Bulgars Pierce Turkish Centre, Take Baba-Eski.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 28, 1912:
Capture of Town Southeast of Adrianople May Cut Turks' Communications.
CLOSE TO RAILROAD LINE
London Regards This Latest Success of Invaders as Worst Blow to Moslem Cause.
ENTIRE MAIN ARMY MENACED
Bulgarian Plan of Campaign to Drive Foes to the Seashore and Compel Surrender.
SERVIANS HAVE TAKEN ISTIB
Another Stronghold Abandoned to the Onrushing Allies Without a Fight.
SCUTARI REPORTED FALLEN
Turks Said to Have Surrendered the City to Montenegrins After Fierce Bombardment.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Monday, Oct. 28.— By the capture of Baba-Eski, southeast of Adrianople, the advancing Bulgarian forces have apparently achieved a success of the greatest importance. The place lies close to the main line of the railroad between Adrianople and Constantinople, and there is grave danger that the Turkish Army will have its communications southward entirely cut off, involving a tremendous disaster.
    Strong light is thrown on the Bulgarian plan of campaign by Lieut. Wagener, the Vienna Reichspost's special correspondent with the army before Adrianople. Telegraphing Friday, he says:
    "The operations of the Bulgarian eastern army aim at the complete investment of the Turkish forces on the river Maritza and the total destruction of the Turks retreating across the river Ergene, far to the south of Adrianople.
    "Every nerve is being strained to the utmost in the pursuit of the Turkish army defeated at Kirk-Kilisseh. Despite the exhaustion of the marches and the long days of fighting in the woods, the men are allowed only the briefest spells to rest and replenish their ammunition and supplies. Every man in the Bulgarian army is convinced that they will totally annihilate the beaten Turkish force.

Will Give Turkey No Time.
    Speed is trumps before Adrianople today. Turkey must be given no more time to bring up reinforcements, make intrenchments, or take her army back to Constantinople. Nobody here believes for a moment in the possibility of a reverse now. There is only the last blow to be dealt.
    "The moral consciousness of the Bulgarian troops has enormously increased in the last few days, and they regard themselves as unconquerable, as they are indeed.
    "The intention of the Bulgarian General Staff is to cut off the Turkish Army entirely from Constantinople by an advance on the east wing and, by a simultaneous counter-attack from the west drive it toward the sea, force it to capitulate.
    "The general attack is imminent and a cataclysmic defeat of the Turkish Army is regarded here as beyond a doubt. The fall of Adrianople is also a question of the shortest time.
    "The Turks' retreat to the southeast along the Constantinople road has already been cut off by the Bulgarian column advancing on Skenderkein seven miles southeast of Adrianople.
    "The operations against Adrianople and the Turkish field force will terminate in the course of the coming week. The next objective of the Bulgarian operations is Constantinople."

Thunderstorm Scares Turks.
    Describing the capture of Kirk-Kilisseh, the correspondent says:
    "At the moment the Bulgarian began their night assault on Kirk-Kilisseh a terrific thunderstorm broke, with crashes and peals of thunder. Lightning repeatedly struck the forest of Askapu. The Turkish forces reacted in terror which this thunderstorm, occurring at this unusual time of the year and at such a moment, spread in their ranks. The superstitious Moslems regarded it as a mark of the wrath of God, and a priest cried:
    " 'Allah punishes us. We have offended against the Koran.'
    "This utterance ran like wildfire along the lines and shook the courage of the sons of Islam."
    Reports are current that Adrianople is afire. The Daily Telegraph's Sofia correspondent mentions the fact that a persistent rumor to that effect was heard in Sofia on Friday. The correspondent tried to get confirmation of it from the Ministry, and was informed that an official message had been received mentioning that Adrianople was in flames, but it was not very definite.

