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MILITARY SITUATION.
Balkan States.
Albania.
28. On the Albanian front a number of Italian counter attacks were made and were successfully repulsed by the Greeks, who have captured a quantity of prisoners and war material.
Hungary.
29. The visit to Berlin of General Bartha, the Minister of War, possibly heralds a closer measure of co-operation between the Hungarian and German armies. Although there are at present no definite indications of the form this co-operation will take, the Germans are reported to be demanding complete control of the Hungarian railways, and the Hungarians the recovery of the remainder of Transylvania.
Roumania.
30. German troop movements into Roumania continue on a heavy scale, and it is believed that a minimum of 10 divisions, including three or four armoured and two motorised divisions, are now in the country. The total may well be considerably higher. The concentration in the Dobruja appears to be extending, and it is possible that four divisions, including an armoured and motorised division, may now be in this area. There is no reason to suppose that the troop movements into Roumania are drawing to a close.
Bulgaria.
31. It is now established that at least four infantry divisions have left the Turkish frontier. These divisions have been replaced by troops from the mobile divisions. The infantry divisions have left certain reservists behind, which give rise to the belief that these divisions are still on the frontier.
may
32. A commercial company at Sofia has received an order to build barrack accommodation to the value of 15 million leva at Krumovo (near Plovdiv), and in the vicinity of Varna, Burgas and Trnovo. There has been no evidence of previous lack of barrack accommodation in these places.
33.
Weather has improved throughout the country and is now mild. Snow is disappearing, and the roads, even across mountain passes, are probably passable, though they would deteriorate rapidly if used by continuous heavy traffic. Night frosts keep the ground hard. West of Ruschuk barges are now using the Danube freely, and an icebreaker is in action. If present conditions continue the river should soon be ice-free.
34.
Curtailments in passenger services on the Bulgarian railways came into force on the 19th January and are to last for six weeks. They are variously explained by the authorities as being due to the necessity of repairing locomotives and as a measure necessitated by the shortage of coal or the state of the rolling-stock.
Yugoslavia.
35. Twenty railway waggons each containing 14-15 tons of rifles and rifle ammunition emanating from Kragujevac arsenal are reported recently to have passed Carirod en route to Turkey. If this is true the Yugoslavs must consider that they have ample reserves of rifles and rifle ammunition.
36. During the past week the weather has been mild with occasional rain, and melting snow has caused flooding of rivers, particularly the southern tributaries of the Sava. The Danube is now completely free from ice, but navigation has not recommenced. The temperature is now again falling and frost is expected.
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