WORLD'S PEACE IN PERIL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 157, 15 October 1912, Page 5

WORLD'S PEACE IN PERIL.

EXTENSION OF WAR FEARED.

ITALIAN ACTION RAY PRECIPITATE A CRISIS.

BALKAN ALLIES REJECT POWERS' NOTE.

By TelsEraph—Press Association—Copyrisht

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) London, October 14. The "Daily Telegraph's" Constantinople correspondent says the Porte has rejected the Powers' Collective Note, demanding reforms in Macedonia. The Greek vessels and cargoes detained in Turkish waters are valued at .£1,000,000, though they are under the Greek flag, the bulk of the vessels represent British capital. The Porte proposes to purchase the cargoes. . ' Greeks are leaving Stamboul in large numbers. AUSTRIA'S INTENTIONS. (Rec. October 15, 0.35 a.m.) Vienna, October 14. Count Berchtold, Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, has initiated negotiations with a view to averting an AusfroRussian conflict during, or after, a Balkan war. He asks Russia to approve of the non-annexation of Novi Bazar by Servia or Montenegro. Nevertheless Austria is apparently indisposed to give a pledge to refrain from new conquests in the Balkans. There are persistent rumours regarding the mobilisation of four Austrian army corps. There is much comment on the remarks of M. Pasics, Premier of Servia. The "Neuo Freie Presse" representative says that if the other Powers interfere Russia will do likewise, and there will be a danger of a world's war. The remark is interpreted as Russia's answer to Count Berchtold. concerning the maintenance of Austrian, interests in the Balkans. ITALIAN ACTIVITY EXPECTED, (Rec. October 14, 9.35 p.m.) Rome, October 14. The Government has given the Porte until Tuesday to accept its peace terms o£ at present drafted. It is expected that liaval notion in the Aegean Sea will follow if the Porte refuses. Italy is summoning half a million reserves to the colours, owing to the possible failure of the negotiations on Tuesday. MONTENEGRIN VICTORY. OTTOMAN LOSS OF 300 MEN. TURKS FIRED ON WITH THEIR OWN GUNS. (Rec. October 14, 9.35 p.m.) Cetinje, October 14. Chipcenik has been practically, demolished by the Montenegrin arfillery. General TUartinovics reports that in an engagement below the Chafbotil Heights after a fierce struggle the Turks were repulsed, losing 300 killed and wounded. The Montenegrins' final charge up precipitous crags at Detchick was so furious that the Turks were unable to disable their guns before retreating, and were fired at .with' their own guns by the Montenegrins.

The total force in. the Scutari region is sixteen battalions. The Montenegrins are striving to pre-, vent a retreat southwards. BOMBARDED BY GUNBOATS. (Reo. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) ' Cetinje, October 14. Two Turkish gunboats on Lake Scutari bombarded General Martinovic's right wing. The baTracks at Cetinje have been transformed into a hospital, with a thousand beds. Goneral Vukovies is operating in the north, with a view to junctioniilg with j the Servians. TURKISH RESERVES ADVANCING. (Rec. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) Constantinople, October 14. Reserves from Ipek and Rngova have been 6ont to Berane and Gusinje. The fighting around Gusinje favours the Turks. Essad Pasha has reached Scutari, and is strengthening tho garrison, while two battalions hold the line of communication against tho Malissori. MUSSULMAN VILLAGE BURNED. CReo. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) Constantinople, October 14. The Montenegrins hfive burned the Mussulman village of Krania. Several children were incinerated. The fighting round Tusi, Kabat, and Krania is visiblo from Scutari. TEIIHIBLE LACK OP HOSPITALS. Cetinje, Ootober 13. There is a terrible lack of hospitals in which to deal with the wounded. France, Russia, Austria, and Britain have offered Red Cross missions. King Nicholas visited and kissed tho badly wounded and dead. Tusi is invested. The Turks have been forced back. They burned many Malissori villages. General Vukovitch, commanding one of the four divisions of the Montenegrin Army, after a fierce fight, captured Dijlopolje. / Turkish accounts state that tho Montenegrins' advance on Scutari has been checked. Heavy fighting has taken place at Tusi. The Montenegrins aro advancing on Gusinje, Plava, and Arona. They are encountering resistance, and suffering heavy losses. At Rojane the Montenegrins captured Turkish Armstrong guns and ammunition intact. REFORMS REJECTED. REPLY TO THE POWERS' NOTE. SERVIAN DEMANDS. (Rcc. October It, 11.10 p.m.) Belgrade, October 14. The Servian reply to the Powers' Note is practically identical with those of tho other Balkan allies. Servia regrets its inability to comply with tho Powers' wishes, owing to the insufficient guarantee for the execution .of reiornu.