    LONDON, Monday, Oct. 28.— In the capture of Baba-Eski the victorious Bulgarians have won what London regards as the most important success of the war thus far.
    The dispatch describes this town as an important one on the main line between Adrianople and Constantinople, but omits to say whether the Bulgarians are in actual possession of the railway station.
    If they are astride the railway at this point they have cut the communication between Constantinople and Salonika, with 40,000 Turkish troops now in Adrianople. It had been supposed that the Turkish forces, after the fall of Kirk-Kilisseh, were holding the line from Kuleli-Burgas to Lule Burgas, a short distance east of Eski-Baba.
    A Bulgarian column from the Arda Valley has occupied Salpistalar and Emirli. Another report announces the occupation of Pashmakli.
    Nazim Pasha, the Turkish Minister of War and commander in chief, is said to have reached Chorlu.
    The Daily Mail's special correspondent at the Servian headquarters at Vranje, telegraphing on Saturday at 7 P.M., says:
    "The Battle of Kumanova, which led to the fall of Uskub, was a complete Turkish rout. Three Turkish divisions were engaged against the Servian Army at Kumanova, and there were with the Turks an unknown number of Albanian irregulars. The battle was grimly and bravely fought, and the courage of the Servians was beyond praise.
    "The Seventh Regiment from Belgrade was advancing against the Turkish positions, and when still 300 yards away their ammunition gave out.
    "There was no check in their advance. The regimental commander, Lieut. Col. Glischitch, ordered a bayonet charge, and with loud cheers the Servians stormed up the steep incline, at the crest of which were the Turkish lines.
    "The Turkish fire had fearful effect. For a short distance the hillside was strewn with bodies of the slain, but the Servians pressed on, their Colonel at their head.
    "A soldier fell by the Colonel's side. He snatched the dead man's rifle and fired as he ran. Soon afterward a bullet struck him in the heart.
    "His men, seeing him fall, were infuriated and stormed wildly forward. Nothing could stop them. They yelled for revenge, and the Turks had to give way before their furious onslaught, but only after a ferocious hand-to-hand fight with bayonets, rifle butts, daggers, spades, snatched from the trenches, and even with teeth and nails.
    "When the trenches were taken the battlefield was strewn with the bodies of Turks and Servians, coupled in deadly embrace.
    "The Thirteenth and Sixteenth Regiments also stormed Turkish positions, and had heavy losses of officers and men. Elsewhere the Servian losses were comparatively small, while those of the Turks during their retreat were enormous.
    "The Turks retreated southwestward along the main road to Uskub, the infantry, cavalry, and artillery confusedly intermixed. Some sought to escape southward along the railway toward Koprulu.
    "The Servian cavalry pursued the fugitives on the main road, and a couple of batteries on the captured hills hurled shells into the masses of struggling men, horses, and vehicles.
    "Soon all attempt at an orderly retreat was given up, and there was a general sauve qui peut. Gunners cut the traces and whipped their horses to a gallop, leaving their guns. The Servians took thirty quick-firing field guns abandoned on the road.
    "Not until 6 o'clock in the afternoon were the Turks out of gun range and able to continue their retreat in safety, but they were totally demoralized.
    "Altogether the Servians took fifty-five field guns, six mountain guns, and six machine guns.
    "The heaviest losses were inflicted by the Servian artillery, which, here as everywhere, did magnificent work and displayed unprecedented efficiency.
    "Three Turkish squadrons of cavalry which attempted to turn the Servian left wing were suddenly exposed to the Servian shrapnel and completely annihilated, none escaping.
    "The Servian infantry everywhere has shown great bravery and unflinching determination.
    "The official news of the taking of Sienitza in the Sanjak of Novi-Bazar shows that the Servians captured there thirteen guns, nine howitzers, and a large quantity of rifles, ammunition, and provisions."

Bulgarians a Huge Flying Column.

    The Daily Telegraph's Sofia correspondent, describing the capture of Kirk-Kilisseh, says that the Bulgarians conquered by the impetus of masses. It was not a hurricane of steel, lead, and fire that broke down the Turkish resistance. It was the shock of human breasts.
    Four divisions under Gen. Dimitrieff formed a sort of immense flying column. Every one carried rations to last several days and an extra supply of ammunition. It was imperative to conquer quickly, for it was impossible to turn back once the struggle was begun. The Bulgarians lived on bread and water.
    The night-attacks on the large modern forts were carried on by ancient methods, much as walled towers were assaulted in olden times, hand grenades playing a great part in the cruel strife. The Turkish artillery cut furrows in the mass of Bulgarians, but the furrows were immediately filled and the advance was continued.
    The correspondent describes how a Bulgarian aeroplane detected a Turkish commander bringing a whole division from Adrianople in the direction of Kirk-Kilisseh.

Powers Plan to Carve Up Turkey.

    The Vienna correspondent of The Daily Mail describes an embryo plan which the powers are now discussing for the settlement of the Near Eastern question.
    According to this plan, it is proposed to leave Turkey in possession of only the territory between Adrianople and the Bosphorus. All her other European dominions are to be taken from her.
    Bulgaria is to extend southward to the Aegean. Servia is to have an Adriatic seaport. Montenegro is to have Scutari, and Albania and Macedonia are to be made independent principalities, with Princes of Sweden and Denmark as their rulers. No mention is made of Greece.