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Show LONDON LAMENTS CONSTANZA LOSS London, Oct. 24. According to tho London morning newspapers, tho Germans Ger-mans appear to have forced the evacuation evac-uation of Constanza by cutting the trans-Dobrudja railway about 20 miles west of the Black sea coast. As tho Germans make no claims to considerable consider-able capturos, it is assumed hero that tho Rumanians made good their retirement. re-tirement. The Times military expert comments com-ments thus on tho situation: "Dobrudja Is a separate and not vital theatre, which the Rumanians can afford to lose without great hurL But the reported loss of Constanza is a disagreeable blow, limiting, as it does, the means of access of Russian reinforcements. It Is also a tactical defeat, which, coming after the loss of Turtukal and Horraannsladt, necessarily necessar-ily reduces Rumania's strength, aH well as that of tho Russians and Serbians, Ser-bians, who took part in this action, and must also impair tho confldenco of tho Russians in themselves." The morning Post says: "Whllo the loss of Constanza is serious, se-rious, the threat against Tchernavoda is more serious, If it istrue. The only bridge ncrosB the Danube between Belgrade and Hie sea Is at Tchernavoda, Tcherna-voda, and complete possession of the railway and the bridge would open tho way to Bucharest." Says the Daily Mall: "ConBtanza contained Immenso storehouses of potroloum and grain. Whothor these havo been destroyed is not yot clear, but If not the enemy has obtained important supplies. Tho loss of this port will bo a sorlous blow. Rumania la doprlvod of valuablo economic eco-nomic resources and of a short and convenlont line of communication between be-tween Odessa and Bucharest by way of tho Black sea. Moreover, tho repercussion reper-cussion of this event In the Balkans and tho middle oust will be grout." Tho Times thinkB more military Importance Im-portance must still be attached to the Transylvania bide of Rumania's war than to Dobrudja, General von Fal-kenhayn, Fal-kenhayn, says the Times, now has a footing on the Rumanian side of at least live paBaes and has reached the frontier at most of tbo othorB. |
