Explanations In Constantinople.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 25, 1912:
    CONSTANTINOPLE, Oct. 24.— A Turkish defeat east of Tunja, in the Kirk-Killisseh district, is now admitted here. An attempt is made, however, to minimize its importance by representing it as an unsuccessful Turkish offensive movement, which owed its nature to the circumstance that the detachment encountered the main body of the Bulgarian Army.
    The Bulgarians apparently left a covering force in front of Adrianople and attempted to work to the rear to menace the communications with Constantinople. An advance Turkish column commanded by Mahmud Mukhtar Pasha, son of the Grand Vizier, attempted a surprise attack, but, as the enemy was infinitely superior in strength, the attack was not pushed home, and the Turkish troops retired in good order to positions further south.
    The following communication was issued by the Minister of War to-night:
    "In order to check the advance of the Bulgarian army, which had crossed the frontier east of Tunja, and to compel it to extend its front, our eastern army attacked the heads of the enemy's column. The object of this movement was to gain time until the arrival of expected reinforcements. Another attack was delivered against the flank of the Bulgarians, who were compelled to retreat. Thus the Ottoman army successfully caused the enemy to lose time. Afterward it abstained from giving battle to the Bulgarians because the issue would have been doubtful. The Ottoman forces retired in good order in the direction whence the reinforcements are approaching.
    "In order to conceal the object of our tactics from the enemy, which was to execute a retreat for the purpose above explained, some of our detachments fought fierce engagements with Bulgarian columns, whose counter-attacks were gloriously withstood, and thus our object was attained."
    Wounded and non-combatants from Kirk-Kilisseh are arriving at Constantinople.
    The Government has commandeered the output of the Heraclea coal mines, the local stocks being low.
    It is not clear where the next Bulgarian attack will be delivered, but the next two days should witness a decisive battle. Dispatches from Adrianople report that the second division of the Bulgarian Army crossed the frontier yesterday. Its advance guard encountered serious resistance and suffered heavily, being finally compelled to fall back.
    Serious fighting is also reported from Kadikeny, to the South of Mustapha-Pasha. It is stated that the fighting ended in a victory for the Turks.