POWERS AND TURKEY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 336, 24 October 1908, Page 5

POWERS AND TURKEY.

THE CONFERENCE. PORTE'S APPROVAL NECESSARY. SPEECH BY SIR E. GREY. (DT TILSGhAM—rtIESS ASSOCIATION' —COPYKEQUT.) (Rec. October 23, 9.50 p.m.) London, October 23. In tho House of Commons Sir Edward Greyj Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, declared that the object of the communications which wero proceeding among the Powers is to secure somo agreement regarding tho programme of the proposed Confcronce, which is designed to settle existing differences without widening tho area of the disturbances. "As Turkey is the country most adversely' affected," 6a id Sir Edward Grey, "the British Government trusts that the first object of the Powers will be to secure compensation to Turkey, to safeguard her interests, and to strengthen the new Turkish regime. "Turkey's approval will be a, necessary condition to the adoption of any programme for the Conference." AUSTRIA-HTJNGARY REMAINS FIRM. London, October 22. The "Moriing Herald's" correspondent at Constantinople states that' Turkey has broken off negotiations with Austria-Hun-gary, the Porto declining to recognise as an accomplished fact the annexation of Bosnia arid Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary. STRONG WORDS IN MONTENEGRO. THE PRINCE'S APPEAL. Cetinjo, October 22. Prince Nicholas of Montenegro, in a heated address to the people, calls upon Montenegro to expend the last drop of her blood in support of the Servian cause. Ho has sent a Note to tho Powers claiming compensation j if annexation is persisted in,

PATRIOTIC PRINCESSES. Gotlnjo, October 23. Tho two youngest daughters of Prince Nicholas, Princess Xcnia (born April 22, 18.81) and' Princess Vera (born February 22, 1887, being the Prince's sixth daughter), headed a procession of ladies in the streets of Cetinje, carrying banners and singing warlike songs;.'

RUSSIA AND THE BALKANS. ■ St. Petersburg, October 22.' The Minister for War (General Rodiger) is asking tho Duma for an extraordinary credit of-nine millions sterling, beyond nine millions asked for immediately after recent events in tho Balkans. ■ ' MONTENEGRO AND HER PRINCE. A'RULER OF PRESTIGE, DRAMATIST, v AND POET. : Th6 bablegram which states that Princo Nicholas of Montenegro has appealed to his country to "expend the last drop of her blood in support of the Servian cause, derives added importance from the faot that no ruler iu the Balkan States reaches so high a standard, whether according to Balkan or to Western idca}s." Princo Ferdinand of Bulgaria has not sff' gOOd'j'S •' record,' and King Peter of 'Servia is a. mushroom growth compared ■ with Prince Mqntoiiegro. The fact that tho two Serb. States, Servia and Montenegro, b.ut recently bitter enemies, are I to., .tho cablegrams—?o..closoly:iknit.in the.ger.vian .cause,-is .also,.n factor to bo reckoned..with; 1 - 'The plot against' the life- of Prince Nicholas,'. , alleged to have boon fostered by his son-in-, lkw, King Peter, and his remarkable grandson, tho Crown PHtace of Sorvia, is already, : apparently, forgotten. The desire attributed to Servian Rsyalty to gobble up tho smaller" Serb principality is now not spoken of. Neighbours' feuds, however bloodthirsty, would appear to be overshadowed by the greater -danger of Austria. Servia claims that her total force on a war footing would'be 331,900 men. Montenegro might i b& equal to 50,000. AustriaHungary could raise an amy equally as large as both, and better trained. Princo Nicholas's voh«ment appeal to Montonegro is all tho more remarkable since, ■ at least twice in-his career, he has been jiotable :for;his.[self-restraint. In 1869 ho succeeded in preventing his impetuous mountaiicer's ' from aiding ihe'.Krivoshians iu their revolt against the Austrian .Government) and more recently, in 1897, ho checked the martial excitement paused by the outbreak of the Graeco-Turkish War. .Hib history has been an eventful one. He was born at the village of Niegush, the anoient homo of the reigning family of Petro-vitch-Niegush, on September 25, 1841. His father, Mirko Petrovitch, a celebrated Montenegrin warrior, was elder brother to Danilo 11, who left no male offspring. Since 1696, whon the dignity of vladika, or prince-bishop, became hereditary in the Petrovitch- family, the sovereign power has descended from uncle to nephew, the vladikas belonging to the order i of the "black clergy," who are forbidden to marry. A ohango was introduced by Danilo II who declined tho episcopal office, married, and declared the principality hereditary in the direot male line. Mirko Petrovitch having resigned his olaiin to the throne, his son was nominated heir, and the old system of succession was thus accidentally continued. Prince Nicholas, who had been trained from infancy in martial and athletic exercises, spent a portion of his early boyhood at Trieste, in the household Of the ICuetitoh family, to which his aunt, tho Princess Dariiilca, wife of Danilo 11, belonged.. Tho prlncoss was an ardent advocate of French culture, and at her suggestion the young, heir of the vladikas was sent to tho Academy of Louis le Grand, in Paris. Unlike his contemporary, ICing Milan of Sorvia, Prince Nicholas was little influenced in his tastes and habits by his Parisian education. The young mountaineer, whose keen patriotism, capability for leadership, and poetio talents early displayed themselves, showed no inclination for the pleasures of tho French capital, and oagerly looked forward to returning to his native land. He was Still in Paris whon, in consequence Df the assassination of his uncle, he was called to the throne on August 13, 1860. In 1862 Montenegro was engaged' in an unfortunate struggle with Turkey. The prince distinguished himself during the campaign, and oh ono occasion narrowly escaped with his life. In tho period of peaco which followed ho oarried out a series of military, administrative, and educational reforms. In 1567 ho mot tho Emperor Napoleon 111 at Paris, and in ISGB ho undertook a journey to Russia, where lio ■received an affeotionato Welcome from the Tsar, Alexander 11. He afterwards visited the courts of Berlin and Vienna. His efforts to onlist the sympathies of the Russian imperial family wero productive of important results for Montenegro; considerable subventions were granted by the Tsai and Tsaritsa for educational and Other purposes, and supplies of arms and ammunition were sont to Cetinje. In 1871 Prince Dolgorouki arrived in Montenegro on a special mission from the Tsar, and distributed largo sums of money among tho pie. In 1876 ho declared war against Turkey. His military reputation was onhanccd by tho ensuing campaign, and etill more bv'tliat of 1877-78, during which he captured Nikshitch, Autivari, and Dulcigno. The war resulted ill a considerable extension of tho Montenegrin frontier and the acquisition of a seaboard on tho Adriatic. In 1901 lie assumed tho title of "Royal Highness." The descendant of a long line of warriors, gifted with a fino physique and a commanding presence,' a successful military leader, and a graceful poet, Prince Nicholas possesses many characteristics which awako the enthusiasm of tho impressionable Servian raco, while his morits as a statosman, diplomatist, administrator, and reformer have received general recognition. His systom of government, moro particularly prior to 1905, might best be described as a benevolent despotism—perhaps the sort best suited to tho character of his subjects. Ho has done muoh to establish security of life aiid property in his dominions, to put down tho vendetta' and other barbarous usages, to further tho progress of education, and to improve tho material condition of tho people. His historical dramas, pooms, and ballads hold a recognised place in contemporary Slavonic literature. On December 19, 1905, Prince Nicholas granted Montenegro a Constitution. The first National Assembly or Skuptschinii met in 1000. Tho Awombly is now ctatod'by uiilv<H'9itl au£. for a period of four yms,