Accounts of the start of the Balkan War from the London Daily Mail's Correspondent's perspective. Note the Ottoman bias in the account.
WAR DECLARATIONS TO-DAY.
States Said to be in Perfect Accord –
Powers Taking Precautions.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
LONDON, Thursday, Oct. 10. – The Daily Mail’s special correspondent in Vienna telegraphs:
“Europe stands on the threshold of a general conflagration in the Balkans, an event, which, viewed from Vienna, the half way house between Europe and the Near East, is fraught with the gravest possibilities in view of the all too imperfect accord at present existing between the great powers.
“From a source in the closest touch with the Balkan Governments I have received information which I transmit, fully conscious of its gravity.
“I am in a position to state that the action of Montenegro in breaking diplomatic relations with the Porte and declaring war was not a hasty action. Inspired by the personal ambition of King Nicholas, it was the first move in a most carefully preconcerted plan elaborated by the Balkan League, and Europe to-morrow (Thursday) will witness consecutive steps in the plan.
“While the great powers were bickering over the Austrian and British objections to the intervention proposals of Premier Poincaré, with the result that their intervention became practically useless, the Balkan Governments, leaving their representatives abroad completely in the dark, tranquilly pursued the way prescribed by the provisions of a secret agreement between them. It is possible that King Nicholas anticipated events by a day or so, but it was part of the arrangement for Montenegro to strike first, as the information of the Balkan allies showed that the Turkish troops were weakest at the Montenegrin frontier.
“The next move in the plan will be concerted action by Bulgaria and Servia. Their ministers at Constantinople may already, this afternoon, have demanded their passports, or will do so by to-morrow. The rupture of diplomatic negotiations will be followed by a formal declaration of war, whereupon the Bulgarian Army, with the Servian force on its right wing, will instantly take the offensive. It is not impossible that a Servo-Bulgarian force is already drawing near the Turkish frontier.
“I have the impression that the events have been delayed by the slowness of the Greek mobilization, and that it is this circumstance, and not any intention on the part of the Balkan States to admit the intervention of the powers, that has prevented a declaration of war by the Balkan league up to the present, and may yet delay the climax by twenty-four hours.
“I have reason to believe that the answer of the Balkan States to the representations of Austria and Russia will take the following form: They will point out that during the past few days their relations with Turkey have become so bad that they cannot be remedied by intervention of the great powers, and will add that the note of the powers does not contain any guarantees adequate to assure the prompt and efficient execution of reforms in the Turkish provinces.
“The great powers have been hoodwinked by the Balkan League like a greenhorn over a horse deal. While the European diplomacy was working miracles of speed in patching up an accord between powers to facilitate intervention at the earliest possible moment, events in the Balkans were steadily marching on.
“The King of the Montenegrins will have a hearty laugh at his headquarters in the mountain fastnesses if ever he reads the ingenious disquisitions of the Vienna press regarding his alleged desire to steal the halo of the King of Servia.”
Very little hope remains in London that Bulgaria will longer delay a declaration of war. From the military point of view, she would be badly advised to do so. Her superior organization and readiness for war give her an advantage and, as the Military Correspondent of the Times points out:
“Considering the lengths to which matters have already gone, it would be an act of military folly for Bulgaria, if she is sure of her stroke, to waste time in negotiations which might, if prolonged, entirely transform the situation. Whether with or without a declaration of war, we must expect now to hear very soon of combats of advanced guards.”
M.H.Donohoe, The Daily Chronicle’s correspondent in Constantinople, wires: “It is the general expectation that the war will be one of the cruelest and fiercest ever known, and that the civil populations will suffer equally with the armies.”
The Time Sofia correspondent says he learns from Bukarest that the Rumanian government has tendered explicit assurances to Bulgaria with regard to Rumania’s attitude of neutrality. The intimation was couched in most friendly language.
Last month the Turkish government made great efforts to obtain the cooperation of Rumania.
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