BALKAN WAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1731, 23 April 1913, Page 7

BALKAN WAR.

TURKS IN A DEPLORABLE PLIGHT.

DISEASE & STARVATION.

KING NICHOLAS DESIRES TO ABDICATE. THE POSITION AT SCUTARI. By Telegraph—Frees Association—Copyright (Rec. Api'il 23, 0.5 a.m.) Vienna, April 22. Many of Djavids Pasha's troops are dying of starvation and epidemics, there being a lack of medicine. Some have becomo insane owing to want of food. General Martinovitch is preparing for tho renewal of tho general bombardment of Soutari. It is reported that King Nicholas of Montenegro is opposed to further useless slaughter and desires to abdicate, but tho Crown Prince is not favourable, as he does not desire to ascend tho throne before tho fate of Scutari is. settled and tranquility restored.

THE POWERS AND MONTENEGRO. London, April 21. Reuter's Vienna correspondent states that the Powers have sent to Montenegro an ultimatum to withdraw from Scutari,, otherwise troops will land at Antivari, Dulcigno, and San Giovanni. (Recr April 23, 0.5 a.m.) London, April 22. The report that tho Powers have 6ent an ultimatum to Montenegro is incorrect. (Rec. April 23, 0.5 a.m.) Cetinje, April 22. All communication with tho outside world has .been suspended. It is believed the stoppago is connected with the negotiations regarding the surrender of Scutl'.ri. FRICTION AMONG THE ALLIES. (Rec. April 23, 0.5 a.m.) ; London, April 22. The friction between the Servians and Bulgarians is creating apprehension, especially tlio fact that Servia and Greece aro seeking tho support of tlio Entent# (Britain, France, and Russia), while Bulgaria is inclined to seek the aid of the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria, and Italy). INDEMNITY. (Roc. April 23, 0.5 a.m.) Athens, April 22. Tho Allies, in their reply to tho Powers, ask; them to admit tho principlo of an indemnity. A DENIAL. (Rec.- April 23, 0,5 a.ml) Constantinople, April 22. In official circles in Constantinople it is denied that' Turkoy has suspended war with any of tho Allies c-xcept Bulgaria, RESERVED FOR DISCUSSION. (Rec,. April 22, 8.5 p.m.) Athens, April 22. ''Though tho Allies !havcaccepted' 'tho Powers' 1 mediation, they 'reserve for discussion tho control of tho Aegean' Islands and tho final'delimitation of the frontiers of Thrace and Albania. WHAT GREECE WANTS.. , Athens, April 21. Greeco insists on t'ho retention of Salonika, with a hintetland' sufficiently deep to defend the town and assuro Its commercial prosperity. GREEKS AND BULGARIANS. Salonika, April 21. .•'When tho Bulgarians retired after tho conflict with tho Greeks at Nigrita, they arrested a Greek priest and a number of notables in a neighbouring village. Several bodies of prisoners were found in the Struma River. They had been bayoneted. WAR LOSSES. Athens, April 21. A semi-official estimate of the war losses in killed and wounded is:— Bulgaria 84,000 Servia 22,000 Greeco 11,000 Montenegro ,i.. 0,000

AGREEMENTS OF THE ALLIES., WHERE THEIR PLANS CLASH. 'According to a writer In the March number of the "Fortnightly Roviow," there is a territorial agreement between Bulgaria and Servia .whereby tho former will havo all tho territory south of tho Khar Mountains, the'latter all to tho north. . Tho kazas (districts) of Uskub, Kichevo, Dibra, Struga, nre to be considered disputable, and Russia is to bo tho arbitrator. . Macedonia was to bo autonomous. War is not to change this arrangement. If tho war should be successful, tho abovo arrangement was to become the basis of re-partition. ' As between Bulgaria and Greece thero is a general agreement advocating selfgovornmont for Macedonia. Finally a defensive agreement was concluded between Bulgaria, Scrvia, and Greece. The treaty was said to bo signed 011 May 2i), 1912. If Grcece precipitated war thero was Jo be no casus foederis, i.e., the others need not support 'her. It was feared Greeco would precipitate war on account of Crete.

. Then Montenegro enmo in on Bulgaria's initiative, but under no formal treaty. Montenegro was to begin hostilities, and to be supported within one month. Thero is 110 partition treaty between Bulgaria and Greeco. As between Montenegro and Sorvin certain areas are admitted to bo disputable, and re-parti(ion is permissible in tho caso of tho sahdjak uf Novi-Bazar. A military convention was then conclucti.'d between tho Balkan Statos on August 28. 1012; tho Stales notified to Turkey that elio must at once begin lo carry out _ the articles of 'the 'Treaty of Berlin in regard to Macedonia. and tho dio was cast.

Owing to Grci'co having got a fooling in Salonika, and tho absence of any territorial agreement between Bulgaria and Greece, there is great chanco of trouble between the two in Macedonia. Bulgaria, seems to have thought that Grceco would be satisfied with tho Aegean Islands and Crete, and a portion of Epirus and Upper Thessaly. In spite of the agreement wjth Scrvia, on March 7 Bulgaria notified to Scrvia that- sho wanted her frontier to includo the districts of Voles, Pcrlcpe, Ochrida, and Monasitir. Thero was great indignation at Belgrade when this become known, for some of these areas como to Scrvia under her agreement with Bulgaria, while some aro "reserved'' for Russia to give an arbitral decision npon. Bulgaria's action was Utile more than an order to 'Viand out of the,way." It was n strange attitude, considering the important part Scrvia was then taking in the sicgo of Adrianople, and the operations before Olintalja. Ait tlio same time the collision between tlir>_ Bulgarians and Greeks took place at Negrita, to Ihe south-west of Seres, on the way to Salonika.

There was no definite agreement as to territorial acquisitions and their allotment between Mulgui'ia ami Greece—only si teiienil umhTitamline. Apparently Greece Itelimcil Bulgaria would play fair fca )>uv allies,