Middletown transcript., 1915-10-16
ALL BELGRADE
HELD BY GERMANS
Have Commenced Advance TO
Mountains.
ONLY REAR GUARD FIGHTS
sul0ars Seem Wary As To Taking
Risks-ApparentIy Not Yet Across
Border-Greeee and Rou-
mania Inactive.

London. - The Austro-G Germans are
now in full possession of Belgrade and
the heights surrounding the city, and
have begun an advance eastward to-
ward the mountains which the Ser
bians last year so stubbornly defended
against the Austrians.
According to a Berlin dispatch Bel
grade was not damaged greatly by the
bombardment which preceded the en-
trance of the Teutons who spared the
city as far as possible, although some
private buildings were destroyed.
For some time to come the invaders,
it is expected, will have to fight only
the rear guards, whose duty it is to
delay their progress, for the Serbians
will doubtless do as they have done in
previous occasions-fall back until
they reach positions in which they will
have the best opportunity Of holding
their ground. In fact, military writer's
here do not expect a pitched battle on
this front for 10 days or a fortnight,
by which time the Allies forces land
ed at Saloniki should have joined
hands with the Serbians.
The Bulgarians, as far as is known,
have not yet made any incursion into
Serbian territory, and it is believed
that they will hold back until they
know how matters go with the Austro-
Germans. Some Balkan authorities,
indeed, still believe that the Bull
garians will not interfere with the
movement northward Of the Anglo.
French expedition, for to do SO would
Immediately bring the shells Of the
warships into their ports on the Black
and Egean seas, probably followed by
the landing of Russian troops at Varna
and Burgas, and of other allied troops
at Dedeaghatch.
Greece and Roumania remain inter
ested spectators, although the former
has given assurance of her benevolent
neutrality" toward the Allies. Repre-
sentatives of the Entente have furnish
ed the Greek Government with infor-
nation concerning the agreement be-
tween Bulgaria and Germany, which,
1t is asserted, gives the Bulgars free
hand to deal not only with Serbia but
with Greece as well should the Central
Powers win.
The fighting on the various fronts
brought about little or no change in
the situation. The Germans, after two
days heavy fighting, in which, accord
ing to the British and French accounts.
they suffered a severe reverse, have
abandoned for the moment the at
tempt to recapture territory won from
them by the British south OF La
Basse They do claim, however, to
have retaken from the French some
trenches east of Souchez and at Ia
pure, in Champagne.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg is
making slow progress in his operations
against Dvinsk, and, although he
claims to have taken more of the Rus
sian positions, he does not appear to
be much nearer the city than he was
two weeks ago.
South of the Pripet river and in
Galicia the tide of battle flows and
ebbs. First the Russians, then the
Austro-G Germans, attack and counter
attack and where during the summer
miles of country would change hands
in a day, now it is a question of de
Tending some isolated village. The
heaviness of the roads doubtless is
largely responsible for this.