The Government has simultaneously forwarded to tho Porte a memorandum demanding reforms in Macedonia in consonance with Article XXIII of the Treaty of Berlin, under the control of the Powers and the Balkan States. The immediate demobilisation of the Turkish army is also demanded. The Skupshtina has adopted a three months' moratorium. Troops from Nish are advancing on Vranja, Ristovac, and Devetin, three frontier towns. The Premier, M. Paßica, in an interview, accused Turkey of arming irregular bands of marauders and vagabonds and loosing them upon the unprotected Servian population in' the Kossova district, from which eight hundred families have sought refuge in Servia. He added that Servia demanded ethnical autonomy for oppressed Servians in tho Turkish provinces, including Novi Bazar. WHAT BULGARIA WANTS. (Rec. October 15, 0.30 a.m.) London, October 14. The "Daily Mail's" Sofia correspondent states that Bulgaria demands the decentralisation of the Government of European Turkey with an elective oouncil for each Government and proportional representation, for tho various nationalities in tho Constantinople Parliament, The Note does not impose a time limit for compliance. CHANGE WITHIN SIX MONTHS; (Rec, October 15, 0.35 a.m.) Sofia, October 14, , Tho Bulgarian demands include the installation of Belgian and Swiss Governors in the Turkish provinces with a gendarmerio and militia under Belgian and Swiss officers; tho reforms to be entrusted ti a superior council controlled by tho Powers and the Balkan States, and to ISe carried out within half a year. The public have acclaimed a declaration to mako Servian and' Bulgarian money interchangeable. . Many Christian deserters from the Turkish army have entered Bulgaria, THE POWERS AND PEACE. TRIPLE ENTENTE'S RIDICULED. ITALY'S' ACTION FEARED. ' Berlin, October 13. Many of the, newspapers ridicule tho Triple Entente's peace efforts. Doubts prevail as to whether tho war can be localised, and there is a fear that Germany may possibly be required to support Austria. Tho sympathies of the German army are strongly pro-Turkish. UNEASINESS IN AUSTRIA. Vienna, October 13. The hitch in the peace negotiations between Italy and Turkey has created uneasiness in Austria, where thero are fears that Italy may not confine her operations to Tripoli, and thus render localisation of the Balkans trouble impossible,

ITALIAN CO-OPERATION WITH GREECE.

Paris, October 18. The Rome correspondent of tho newspaper "Le Temps" says that, if the Bulgarians are successful in tlioir attack on Turkey, it is likely that Italy -will cooperate with Greeco in Asia Minor.

MR, LLOYD GEORGE OPTIMISTIC. London, October 13,

Mr. Lloyd Georgo, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, addressing the National Union of Journalists, said he was hopeful tho war area would be limited; also that, whatever the issue, boundaries, freedom, and good government would bo retained.

GREEK NOTE TO TURKEY. Athens, October 13. A Greek Note has been handed to tho Turkish Ambassador in Athens.

