The Great War of 189-: A ForecastForbes, Archibald
History
The Great War of 189-: A Forecast
Forbes, Archibald
Imaginary wars and battles; Science fiction
There is to be no more fighting. The brilliant and most sanguinary
engagement at Dragoman, which I reported in progress last night, in the
course of which the Bulgarians, who were completely successful, drove
the enemy back from all their positions on the heights above the pass:
an incessant artillery duel, maintained ever since the commencement of
hostilities between the heavy Servian batteries before Negotin and the
Bulgarian forces garrisoning Widelin, and a very successful unopposed
advance along the Vranja road as far as the Morava river by a Bulgarian
force, composed of three brigades from Sofia, from Trn, and from
Radomir, make up all there is to report of the campaign. For when
hostilities were about to be opened this morning near Kumareno, which
was evidently held by a large Servian force, an officer bearing a white
towel, with a pink fringe, tied to a hedge stake, as a flag of truce,
rode out from the Servian lines and demanded a _pourparler_. It then
transpired that the Servians found themselves in a terrible quandary,
and were at their wits’ end what to do.
Late last night a large Austrian force had, without warning, crossed the
Save into Belgrade, which city they had taken so completely by surprise
that it was not until the morning that the populace was made aware of
the presence of the strangers in their midst by the sight of the troops
bivouacking in the squares, and the officers quietly breakfasting
outside the principal cafés. An Austrian force, said the parlementaire,
had also crossed the Danube to Semendria, and there were rumours that
another force had crossed the same river at Orsova. In these
circumstances, with their capital cut off from them, and their young
king and government in a manner locked up, the Servian generals
considered they had no alternative but to demand a suspension of
hostilities, at least for forty-eight hours. An armistice was therefore
granted, much to the Bulgarian leaders’ annoyance and disgust.
We learn that Austria has notified the Powers that she has occupied
Semendria and Belgrade as a precautionary measure, in view of the wanton
aggression of Servia.
It is here considered unlikely that Bulgaria will have any more trouble
from this quarter. On the other hand, however, grave rumours reach us
from Constantinople, where apparently there is very great anxiety as to
certain mysterious and as yet undefined threats by Russia. The Turkish
capital is, as matters stand at present, likely to be the chief centre
of interest for some time to come, and I shall therefore return there
to-morrow morning.
[Illustration:
THE OCCUPATION OF BELGRADE—‘HERE AT LAST!’
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account