TURKEY'S CIVIL WAR

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 5

TURKEY'S CIVIL WAR

15,000 REBELS IN ALBANIA,

Br Tclccraph—Press Association—Copyricht Constantinople, .Tulv 16. lh© Albanian robots are estimated to number fifleon thou.-.md well-armed men. Other accounts assert that llio force is split into bands averaging 200 each, and will bo unable to strike decisively, although able to effectively harass tlio Tnrki. The inhabitants of T"-kub are panicstricken, fearing an altaek. Hie situation at iM<h(ina is grave. L urkisli' reinforcements are massing at Mitrovitza, twenty-two miles north-west of l'rishtina.

THE SPOILT CHILDREN OF ABDUL HAM ID. Salonika correspondent of tho Paris , ! U P S i' ece 'itly ' la " au interview with a c i l )eri °nage, in the conrso ot which the latter made somo valuable remarks. This is how he explained tho circumstances of the present unrest:— \\ o are really poor, and the exploitation ot our forest riches is iimpnssible owing to the complete absencc of means of coinmtinication. Throughout the North the population has no other means of livelihood than their cattle, a very mcagro source of income, as there is no commerco owiny to the difficulties of oxchange. Being unable to find any remunerative work wherewith he ooulcf satisfy his wants and support his family, the Albanian has contracted other habits, which you no doubt severely condemn, but which nevertheless are natural. Abdul Haniid had an unlimited confidenco in his special Albanian Guard, and we abused this confidence perhaps in crder to obtain imunerous favours. Can wc be blamed for that? I think not. The ,exSultan treated us throughout his reign as spoilt children. This the Albanian people considered, and still consider, as their right. Is it possible to uproot at one stroke this idea in tho minds of tho Albanians—minds superstitions, simple, and ignorant? Such a process requires time, and it will never be achieved by tho force of arms." "Do you believe," asked the correspondent, "in the existence of foreign intrigues?" "Which?" inquired tho Albanian. "Montenegrin, for instance; for f it is undeniable that the programme of the Malissori was drawn up at Cetinje, and to argue from this to tho inspiration of Italy seems to roe only a matter of "I do not bclievo ill it," replied the . Albanian gentleman. "The Albanians will never admit foreign intervention, being too proud of their independence. I am convinced that my compatriots are acting on their own initiative, or rather en the advice of persons in whom they place entire confidence." Among the persons enjoying tiieir confidence, however, there are said to bo many Austrian and Italian agents in the disguise of priests and schoolmasters, as well as King Nicholas of Montenegro. In tho course of his further remarkstli9 Albanian said: "The Turks have tried to disarm us, they have bur tit down our villages, bastinadoed us before our women and children, they have violated almost all our sacred Tights, and undermined the prestige tho husband over his wife (sic). The Albanian cannot and would never forget these grave injuries. AVe demand the right freely to carrv arms, freedom from taxation for another few years, the reconstruction of our villages destroyed by tho Turks in the course of last year's repression, the construction of roads, railways, schools where tho Albanian language should form tho basis of- instruction, obligatory knowledge of the Albanian language by the officials, and local military service. Tho Albanians aro willing to serve, but only in their own country."