THE PORTE AND THE POWERS; Constantinople, October 12. Tho Porte deferred examination of the Note of the Powers regarding the Balkans till Sunday, in the belief that the Turkish victory at Berane, also the reoccupation of tho heights, at Gusinje, would be officially announced. AUSTRIAN INTERVENTION. RE-OCCUPATION OF NOVI BAZAR. HEAVY MILITARY VOTE. Paris, October 12. Parisian newspapers contend that Austria's activity shows an intention peremptorily to intorvene if Servia bars the route to Salonika. The "Matin" declares that- the Powers are discussing the formulation of clearer joint proposals. TROUBLE ON THE FRONTIER. Vienna, October 13. Many politicians urge the re-occupation of Novi Bazar, and condemn tho Austrian withdrawal of four years ago. There are unconfirmed reports that seventy Servian villages in Novi Bazar have rovolted, and that the Turks have made swift reprisals, all tho ringleaders, including several priests, being killed. It is stated that the Austrian Government will facilitate the conveyance ot war material through' Austria. The War Committee of the AustrianHungarians Delegations has approved military and naval credits, professedly to permit of the long-contemplated removal of certain defects. AUSTRIA READY TO ACT. . Constantinople, October 13. Official information declares that tho Montenegrins are attacking Sienitza, in the vilayet ot Kassovo, twenty-seven miles west-north-west of Novi Bazar.

Frequent conversations between the Foreign Minister and the Austrian Minister are supposed to relate to tlie TurkisTi Sanjak of Xovi Bazar, which, it is understood, Austria, during the Bosnian negotiations, undertook to assist tlie Porte to reWn if )t became endangered,

Turkish, papers state that Austria 19 concentrating troops on the frontiers of Servia and Novi Bazar. The Montenegrin and Greek Consulates have handed their, archives to the French Embassy, whilo the Servian Consul hands tlio Servian arcliivcs to the Russian Embassy. LARGE PURCHASES OF GLYCERINE. Berlin, October 13. Austria iB buying glycerine.heavily, and, the price has risen rapidly. TURKEY AND THE ALLIES. 450,000 MEN TO FIGHT BULGARIA. SERVIAN DEMANDS. Constantinople, October 18. When the mobilisation of the First and Second Turkish armies is completed, it is estimated that 450,000 men will oppose the Bulgarians, and that two divisions will oppose the Montenegrins. The Porte proposes to exert Turkey's chief strength against Bulgaria. Fourteen Bulgarian spies have been arrested at Adrianople. SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS IN SERVIA. Belgrade, October 13. Only eight-three doctors are left in the whole of Servia. The rest have been, requisitioned for- the army, for which, surgeons are much wanted. Prince Arsene Karageorgevitch, the King of Servia's brother, who is a Russian general, will command the Servian Cavalry. If it is impossible to 6ecure autonomy for the Turkish provinces, the Crown Prince' Alexander is disposed to bcoome a candidate for the Christian Governorship of Old Servia. A thousand Bosnian volunteers have joined the Servian and Montenegrin armies. STOCK EXCHANGE SLUMPS. HUGE LOSSES IN PARIS. CONDITIONS UNPARALLELED SINCE » 1870. (Rec. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) London, October 11, Consols are quoted at .£72 18s. 9d„ a fall of 18s. 9d. since Saturday. The slump on the Paris Bourse is unparalleled since 1870. It is estimated

that the loss since the last settlement represents sixteen millions sterling. The leading banks vainly attempted to stem tho panic.

The Russian Bourse and leading Russian banks also endeavoured to stimulate tho Berlin Bourse.

ANXIETY IN GERIEANY. London, October 13. The Continental Bourses are in a state of panic. This is largely attributed to "bear" speculators, though the German ; public is losing confidence/ in the ability of tlie Powers to localise the war. SULTAN GOING TO ADRIANOPLE. MASSACRE ON THE FRONTIER. (Rec. October 15, 0.35 a.m.) Constantinople, October 14. The heir to the throno goes • to Adriailople to-day, and tho Sultan will follow on Tuesday. • The Bulgarian spies arrested at Adrianople have been found to be harmless cattle-dealeTS. Turkish soldiers massacred twelve Bulgarians at Ivuprulu, on the frontier, near Adrianople.' ATTACKS ON BRITAIN. REBUKED BY GERMAN FOREIGN OFFICE. (Rec. October 15, 0.35 a.m.) « Berlin, October 14. The Foreign Office, through the "Cologne Gazette," rebukes the tactics of the Pan-German newspapers which have been accusing Britain of fomenting .a European conflagration by inciting a Balkan attack on Turkey. A DENIAL. (Rec. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) Vienna, October 14. The "Neue Wiener Tagblatt" denies that Bosnian volunteers are joining Servia. BRITISH TROOPS IN READINESS. (Rec. October 14, 11.10 p.m.) » Malta, October 14. The second battalion of tho Northampton Regiment has been ordered to hold itself in readiness to prooeed to Crete.

