New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-26
10000 Bulgarians Re-
treating After kriv.
Olak Defeat.
INVADERS ARE
NEAR UNION
TeutOns Advance Along
Danube and Ferdinand
Crosses the TimOk.
BERLIN GAINS SLOWLY
Reports Progress Near Bosnian
Border and Capture OF
Zabari In East.
BERLIN GAINS SLOWLY
lBy Cable 70 The rribure.l

tempt to wrest the Nish-Salonica
railway from the Bulgars has begun,
and already French troops, following
up their victory at Krivolak, in
Southern Serbia, where $4,000 Bull
garians were put to flight, are with
ir twenty miles Of Veles, still in the
invaders grasp.
Three days ago only a few miles
inside the Serb frontier, and with
the Serbs patiently nearing exhaus-
tion, the swift Allied advance Of
more than forty miles to Negotin,
reported reached by the French last
night, has raised new spirit Of con-
fidence that Won Mackensen's seizure
of the road to Constantinople may
yet be forestalled.
Only one thing damps this op-
timism-the new German crossing OF
the Danube at Orsovo, which pro-
gressed to-day to Sip, Berlin an
ncunces, and the Bulgar advance
across the Timok in the same region,
which thus brings the two armies
within few miles Of union.
With the juncture once formed.
the Danube will be entirely In Teu-
ton hands. and one avenue to the
Turkish capital, though not the one
originally aimed At will be assured.
The only results Of the Allied expe-,
d:tion in such case, unless the en-
try Of Rumania should change the
situation, would be TO forestall Bull
garian ambitions in Macedonia.
BY the French victory at Krivo-
lax the Bulgarians who have
reached Istib, Veles and Uskub al
ready are placed in an awkward
position, as further advance of the
Allied army would seriously threaten
their flank. In fact, unofficial reports
state that the advance of the French,
who are being closely followed by
the British, already has caused the
retirement Of the Bulgarians toward
Strumnitza.
BuIgars Not Equal to French.
That the Bulgarians have begun
their retirement from Veles and are
retreating on a five-mile front up
the Gradeskar River is indicated in
dispatches from Gradek, Serbia,
reaching here to-day. The Bulgars,
according TO dispatches, plan a new
line to resist the Allied advance on
the villages Of Rabrovo, Piraud,
Vessel and Kalkova, and the east
bank Of the Vardar River, where IL
dominates the railway.
According to reports describing
the battle, the inferiority Of the Bull
garians to the experienced troops Of
France and Britain was at once de-
monstrated, and the latter had no
trouble in turning the Bulgarian
right flank, while the Serbs, by a
frontal counter attack, held the main
body. The maneuvre is described as
having been most brilliant by the
correspondent Of the Paris Petit
Psrisien," who says that the French
"75's" inflicted terrible damage on
the Bulgarians.
Now that the main German advance
has reached the mountains. the fighting
has assumed the character Of that on
the Western front. progress being made
only after the most violent artillery
preparation and the capture Of Q few
yards Of trenches at a time.
German losses have been 20 severe,
the Havas correspondent at Athens
telegraphs. that the whole offensive
along the northern front has been sus-
pended, while the gains reported by
Berlin are scattered and Of minor i'm
portanee. Thus further progress has
been made in Northwest Serbia. along
the Bosnian frontier. but too far away
from the main theatre. the Moravs Val
ley, 20 seriously menace the Serbs.
General Won Koeyess has reached the
lateral railway through Lasarevac,
which will be valuable asset once II is
wholly in German hands. while Won
Gallwitz has taken Zabari. south OF
Petroyac.
Germans Short Of Men.
The general optimism Of observers
here regarding the outcome has been
further borne out by the shortage Of
men, just disclosed by the British staf.
from which the Germans are now suf.
fering. Even after the French onen-
sive in September the fGeymans had
the greatest difficulty i,l securing re-
| Inducements and had ID call on men