740.00119 Control (Bulgaria)/6–2945: Telegram
No. 693
The Ambassador in Italy
(Kirk) to the Secretary of State ad interim
2814. Gen Oxley head Brit delegation ACC Bulgaria … has just returned from tour Sofia to Varna. …
. . . . . . .
Oxley found that everyone he met spoke freely of Russian aspirations in Dardanelles. As illustration of this widespread opinion Oxley mentioned meeting drunken Russian corporal who expressed greatest delight at meeting Brit party and said he has just been told English had agreed to Russians having Dardanelles in return for free hand in Austria. Bulgarian civilians cannot understand why Bulgarian Army is not being demobilized; in fact officers cadre is being increased.
Oxley’s summary impression was that Russian forces are massing in depth north from Greek and Turk frontiers.2
- For the portions of this message omitted here, see document No. 456.↩
- Cf. document No. 457.↩