GREEK ARMY ON THE FRONTIER. Athens, October 13.

One hundred and twenty-five thousand men will bo concentrated on the frontier by Monday next. Another 30,G00 arc being equipped. The Government is being overwhelmed by applications from volunteers for the army.

MYSTERY IN A WOOD. ■ Berlin, October 13. Count von Posadowsky-Welmer, a Gorman naval at tactic at Vienna, was found wounded in a wood at Ragusa, an Austrian seaport about 20 miles from the frontier of Montenegro. Ho .declared that the wound was the result of an accident when he was drawing his revolver against a man who was following him. It is rumoured that the Count carried important mobilisation documents.

MOSLEM LEAGUE GRATEFUL'. Calcutta, October 13. The Moslem League in the Punjaub passed a resolution of gratitude for Great Britain's efforts to secure peace in the Balkans, and sorrow at the failure of the efforts. THE AIMS OF AUSTRIA. A FRENCH FORECAST. A represoutativo of the "Temps" in August met in tho Orient Express a Turkish Ambassador on his way from Constantinople to his post, and asked him what his opinion was of Count Berchtold's proposals in August for joint action by the Powers with regard to decentralisation in Turkey. Tho reply was: "At Baltic Port a virtual entente wns concluded between Russia and Germany on the situation in tlie Near East. M. Poinenro's voyago introduced Franco into tho same entente, to which for tho rest England, too, was not a stranger. Having token no part in thoso conversations, Aus-tria-Hungary painfully felt hov isolation. She did not think she had been sufficiently initiated by her ally into the mystery of the conversations at: Baltic Port. Hence, Bcrchtold's initiative has two objects—to compel Russia, France, and Germany to reveal their cards, ami to introduce Austria into the European Concert."

The Turkish diplomatist made the following additional remark: "Austria's policy has two strings on its bow. If she does not succeed by peaceful means in achieving the objcct she lu\s in view, she will have recourse to military means, and the latter, as we have reason to think, will be used first by Montenegro." The "Temps" correspondent does not give the name of the Turkish Ambassador in question, and there was, therefore, no means of checking the awufaoy, pf tl&.

