New-York tribune., 1915-12-10
British Admit Retreat
from Line Guarding
StrumnitZa.
INVADERS KEEP UP
ADVANCE ON VARDAR
pcach Station at Demi-Kapu
aid Capture Ochrida,
Near Albania.


,a. ats OF the Bulgariaus, who, sup
c..d by German artillery and in
';r,. have been attacking both Al
ID fc~ccs and compNIcd them 10 give
. advanced positions.
To, Bulgarians, driving the French
or-r the Nardar Valley, have
-a-rei the railway station a. Demir-
' rpv. twenty-five miles from the Greek
arl according 70 TcutOu reports.
r-H..io. tle British, guarding me
.a s. -unuitza have been forced
aN back from Lake Dorian. Lon
admits this retreat. Further west,
e-r ihe Albanian line, the Bulgars
ar.uirc the Serbs have captured
schr.da. eighteen miles from the Greek
iontjcr.
According 10 reports from Salonica
the retirement is being carried out IN
er orderly manner. but how far 1t Is
% continue is a matter Of much specu-
alton. Opinion is divided as 70 wheth-
o. IL would not be better to abandon
he entire expedition or retain Salonica
Is a base.
q 4 dispatch to Reuters Telegram Com
lbny from British headquarters IN
Macedonia, sent under date OF Decem-
jes 8. says;
The bulgarian attacks during the
= two or three days have been more
e,.,us than were originally reported
lrta Bulgarians show constantly IN
,cressinp strength and seem 70 be well
upplied with artillery, which keeps up
= constant FIRE.
"Since Sunday the British lines have
engaged the principal share OF their
attention. and before the superior
;rength OF the enemy our outposts are
-raduaUy falling back 20 the main po-
itio1. Some hand to-hand fighting has
As the lines of the Entente Al
t.s cor. .rsct on the Greek frontier the
5roblem of the attitude OF the Greek
overrmcnt becomes more and more
cute
Call II Strategic Move.
Tho French retirement from the
Erivolak Cerna positions must be re-
garded as a purely strateglcal move
with which the recent Bulgarian actlV-
ny in southern Serbia had little TO do'
q Reuter- dispatch from Salonlca de-
Clares
After desperate effort by the
u
with the Serbian forces making last
stand at Babuna Pass. which lack OF
tint and resources made Impossible,
he dispatch continues, the French were
compelled 20 readjust their lines with
? view 10 shortening their front, and
taking MP winter quarters more easily
suppiied and less exposed to the IN
,.ien encies Of the weather.
Bulgarian attacks. although accom-
panied bv vigorous artillery fire. have
not been seriously pressed at any point.
The French having retired eastward
their new position is now closely con
nected with .he strong positions held
by the British.
The Salonica correspondent Of the
Paris journal" says:
"The portion of Field Marshal Won
Mackensen's forces descending on Mon
stir seems TO be divided into two
columns. The stronger of these, hay
ing crossed the Vardar River, is MAX
;nc for Nevrokop. German cavalry
already is reported around lstip and
even in the Strumnitza region.
Concentration of these troops on
the Greek frontier, however, requires
some time. They Will not be IN posi-
tion 10 attack the Allied rear or com
munieations before December 20. Ade-
Quate preparations have been MADE 20
Gefend Saionica against all attacks, and
he Allies may now be sara 10 De sale
from all surprises
OHcial Serbian advices place the
number OF Serbian troops who retlree
INTO Albania at 22O,OOO.
THE Austro- German forces employed
+, the Serbian campaign are estimated
a, twenty divisions (24O,OOO men
E;,.s ~ The divisions are said to b'
Austrian.
Serbian Soil Cleared.
p.rli, dispatches say that with th'
an,,ior Of a small band of Serbian
- remnant Of the Monastir arm!
north of Ochrida Lake, no part OF IN,
Ssrbian armies remains on Serbian SOL
The fugitives, without artillery o,
.,snsnort trains. and with only suci
svnnl;es as they can carry Oh thel
backs. are struggling not only WIZ
The pursuing Bulgars, Austro-Germah an
I'D hostile Albanians, but with the rig
- nj full winter in the painless Al
h.r;ar mountains. German military
,'sn express the belief that not even
f,sgnent will succeed IN crossing Al
baria to the sea. ..,
The Montenegrin army, with sucf
Serbians as were able 20 retreat IN con
junction with II, is said 20 be IN snght
iv hotter plight. The Montenegrins have
beer driven from their strong mountain
,osi,iops along the crest OF the Suhodoi
ranqe. $500 feet high. on the north
EASTERN frontier. The Montenegrin'
we're badly defeated, IL is reported but
managed to retreat in an intact bouE
and are conducting operations on theli
own soil with line OF retreat ana sup
ply through a friendly country.
An enveloping movement on a DIX
scale. however, Is reported 10 be lr
progress. and Austrian forces adyanc'
ing into the Black Mountains IRON
three sides in an Overwhelming force
may succeed in rounding up and bag
ging the Montenegrin army, military
experts believe. The opinion is eR-
pressed that this prospect may explain
the suggestion Of separate peace re-
ported 20 have been addressed by Mon
tenegrins 20 the Entente powers.
BULGARIAN OFFICIAL.
Sofa gave out this statement:
Our troops continued their pursuit
Of the French on both sides OF the
Nardar River. We occupied the rail.
way station az Demir-Kapu and are
now twelve kilometres (about sever
miles east OF the station.
Our troops approached the village
Of Crabica from three sides. A no'
battle onsued lasting until midnight
Our troops operating south O
Strumritzs have advanced % IN,
south of Kosturino. attacking IN,
French and British troops on thei
whole front
Our columns from Kieheyo an,
Monsstir advancing against Ochridi
descended on % the Ochrida Plaii
snd occupied Ochrida.
FRENCH OFFICIAL.
The statement issued al Pari2 20