Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-09
BULGARS BEAT
BACK FRENCH Is
MILES IN SERBIA
Allies in Plight in Triangle
of Vardar-Cerna Front
as Enemy Advances
PERIL OF ENvELoPMENT
Entente Pouring Heavy Rein
forcements for Balkans
Into Salonica

LONDON. Dec. y.
French troops holding the line at ktivo-
lax. in southern Serbia. have fallen back
Is miles before the violent infantry at
tacks and the concentrated artillery fire
of the Bulgarans.
As the French troops retired they blew
up the tracks Of the Salonica- Nish rail-
way to hamper pursuit but according 10
adviCes from Salonica, the Bulgarians,
being magnihcently equipped with repair
supplies by the German pioneers, are able
20 relay the tracks as they progress.
\ dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph
Company from Athens says!
at Is also announced that the Anglo
French allies are retiring in southern
Serbia toward the Greek frontier
PROGRESS FOR TEUToNs.
Berln. Vienna and sofia all claim
progress for the German allies in the
Balkans For the time being the military
operations again transcend the political
situation. although n climax Is develop
ing. 1f the Bulgarians are able to con-
tinuc their advance, forcing the allied
troops over the Greek line, the Greek
Government must show its hand and
take definite stand on one side or the
other.
1t is reported for the second time that
Field Marshal Won Mackcnsen. of the
German army who directed the Balkan
campaign for the Teutons, has arrived
at Constantinope \ dispatch from
SRlonca to that effect was published in
the newspaper Mattino at Rome, and for
warded to London by the Central News
This information follows a report that
Field Marshal Won der Goltz, the Ger
man commander in Turkey, is going to
NIesopotamia 70 lead a Turco-German
army Of 100000 men against India.
kilograms from Athens state that An
glo-F'rench renforcements are arriving
continuously at Salonica. but that the
greatest difficulty is being experienced in
landing them owing TO the lack OF facil-
ties.
ENVELOPING MOVEMENT.
The allied expeditionary force in the
southeast corner of Serbia is today in
an extremely perlious position. The Bull
garians are delivering heavy attacks on
three points of the Franco-Br'tish posi-
tions along the railway line between
Ghevgheli and krivoak.
Authoritative reports from the Balkan
front indicate that the French forces
In the Vardar Valley have been forced,
since the close of the Serbian campaign,
TO yield considerable ground before the
Bulgarans, and that they are under an
extremely violent attack at their posi-
tions in the Demir Kapu Gron Gate)
north of Salonica, the Allies base
The Demir Kapu-Salonica sector of
the single line railway from Nish to
the Greek seaport Is the only avenue
of retreat left to the allied troops. 1t is
feared here that the expedition will have
to fall back still further in face of
the increasing Bulgaro-German REIN
forcements.
German cavalry has entered Kenali, due
south of Monastir, near the Greek from
tier, an Athens dispatch says. Appear
ance of German forces as far south as
this point adds ominously TO the Allies
plight. because IL presents the menace
OF a flarking movement to cut off the
French retreat.
The French are believed to have begun,
under a screen of stubborn rear-guard
fighting aided by their superior artillery,
to withdraw from the triangle in which
they have beer hitherto strongly in
the west and east by the Ccrna and Var
dar Rivers. If the Bulgarians succeed
in crossing the Cerna the French lin
trenched camp OF Kavadar" may become
untenable.
At last accounts the French still hold
Kriyolak. on the SaloniCa- -Nish railway,
where their advance guards firmly es-
Ia blshed themselves when the allied cam
paign began. At this point and at DemIr
Kapu violent fighting is now in progress,
and its outcome Is awaited with feverish
expectations here. as It will 20 a long
way toward determining the fate OF the
expedition