message. Its publication, however, coin-1 cided with a marked change in the attitude of the French press, whioh, afteir welcoming Count Borchtold's initiative as that of a "good European," began to Jook askaneo at it, and to givo utterance u> various suspicions. The underlying reason for this chango of ntlitudo is indicated l»y |he "i'etil I'arisien," which says: Russia does not conceal her mistrust. She is asking whether tho Aus. trian suggestion is really disinterested, ami whether the Slav proteges of Russia— hervia and Montenegro—do not run tho risk of being injured by (ho decentralisation proposed by Count Berclitold." Tho , Echo do Paris" says the same, only adding Lngland to the number of Powers uhich aro dissatisfied with tho Austrian proposal. _ "Jtesia," it says, "mistrusts tho Austrian plan, which is regarded as obscure, and as but little friendly towards the Balkan Slavs. As for England, her supremo object is not to cstrango turkey. Count Borchtold's proposals aro notoriously inimical to that country, and England will, thorefore, bo in 110 hurry to favour them." Theso papers aro all °f tho lesser rank, but they are—especially 'ho "Echo do Paris" —in close touch with Russian official quarters. A TINY KINGDOM. MONTENEGRO AND ITS PEOPLE. In n description of the tiny mountain Kingdom of Montenegro, written in October, 1910, Dr. E. J. Dillon said:— J-ho venerable Prince of Montenegro— Black Mountain—has been promoted ■to the rank of King, if not by the grace or uod, then by the courtesy of European monarchs. It is amusing to reflect that about tho time when Kaiser Wilhelm was magmloquently holding forth on the divine right of kings this Homeric figure of bouth-eastern Europe was climbing into ft royal throne and acquiring those same divine rights, although his predecessor B "d uncle Danilo was but a clergyman, while the prince's mother carried wood from the hills to Cattaro for Bale. Thus since August .28 Europe has a new Kingdom, while tho. liepublic of letters has a crowned poet and journalist. Montenegro is by far the tiniest of kingdoms— although by no means :the most insignificant. Kin" Nicholas rules over a population equal, to that of some London parishes, about 300,000 men, women, and children all told, most of whom jiave a very hard strugglo for existence. Eor with, tho exception of a few districts, like tho Moratsha-Plain and the Zeta Valley, Montenegro is a realm of hard stone. » hen God set about creating tho world, says the legend current among those mountaineers, ho made rivers and fields and meadows and forests. But looking down upon tho totality of things from his celestial throne, he found tho result monotonous. Nature needed a touch of rugged wildness .by way of variety, so he resolved to pile hills upon hills, and see .how that would look. For this purpose lie gathered stones from all parts of the universe, and packed them in two mighty sacks which he threw over bis shoulders. But as he strode over the globo the sacks burst just as he chanced to be where Montenegro now stands, and all the stones fell to the ground. That is how the arid stony mountain first came into existence. Even now, thirty-two years after tho annexation of fertile stretches of land that belonged to Turkey, there are families living in places two and a half hours' distant from the nearest source of water I And it is characteristic of their love of their old homes that most of these people refused to accept tho offer made them to go and live in tho new fertile districts. Although tho entire population of tho. Black Mountain amounts really to less than 300,000 souls, Montenegro could in case of war put 37,200 men in tho field. reason is that every man is a born soldier with an inherited taste for deeds of prowess,. The young men are always, so to say, "spoiling for a fight." Every male, as soon as he attains the age of sixteen, is presented with a revolver by tho and this weapon —among otliors —lie continues to carry with him for the remainder of his life. Tho postman, the shoemaker, the. civil servant, is always armed with a revolver, but ho is much more sparing in tho use, or rather abuse, of it than is tho Armenian, tho Georgian, or the Lezghian of the Caucasus. And yet ho has less motive to be thus circwiispect, beoauso tho present law allows him, if insulted, to kill tho man-who put tho insult npon him, provided that he acts on the spur of tho moment. Killing under theso circumstances is no murder in tho eyes of the legislator. But if ho thinks it over, wore it only for an lionr, the deed that would have been correct had dt been instantaneous, becomes vulgar murder, and is punishable with death. Girls and women can wander at will about the land, confident that no harm will befall them, so chivalrous are the malo inhabitants and so vigorous their notions of honour. There is hardly any military service in Montenegro, because it is deemed almost superfluous i six months is tho duration of tho formal training which the horse-soldier undergoes, while the footsoldier is exercised for four months only, The common people—if one may lis© such an expression of a population of which all orders are essentially equal and all are possessed of a touch of tho heroic —export cavasses for embassies and legations, ibodyguards and watchmen, whoso imposi'ng figures, picturesque dress and martial mien render them especially fitted for this service in countries of. tho East. The royal family lias provided royal and imperial houses with spouses for their sons and daughters. Princess Zorka became tho consort of Peter Karageorgevicli. the present King of Servia; Princess Militsa.' whom I was ■privileged to know when slio and her sister Helena, the present Queen of Italy, were at tho Russian scliool for noblo girls—tho Smolny Institute in St. Petersburg—married the Grand Duke Peter TJikolayevitch; Princess Stan a became Duchess of Louchtenborg: Princess Helena, by far tho Drettiest of girls, is the popular Queen of Italy; and Prince Mirko, the people's favourite, married into the Servian liouso of Obrenovitch.