CRISIS IN TURKEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1496, 19 July 1912, Page 5

CRISIS IN TURKEY.

TROOPS RETREAT BEFORE

REBELS.

MINISTRY RESIGNS.

Dy Tcicirraph-Prcss Aesociation-CopyrlirM Constantinople, July 17. The Turkish Cabinet lias, resigned. Four battalions of Turks were surrounded near Diakovo by nn .lverwhelming force of Albanians, v.-hich included a large number of Mirdites. Three hundred Turks surrendered, and vrcro disarmed. The rennindor retreated to Diakovo.

ALBANIA'S DISCONTENT. THE MOST WAELIKE SUBJECTS OF THE SULTAN. In a lecture on Turkish affairs delivered in Manchester recently, Mr. K. C. Woods, a well-known authority on'the subject, described tho condition of Albania and Macedonia and the prospect before theso countries. Tho Albanian subjects of the" Sultan, who probably numbered between 1,100,000 and 1,200,000 souls, said Mr. Woods, were divided into two main groups—Tosks and Ghegs. As the Tosks or Southern Albanians were, on tho whole, less warlike than their northern brother?, they had for many years been more amenable to Ottoman control. Tho larger proportion of the Tosks were. Mahomedans, but those, who wero Christians belonged to tho Orthodox Church. They wero not divided into regular tribes, but .had a system of beys or chiefs, to whom they turned for leadership and guidance i& all matters of importance Tho Ghegs or Northern Albanians, some of whom were Moslems and some Roman Catholics, were made up oi a number of warlike tribes, each having a practically separate organisation. Tht Moslem Albanians wore not fanatical, and therefore tho question of religion in Albania waa of littlo importance compared with tho rolo which it played in other portions of the Ottoman Empire. At present discontent was rife from North to South Albania. To begin with, all the Albanians of tho north who refrained from joining in tho revolt of last year wero discontented because they considered that they ought to bo granted tho same concessions as tlioso promised by tho Turkish Government to tho revolted Malissori tribes. The Mnlissori tribes themselves wero dissatisfied because they felt that the promises made by the Government at the conclusion of last year's revolt had not been carried out. In Southern Albania in addition to tho ever-increas-ing discontent largely caused by the continued efforts of the Government not only to force tho Turkish language upon the inhabitants, but to prevent the Albanians from opening schools and learning their own mother tongue, the pninful impression left by tho march of Shovket Torgut Pasha at tho end of 1010, and by the ignominious treatment to which many Albanians wero then subjected, had done much to add to the already existing discontent among the population. As in the case of Macedonia, tho future of Albania was difficult to foretell. Whilst tho Albanians were divided in religion, they were united by lovo of their country. Ono tlung was certain, that as these warlike people ■ advanced in civilisation, and tliey wore advancing every day, they would become nioro united. Whether or not tho majority of tho Albanians at present had as part of their programme an autonomous Albania it was difficult to say, but it appeared to tho lecturer that the more enlightened leaders tct© certainly shaping their programme in that direction. Aβ far as Albania was concerned, the problem which would eventually have to bo solved was whether that district should bo formed into an autonomous province within or without tho Turkish" Empire. Tho solution depended upon the attitude of the Young Turks towards tho Albanians. If" the' administration ■of the Government was improved, and if the Albanians were., allowed to develop their own nationality, the most warlike European subjects of the Sultan would also be those upon whom both ho aud his Ministers conld always depend as each new internal or external crisis arose.