New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-28
CROSS AND CRESCENT
on Recent German
Activities In the Balkans.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir; The experiment which the Germans
are making in the Balkans is certainly mos.
interesting one for outsiders to watch. No
one supposes for e moment that the Austro-
German forces are going to make tpe SIX
hundred-mile march from Belgrade to Con-
stantinople and then depend on single track
railroad to keep them in supplies, while enc
mics controlling the sea can move forces to
strike this line at hundred different points.
The armies Of the Central Powers are evil
IDENTIFY assigned to the task OF overrunning
Serbia and keeping the railroad open for the
shipment of arms and ammunition to the
Bulgarians It is the army OF the latter ma
ton which is to march south to the relief
of the beleaguered Turks.
Thus 1t is proposed to have q Christian
army orce more in possession Of the Mahom-
etan capital after it has been held by the
Sultans for more than four hundred years
The cross will take the place of the crescent
over the dome Of st. Sophia and the affairs
of the true faith will be set up in the mo. ques
as they were in the time Of Constantine. 10
the average Turk the Bulgarians will be as
welcome as the Goths were in Rome, and they
will probably proceed to make themselves
at home much as the latter did when they
entered the palaces Of the Caesars. Later Oh
the Germans may be able to restore the city
to the Turks, and they have no doubt made
some such promise; indeed, it Is probably
written on a scrap Of paper already and
Fled away in the archives Of the Porte.
1t has now become rather well known that
a. ral far advanced
the Turkish forts at the narrows of the
straits and that this is furnishing them with
an abundance of water, the lack OF which
has been one of their greatest difficulties IN
holding their trenches on the peninsula.
The entrance 10 this tunnel is amply pro-
tccted by the guns of the feet in addition
tc the batteries on shore. 1t may be that
The time for the grand explosion is close
al hand. but if necessary the work In me
tunnel can be carried on all winter ard no
army the Bulgarians can bring to bean can
carry the position of the Allies. The TURKS
have lost some 100000 men in trying to
Dust the enemy and as many more could bo
accounted for without serious difficulty on
he part of the allied forces. Here is an
other instance where command of the sea
gives assurance of final success.
Another important item OF news mas
reached uS-the Grand Duke NlcnolaS mas
collected an army of sufficient size to march
south through Rumania and attack Bull
garia in the rear. The Rumanian government
will nc doubt enter formal protest to this
invasion of her territory and informally give
the invaders a hearty welcome. just as the
Greeks did at Salonica, thus observing all
the forms of diplomatic ceremony. 1t is only
eighty miles from the Danube to Sophia, and
from there the railroad runs directly To
Constantinople. With the Russians in their
capital and the Anglo-French forces in pos
session of Dedeaghatch. while the Italians
are pouring in men and material through Az
Iona to aid the Serbians, the position OF the
Bulgarian army at the Bosporus would not
be an altogether pleasant one. Indeed, they
night be eventually forced to crossing over
into Asia and take refuge in some distant
province of the Turkish Empire, but then
che has 70 run some risks in being allowed
to pull the Kaiser's chestnuts out Of the
fire. y y.
Floral Bluff, Fla, Oct IS, 1915