BALKAN WAR CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1564, 7 October 1912, Page 5

BALKAN WAR CRISIS.

ACTION BY POWERS.

JOINT NOTE DRAFTED IN PARIS

RUMOURS OF DISAGREEMENT. Dy Telegraph—Press A6Eociation-Con7rißht (Rec. October C, 5.5 p.m.) Berlin, October 5. It is officially announced that a Koto from_tho Powers to tho Balkan Governments has been drafted in Paris with Germany's collaboration, and it is added that if the Xote can be presented in time it may prevent war. The statement is interpreted as. meaning that the Powers arc not agreed. There nro indications that Britain is holding back out of regard for Turkey. STILL A HOPE OF PEACE. (Eec. October 7, 0.45 a.m.) : ' London, October 6. Mr. Asquith', in. his speech at Ladybank, said it was long since the international horizon had been so threatening, but he had.not lost hope that the. calamity 'would bo averted. The gTeat Powers wero working in loyal co-operation, and everything was being done to prevent a catastrophe. ■ FRENCH DESIRES. (Rec. October 6, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 5. The Prime Minister, M. Poincare, has instructed the French A'nibassadors to urge the great Powers to take collective action in tho Balkans or to authoriso Austro-Russian action on behalf of all. M. Poincare and M. Sazanoff, the Russian Foreign Minister, had a two hours' conference yesterday, during which the Bulgarian, Greek, and Servian Ministers were successively summoned.

PROSPECTS OF INTERVENTION. Paris, October 4. Renter's , Agency reports that the Powers' pourparlers are increasingly favourable, and that there is every prospect of agreement and early intervention. It: is stated that Britain, France, and Germany will allow Austria and Russia to act as mandatories if they so desire. BALKAN DEMANDS. AUTONOMY FOR MACEDONIA. ■PROMISE BY TURKEY. (Rec. October fi, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, October 5. French advices from Constantinople state that the Balkan. Allies, demand that Macedonia shall be given autonomous Government, with its own army under Bulgaria's' protection. The Balkan States intend to summon the Powers to carry out Article 23 of the Treaty of Berlin. Tho Powers have advised the Balkan Governments not to withdraw their representatives from Constantinople, ponding 'the result of the Powers' negotiations. The Porte has issued .orders permitting Balkan subjects to quit Turkey. The Committee of Union and Progress carried out a demonstration attended by 7000 persons in support ■of the Government against the Balkan States. '■ ■ ' - •■«;■ ••.*■•- i ■ • ;,.. REFORMS TO BE EXECUTED.

Constantinople, October 4. . The Porte has given the Powers a binding promise to execute reforms in Macedonia, but the Balkan States demand international endorsement of tho proposed reforms. TURKS ON THE FRONTIER. FORCE MASSED NEAR MONTENEGRO, MIRDITES REPULSED. (Rec. October 6, 5.5 p.m.) Cetinje, October 6. A force of three thousand Turkish troops under Essan Pasha hns reached Scutari. They repulsed an attack by Mirdites outside the town, inflicting heavy loss.! The Christians at.Scutari are fleeing. ' ' : The Turks are concentrating a great force on the Montenegrin frontier. FRONTIER SKIRMISHES. ' Paris, October 4. The newspapers publish telegrams reporting that an attack on a Turkish block-house on the Bulgarian frontier was repulsed after two and a half hours' fighting; also, the defeat of Servian aggressors in Novi Bazar. 'MOSLEMS MURDERED. ~ ; Constantinople, October i. The Porte has received information that thirty Moslems in different towns of Bulgaria were murdered in the streets. The, Turkish Consulates were surrounded and prevented fjjpm communicating with their proteges. SERVIAN PRIEST SHOT DEAD. Belgrade, October 4. A Servian priest named Urosewitch, while addressing a patriots' meeting nt Prokuplie, was shot dead by an Albanian. BOMB WRECKS MARKET PLACE. (Rec. October 6, 5.5 p.m.) Salonika, October i. A bomb wrecked the market place at Seres, 43 miles north-west from here. Five ■persons were injured. The Mnhominednns murdered a Greek, mistakenly supposing him to be the perpetrator. THE SAMOS RISING.

RUMOURS OF A REPUBLIC. Constantinople, October 4. It is rumoured that M. Sophanlis, leader of the Cretan insurgents, has proclaimed a republic at Samos, with himself as president. There have been noisy processions in the streets, the people indulging in patriotic demonstrations. The Govonment has ordered the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from Sninos, which the Cretan.? are attempting to seize. DESTROYERS FOR GREECE. London, October 1. The four destroyers which Greece lias purchased from the Argentine Government, have left the Mersey for the Mediterranean. [The destroyers had just been built to tho order of the Argentine.] . CniCAQO WHEAT PRICES RISE. (Rec. October B, 5.5 p.m.)' New York, October 5. There hns been heavy selling of foreign securities in consequence of the liolkan trouble. Chicago reports etafo that wheat hns advanced sharply in consequence of (he war rumours.

TREATY OF BERLIN. PROVISIONS OF AIiTICLE XXlIf. The Treaty iif Berlin wns the outcome of a cimiUr imte i*»u«l t>l OiA rn««i', by .Count Audiasjy, tliQ Auftrp-HuDgatiaa.

Foreign Minister, after the conclusion of tlio Russo-Turkish Way of 1878. The terms ol peace, which Russia imposed on Uic urks after the war would have secured liussiau dominance in the Hnlknn Peninsula, ami wore strongly opposed by both Austria and Great Britain. The Austrian note resulted in the Congress of Berlin and Ino adoption of nu international tvealy of (jl articles, by which the status oi 'the Unlkau States was definitely iixoil. Article- XXIII of the treaty, which the Hnlkaii States avo now roporiod to be demanding shall be enforced, lias rem.-inod a dead lettev. It provided that Turkey should introduce in all her European provinces Organic Statutes similar to that of Crete, and practically, grant general autonomy. The Organic .Statute of Crete, which was confirmed by Hie Pact of Ilnlepa in 1878, provided for the oslflblisiiimmt of an -Assembly with deputies from all parts of the island; mixed judicial tribunals, and an elalwrate administrative, system, iind.T which all the principal functionaries, Christian, and Mussulman, were provided with nn assessor of the opposite creed. The judges were declared independent of the executive.