Austrian Squadron Sails.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 20, 1913:
Scutari Bombardment May Explain Movement — Turks Claim Victory.
    LONDON, March 19.— A Vienna dispatch says that three battleships, an armored cruiser, and two torpedo boat cruisers left Pola, the chief Austrian naval station, early this morning, steaming in a southerly direction.
    It is understood that their sudden departure was due to the bombardment of the European quarter of Scutari, the searching of an Austrian steamer at San Giovanni di Medua, and the threatening of Austrian sailors by the Montenegrins.
    The official explanation of the departure of the warships is that they are going to carry out manoeuvres.
    The Vienna newspapers publish sensational reports regarding the position of the civil population of Scutari. According to these reports, the Austrian Consulate and an Italian convent were shelled and eight nuns and many other non-combatants killed.

    CONSTANTINOPLE, March 19.— A victory is officially claimed for the Turkish forces after a very sharp battle, which lasted throughout yesterday along the front at the Tchatalja lines.
    The Ottoman troops are said to have taken the offensive, opening the attack by an advance of their right wing, which proceeded as far as Sivaskeui, Kalifakeui, and Akalan.
    Large forces of Bulgarians were encountered at those three places, and fierce fighting soon spread along the whole front. The Turkish troops drove the Bulgarians from their trenches, and took possession of the positions they had been holding.
    The Turkish centre then advanced and stormed the heights in front, from which they routed the Bulgarians at the point of the bayonet. Other columns of Turkish troops, operating in conjunction with the general advance, captured several heights held by Bulgarians to the south of the Turkish lines.
    The battle raged until after sunset, ending, the officials say, in a complete victory for the Turks.
    Two Turkish aeroplanes flew over the scene of the fighting throughout the day, reconrioitering the Bulgarian positions and signalling all the movements of the enemy to the Turkish commander.

    SOFIA, March 19.— Bulgarian reports of the fighting at Tchatalja give a different account than that issued at Constantinople. According to the Bulgarians, the Turks on Tuesday last essayed a forward movement, but the attempt, which caused them a considerable loss, was a complete failure.