The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-30
Spirited Resistance Offered by the Retiring Servians. Overwhelming Numbers Forces Retreat
VON MACKENZEN~$ FROM THE NOR$$
 TO SURROUNp$:sRBS
Austrians Atts Monte negro to Cut Off Retreat in this DirectiOn-British
 CO-Operate With French

London, October 20.-An Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Athens says,
 Ut is learned from good source that the French. after three days fight. have occupied strumitxa and ad- vanced about 20 miles into Bulgarian territory. The Bulgarians lost heav- iIy.'
 London, October 20.-The BuIgarians have recaptured veIes tkoprultc) Ser via, according to the Athens corre- spondent of the Times. veIes is 23 miles southeast of Uskup and Is on the rail- road line between Uskup and saIonilxi.
 London, October 29.-The Germans, with their Austrian and Bulgarian allies, are still trying to cut off the retreat of the main Servian army which is offering spirited resistance as it retires. While Field Marshal von Mackenzens force ad- vances slowly from the north the Aus trians have crossed the western border of servia south of vishegrad and are moving eastward and the Bulgarians are marching westward on wide front from Pirot southeast of Nish, to Sejacar, north east of Nish
 It Is a long way across and the coun- try is difficult to traverse, but the Ser vians are bound to defend it as long as possible ,as their great arsenal at Krag- uyevatz is situated in this area, and they doubtless will hold on with the hope of making an eventual retirement in the mountains along the Montenegrin frontier and in that country. ss
 To forestall this the Austrians also are attacking in Montenegro. but have made little progress, as the Montenegrins un- der their veteran fighting King, have had a long time to prepare for Just such an event and have beaten off all attacks. In fact, the Montenegrins hold some strong positions in Austrian territory out of which they will have to be driven
 No Change in South
 There is no change in the southern area of Servia so far as known. A report that Uskup has been recaptured is not confirmed. The French. however, claim to uaN6 cledItQ tIit bulSaildllS out Ol lfe Ve,es district. This, if true, would render Uskup an unsafe place for the invaders. in the opinion of military men.
 In what other way Servia is to be as- sisted has not yet been disclosed. Some British troops are cooperating with the French in the south and others are on the way. but where they will be used remains secret. Russia's plans also have not been disclosed, although from German tk ts. tol bot a.,to ;e about to throw her lot in with the entente allies and will allow the passage of a. half million of Russian troops through her territory to attack Bulgaria from the north.
 Greece Gives Assurance of Neutrality
 Greece has assured the entente powers that hef neutrality remains friendly to them and has pointed out that she al- ready has given them assistance by per mitting the landing of troops at Salon. ili
 On the other fronts there is little or no change in the situation. In the west engagements remain the chief method of warfare. although there has been some trench fighting. In the east a battle is still raging for Riga and Dvinsk, which for nearly two months Field Marshal Won Hindenburg has been enc eavoring to reach. During the past week the Germans have poured a rain Of shells on the Russian positions along a front of 160 miles, from the mouth of the Dvina to the south of Dvinsk, but the Russians are falling back a little in the north they have generally held firm and returned shot for shot. which is taken here to indicate that their supply of ammunition is now satisfac- tory.
 Russian Advance
 Through the lake district between Dvinsk and Sventsyany the Russians are steadily advancing and are approaching the Wilma -Dvinsk railway. In the south they also continue marrying the Austro- Germans by frequent thrusts. Emperor Nicholas and his son are visiting Ivanoff m this region.
 AS the Germans are reported to have sent a part of General Won Linsengen's army from this region to the Roumanian frontier to guard against Roumanian attack on Field Marshal Won Mackenzen's forces in Servia, important events are looked for along the Styr and in Galicia. General Joffre, the French commander In chief, has arrived in England. He had 1 long conference with Earl Kitchener today and also visited the other minis ters.