al, Du Fournet, in command of the Allied fleet, demanded the
surrender to the Allies of certain guns and war material, and this
demand being refused French and British marines were landed at the
Piraeus on December 2, 1916, and took possession of the Acropolis. This
led to their being fired upon by Greek reservists who had been called
out, and some bloodshed resulted, there being about 200 casualties
before a compromise was reached between King Constantine and the Allied
commanders and the Greek crisis passed for the time being. The king
submitted to part of the Allied demands, the others were waived, and the
forces landed were withdrawn, after a day of fighting in which the
Greek reservists engaged in many clashes with the armed followers of
Venizelos.

On January 9 ministers of the Entente Powers handed to the Greek
government an ultimatum giving Greece forty-eight hours to comply with
the demands contained in the note drawn up by France, Great Britain and
Russia on December 31.

Included in the ultimatum was a request by the Entente Powers that the
Greek government fulfill at the earliest possible moment the agreement
of December 14 regarding the transfer of Greek troops from Thessaly.

BRITISH ENTER GERMAN LINES.

During the night of January 14 a party of British troops entered the
German lines east of Loos. Many casualties were inflicted on the enemy,
his dug-outs were bombed and some prisoners were secured. North of the
Ancre an enemy transport was successfully engaged.

In addition to the usual artillery activity the enemy's positions were
effectually bombarded southeast of Loos and opposite the Bois Grenier.

GERMANS DRIVEN BACK.

The official communication of the French war office January 15, 1917,
announced that reciprocal bombardments took place on both banks of the
Somme, the right bank of the Meuse and in Lorraine.

After a bombardment the night before between the Aisne and the Argonne
the Germans attacked the French advanced posts; they were driven back
after a spirited combat with grenades.

On their side the French carried out several surprise attacks on the
enemy lines, taking material and prisoners.

On January 16 a powerful offensive was started by the Russo-Roumanian
forces in the Roumanian theatre of war, with strong attacks between the
Casinu and Sushitza valleys and on both sides of Fundeni. In places the
trenches of the German Allies were entered.

CHAPTER XXIX.

CONTINUATION