in toward the coast. The few guns, limbers, and munitions which these
fragments of the Serbian army had brought with them were transported
to Brindisi. At about the same time that the Austrians occupied San
Giovanni di Medua, a Bulgarian detachment had occupied Dibra, in
southern Albania, just above the Greek frontier and not far from Lake
Ochrida and Monastir.

On February 10, 1916, the last of the Serbian soldiers had been taken
out of Albania. In spite of the attempt made by Austrian ships and
submarines, involving several minor naval engagements with the ships
of the Allies, the embarkations had been going on at the rate of from
eight to ten thousand men a day. In Corfu alone, 75,000 had been
landed; others were taken to Bizerta, the French naval port in Tunis,
and some had been sent to Italy. On this date Dr. Vesnitch, the
Serbian minister in Paris, made the following statement:

"One hope still illumines the night of invaded Serbia; her avenging
army. At present that army numbers more than 100,000 men. It can be
confidently stated that it will be increased to 150,000."

On February 11, 1916, the Austrians had advanced within a few miles of
Durazzo and on the following day occupied the Tirana heights, between
Breza and Bazar Siak, Breza being about twelve miles northeast of
Durazzo and Bazar Siak about halfway between these two towns. Two days
later the Italian forces advanced against this Austrian column and
delivered a strong attack, which was repulsed by the Austrians,
according to Vienna dispatches. Meanwhile the Bulgarians were
occupying Fieri, about sixteen miles from Avlona, and claimed that
they had taken possession of a third of southern Albania. A day or two
later the Austrian and Bulgarian columns operating in central Albania
made a junction and occupied Elbassan, thirty-eight miles southeast of
Durazzo.

The enemy was, in fact, closing in on Durazzo. On February 25, 1916,
the Austro-Bulgarian forces had driven the Italians to the isthmus
west of the Durs lakes and the Austrian artillery began to open fire
on Durazzo itself. At daybreak the next morning the Austrians closed
in and the Italians and Albanians under Essad Pasha were finally,
after a spirited resistance, driven back from their positions at Bazar
Siak. Soon afterward the Italians on the southern bank of the lower
Arzen were forced to abandon their positions. The Austrians crossed
the river and proceeded southward.

At noon a decisive