne allies. She is surrounded by Ser
7i2' Greece and Rouman!a. and her
coasts are subject to attack By war
ships OF the British, French. Russian
Before leaving for his reported con-
ference with the Rounanian King.
Gar Ferdinand Of Bulgaria OH Friday
received 'he opposition leaders. five
parties being represented at the audi
ence.
They told the ruler tina, continu
ance OF BulEaria's neutral policy would
be fatal They urged that coalition
Cabinet be formed Immediately TO pro-
tect Bulgaria from a policy inimical
70 the best interests OF the country
Following the audience Car Ferdi-
nand called his Premier 10 a confer
cnce.
Bulgaria has called to the colors
refugees from those sections OF Mace
donia under Greek and Serbian rule
The response has exceeded all expec-
iations.
Bulgaria must answer soon the allies
Joint note demanding that she make
known her position. The BulGarians
q : a people appear to be satisfied for
'ained from Turkey. but Berlin news
papers are discussing the possibility Of
a Bulgarian attack on Greece and
Serbia i'll an effort TO regain the terri
tory taken from her as result OF the
second Balkan war.
TURKS REPORTED TO DE
NEAR TOTAL COLLAPSE
Every ounce of allied strength is
being brought 10 bear against the
I, n all IL
ing "A total collapse. it IS stated in au-
thentiC dispatches reaching here to-
night.
II has become race between the
allies and Germany as TO which VIII
get 10 Constantinoplc first Germanys
victories In Russia have given her for
the moment a high prestige in the Bal
kans II the allies can take the Turk
ish capital, however, all the central
en- piles represent. tons in the Near
East will fail.
Conditions in Constantinople are
crowds parade the streets daily de-
marding bread. Turkish officers gather
on the street corners 10 discuss the dis
aStroUs condition OF the ottoman en-
pire.
Priests have been called upon to
quiet the mohs. the civic and even
military authorities having reached the
limit OF their authority, Rome hears.
Several regiments are reported 10 have
refused to so TO Gallipoli. where the
Turks are declared TO be lighting with
their backs TO the wall, and without
hope unless Germany can hew way
TO their relief in a short time.
The Turks are reported TO be trans
porting all their heavy artillery from
Adrianople, Kirk Kilisse. Tchattalja
and other points to the Gallipoli Pc
njnsula.
This is pointed out in Berlin as an
indication that the Porte no longer
Tears that Bulgaria will listen 20 the
allies. as il removes the strongest de.
lenses from the section which would
hc the point OF Bulgarian attack
Newspapers III Constantinople an
nounct that the government intends TO
"oMhscate al property belonging to
subjects OF the allied powers In order
TO compensate Turkey for the losses
occaSioned by the hombarGmcnt Of her
coasts
The proceeds OF The connscation will
he distributed among the sufferers from
tho commandments.