New-York tribune., 1915-11-07
NISH CAPTURED;
KAISER OPENS
WAY TO EAST
Only Few Miles of Rail
way Still Held by
the Serbs.
by Cable 70 The Tribune !


London. Nov. s.-The capture OF Nish
bv the Bulgarisns was officially an
nounced in Berlin to-day. thus bring
ing to a climax the Teuton campaign
IN Serbia and making imminent tbs
opering OF the road 20 Constantinople.
Except for clearing the parts Of the
railroad still In Serbian possession. the
major objects Of Won Mackensen's drive
have thus been achieved, and with half
King Peters land in his hands the
~rermaH fIeid marshal Is free to push
on 10 the aid of the hard-pressed Turks
at Gallipoli.
And beyond Gallipoli lie Egypt, the
Chilles' heel Of England. and the road
to India. which. it has been Berlin's
nroud boast, we're TO be the next 10
feel Teuton might.
But that tho German campaign IN
Serbia goes beyond the mere opening
of the way to the East and contem-
plates nothing less than the complete
extinction of Serb resistance IS maj
Gated in the operations now proceedihs <
While the Germans have now joinec
hands with the main Bulgar armies NJ
Krivivi. announced from Berlin to-day
thus completing the iron wall across
the north of Serbia, other forces, Dy
the capture of Kralievo. at the foot on
the Ibar Valley, are threatening tns
retreat Of the Serbs from Nish. while
a new Austrian attack along the Herze-
Qovinian border of Montenegro IS te-
signed 10 prevent their retirement into
that country.
Serbs Evacuate Nish.
That the Serbs succeeded III evacuat-
ing Nish, as they did Kraguyevatz, Is
indicated in the small number OF prs
oners and guns taken in the capital.
Berlin reports these as only $50 men,
with two cannon. The large stock OF
stores that had been received at Nlsh
from Salonica is also presumed TO nave
been removed or destroyed.
As practically the whole railway sys-
tenn of Serbia is now in the hands Of
the invaders. the only avenue Of re-
treat from Nish is the Toplica Valley
eastward TO Prokuuplie and Kurshum-
lie and thence south to Pristina by way
of the Lab valley, where the railroad
from Mitrovitza is picked up.
Pristina, however, is threatened by
the Bulgarians. and in case 1t falls into
their hands the Serbs will be DETECTED
toward Montenegro, where, IN antfcipa-
tion, the Austrians have begun new
flank attack.
Doubt German Man Shortage.
The wide extent of these operations
and their thoroughness has aroused no
little doubt here Of the report that Mae
kensen was handicapped by shortage
Of men. II such were the case, II IS
pointed out. il would be unnecessary TO
90 beyond the Oriental railway and
protect II from flank attacks. AS these
objects have now largely been satis-
fed. the armies could be freed FOR use
on other fronts, or 10 initiate Ter,
many's boasted attacks on Egypt ana
India. =
DESPITE the practical completion OF
the German plan. Salonica dispatches
.sv that in the view OF the french ana
british stats the Serbian situation mas
imnroved The menace OF Bulgar
oserrunning Of Macedonia has now
Been brought to a decisive close, and
instead the Bulgsrans have been
thrown on Ihe defensive.
The largest number OF prisoners vet
taken by the Germans occurred IN a
surprise attack on Vsrvarin. where 5000
Serbs were captured last night Va
ysrin lies a few miles below the juno
ure Of the Western Morava with the
main stream. and also below the June
,iou point OF the Krusevsc lateral with
The main lire Of the Oriental railway.
Both these. however. have been prsc-
tieally useless to the Serbs. as they
we're cut several days ago BY the Ger
mans.
All the Oriensl line thus remaining
20 be cleared Of the Serbs lies between
Varyarin and Nish, distance OF about
forty miles. and with Teutons and Bull
gars working from both ends, even
should determined resistance be in
terposed. it could not long be delayed.
Ii would be no surprise here TO learn
that. with typical Teuton thOroughness
trains loaded with munitions have
already been prepared and are only
waiting the repairing of the railway TO
be rushed through TO Constantinople,
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