Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-17

BERLIN, Dec. 17.-Austro-G German
troops that swept down the valley of
the Lin River have captured Bijlo-
pole, eight miles within Montenegro,
it was officially announced today by
the German War Office.
Austria is pressing It's campaign to
crush Montenegro, but apparently with
Indifferent success, as CettlnJe bulle-
tins officially state the news that
Teuton assaults. supported by heavy
gunhre. were beaten back at three
points.
Bulgars and Serbs have resumed
furious fighting in Albania. The Bull
gars were driven across the River
Drin, which they won In a snowstorm
battle
The Teutons are endeavorlng to reach
Scutari, and the Bulgars are driving
toward Elbassan, where 1t Is reported
an entire Serb division has arrived.
Both Bulgars and Austrians are
straining every effort to stem the
Italian advance in Albania.
The nature Of the operation that tho
Italian troops will undertake is not
yet clear, but these are the chief pos
sibilities:
They might cross into Montenegro to
give battle to the Austro- Hungarians.
They might drive through Albania
into Serbia in an effort to take Bull
garian and German forces upon the
rear and flank.
They might be content to hold the
coast Of Albania, q piece of territory
which italy has long coveted.
PARIS. Dec. H.
Furious fighting has been resumed be-
tween the Bulgars and Serbs in Albania.
Three thousand Bulgarian troops forced
crossing OF the River Drin after two
days battle In a severe snowstorm The
Serbs brought UP reinforcements, and
threw the Bulgars back on the following
day.
Austria has sent reInforcements into
Montenegro, and is pushing with great
energy her campaign to capture or an
nihilate the Montenegrin army.
Dispatches received here today said the
Austrians are advancing on a 70-mle
stubbornly along the Linn River, but lack
heavy artillery and ammunition to check
the invasion. Inhabitants of eastern
Montenegro are fleeing before the ap-
proach of the Austrian army, which now
occupies n front extending from 20 to 30
miles within the MonteneErin frontier.
The Montenegrin Legation today issued
an official report from CettinJe an
nouncing the repulse of Austro- Hungar-
ian troops at three points with heavy
losses. The report follows:
THE enemy supported by big guns
hotly attacked our Sanjak army. Our
positions were furiously assaulted near
Plevlje, Kraljeva and Mataroge. Our
troops repulsed the enemy at all points,
iniiicting upon him most serious losses"
TEUTONS MASS AT GIEGVELI.
Athens dispatches today reported that
10000 Bulgarian and German troops are
now massed at Giegveli and Doiran. TO
these forces will soon be added 60 600 Aus
trians advancing from Krivolak.
GREECE ALSO FEARS AUSTRIA.
II their plans include the participation
of the Bulgarians IN the attack they are
likely TO meet with opposition from
Greece, as Greece is strongly adverse to
any Bulgarians crossing her frontier. This
applies also TO some extent to the Aus
trians. whose ambitions always have been
, for a port on the Aegean, preferably Sa-
lonlca.
On the whole. therefore. It is thought
here that the Greeks might prefer to see
the Entente Allies remain there until the
end of the war. In fact, Lord Robert
Cecil Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs,
said in the Hose OF Commons yesterday
that the Anglo-French plan was to keep
the Central Powers from that city in
accordance with the wishes of Greece.