The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-08
Austro-C German, Bulgarian and
Turkish Forces of Million
Men to Overrun Country
FATE OF BELGIUM
BEING RE-ENACTED IN
LITTLE BALKAN STATE
Eyes of World Conferred On
Criminal Slaughter Of Ser
bian Ma. on by Wolves of
Germany and Their Turk
ish Allies

London. Oct. -z.-Gernlan and
Austrian armies, reported Of
groaa strength, have crossed into
Serbia ~ three widely divergent
points and have firmly establish.
ed themselves. This news Is con-
tanned In an Official statement
from the German Office. which
says:
"Gcrman and AustrO- 81 unGnr-
Ian troops crossed tine Drax,aa, the
rave, and the Danube ~ many
places, and Obtained firn footing
on the eastern bank n tho Drtna
and the southern banks Of the
Save ana the Danube
Ncvvs from various sources
place. the strength OF tho Tcu-
tonic armies invading Serbia 1t
400 900 men. The troops which
Bulgaria Ia able TO throw against
the southern borders II Serbia
are supposed 70 be Of about equal
number. While there Il no news
jet NJ hand that the Bulgarian
i forces have moved to cross the
frontier, IL IL generally supposed
here tl1Aa the invaalOn has began
N the southern side Of Serbia as
we'll - on the north. and that In
ali probability These forces arc
supported b. sosnc 1SO, 600 Turks.
who arc not required At the
DartlanGl1oA.
Petroerad dispatches say that the
vithdrawafrAvf~ kurtrfan ard German
troops from the southern section oil
The Russian battle line still continues.
These mon are being sent across
Transylvania into Hungary and thus
to the Serbian border.
Won SanderH at Helm.
General IAman Won Sanders. who
has been directing the Turkish forces
Il the pardAnelles. is reported to have
pf the Bulgarian armies. With him
khere have arrived many more Ger
man of1lcers who will aid in directins
the movements Of King Ferdinand
men.
II would appear that the German
campaign against Serbia is to be very
similar TO the one. against Belgium
more than q year ago, a quick. i'm
petuous serteA -pf blows designed 10
crush the armies In defending that
before the adequate aid can
zach them from the outside.
/ For the moment, at least, the CEN
ter OF the war has shifted to the Bal
kAns--Serbia In particular--and the
course Of events on the Russian and
French fronts has become OF seconda ry
Importance Certainly there has not
b~en moro interesting situation
created or one more fraught with far
reaching possibilities Of vital conse-
ausncs since the Germans first poured
acFoss the Belgian frontier.
Rarhaasu F1whtfnW Strength,
Serbia has. a fighting strength OF
supposedly $50, 900 men. Her force can
scarcely be more than this and II may
be q great deal less. There lie Abso-
lutely no authoritive intelligence re-
Expecting the strength Of the French
and British forces landed Mt Saionica
land now on their way to the support
|of Serbia. Most Of the reports place
The number Of this army at 10000. II
his IL the case. Serbia faces an army
|of upwards Of 1000. 900 men attacking
In two widely. separated fronts with q
defending force Of lesa than 100000
|ooidiers. Furthermore. she has nc
known resources on which to draw
unless Great Britain and France send
Snors troops and her supply of ammuni-
t1on and general war material Ia ex-
tremely questionable.
While the news from Berlin respect
4ng the campaign against Serbia ii
scanty. II IL apparent that this military
Operations on the north are to be al
|rected from three or four points. The
|nrst objective 10 plainly the Oriental
railway which runs from Belgrade
Through the center Of Serbia to Nish
and thence to Bulgaria and Constanti-
maple. while the second 10. judging
From the nature Of the opposing often
|stve. a complete subjugation of the
|.ountry.
Follow Oriental Railroad.
The armies about to follow the
|eoursc Of the Oriental railway have
supposedly crossed the Danube at Sem.
|endria and in the vicinity OF Belgrade
From Semendria east of Belgrade a
short branch road connects with the
main line rail line south of Belgrade
The Save was probably crossed al
pgitrouvitsa. and the Dwina on the
northwestern side Of Serbia at a poin,
from which the invaders may advance
RAPIDLY On Uskitxe, the head Of the
Scribe River. which forms the
SUurse OF a broad valley running into
HE Oriental railway north OF Nish.
Such. at least. In the absence OF all
|detatlad news, Is the opinion of the
english and French military critics
mo point out that II IL not improba BILE
khat while the Oriental railway ID
thus the goal towards which three ar
MES are driving an additional army
nay he striving to march down the
ertian side OF this Danube fr.m Cros-
Serbian Report.
The Serbian, war ONCE issued the
lowing statement today at Nishs
"a lively artillery duel occurred on
continusd % second Fase.,