SCUTARI FALLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1732, 24 April 1913, Page 7

SCUTARI FALLS.

ENTRY OF MONTENEGRINS. AFTER SEVERE FIGHT. ALLIES DRIFTING TO WAR. RIVAL ARMIES MASSED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec, April 24, 0.55 a.m.) Cetinje, April 23. It is officially reported that tho Montenegrins have entered Scutari. Cetinje, April 22. There has been sovere night fighting at Scutari. The Montenegrins captured two lines of Turkish posts at the bayonet's point. The Montenegrins lost heavily. (Rec. April 23, 11.25 p.m.) London, April 23. Tho "Daily Chronicle's" Salonika correspondent reports that Greece and Bulgaria are'rapidly drifting towards war. - The Bulgarians are concentrating at Drama. ' A division each from Chatalja, Adrianople, and Bulair have arrived. The Servians are reassembling at North Salonika, ready to help tho Greeks. CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. . AT TURKEY'S REQUEST. I (Rec. April 23, 11.25 j.m.) Constantinople, April 23. Turkey has arranged with Seirvia and Greece for the suspension of hostilities, and the repatriation of prisoners. The Greeks are withdrawing from the Aegean Islands, and concentrating their troops at Salonika. The Servian troops at Scutari have been transferred to Salonika. ALBANIANS ACTIVE MOHAMMEDANS AND CHRISTIANS. Belgrade, April 23. Tho partial withdrawal of tho Servians from Albania was signalled by an outbreak among the Albanians. The Mohammedans on tho right bank of the Devoli attacked the Christians on tho left bank. THE SIEGE OF SCUTARI. MONTENEGRO'S LONG STRUGGLE. Scutari, which is the principal citv of Albania, has a population of from 30,000 to 40,000. It stands on a plain about 14 miles inland from tho Adriatic Sea and about the samo distance from the frontier of Montenegro. The plain is enclosed on every side by lofty mountains except towards the lake of Scutari, across which the frontier of Montenegro runs. The siege of Scutari by Montenegro began on October 8 last. The first successes of the war near Tuzi had flushed the Montenegrins with victory, and Iher believed that they had only to assault Tarabosh.at once for' Scutari to fall into their hands. Jn many quarters it is bolieved that had they done so they would have succeeded, since at that date the reinforcements which arrived later had not reached tho town. But. out of the desire not to lose men unnecessarily—a desiro | which was strengthened by the comparatively heavy losses at Detchifch and Zo- | ffnj, caused by the foolhardy courage of the men—King Nicholas forbade an assault to be delivered. Until tho armistice, the army had remained in front of Scutari in sight of, though as far from capturing, tho town as before tho war began. For an army such as the Montenegrin Army, with practically no organisation and iilsupplied with artillery, il was unfortunate that the task set it should have included the siege of a modern fortress. Bui in the last few months, and especially since tho junction with tho Servians at Alc.isio, the Montenegrins have been asking themselves whoso fault it was that there were no proper guns. And, as was to be expected in the circumstances, the blame, rightly or wrongly, is attached to tho King.

, Rightly or wrongly (wrote the Cetinje correspondent of "Tho Times" in a recent dispatch), the people of Montenegro consider that the whole future economic prosperity of their country depends upon tho possession of Scutari, and the district which will go with it. At all events, this was tho principal reason for which Montenegro was ready to go to war with Turkey. Since she had failed in her enterprise from the military point of view, it was natural that efforts should have been made to repair this failure by diplomatic means. But Austria already possessed considerable interest in Scutari, which, in the event of the town being included in Albania, would be valuable as a nucleus for the extension of Austrian influenpe. rhe price asked for the support of Montenegrin claims was. therefore higher than King Nicholas would pay; for to give up to Austria the Lovtchen Mountain, which dominates Cetinje'and which is closely connected with tho patriotic sentiments of tho Montenegrins, might have easily set a spark to the agitation which even the much-desired acquisition of Scutari might not allay, quite apart, from the resentment which the conclusion of any compact with Austria would probably arouse among the people. . The fall of Scutari Mill doubtless cause embarrassment. to the Powers, who had decided that it was to bo incorporated in an independent State of Albania. Tho Vienna correspondent of "The Times" said last month:—"The fall of Scutari would, of course, imperil the settlement at which Russia and Austria-Hnngary have almost arrived, of the Albanian frontier question. That settlement is based on the incorporation of Scutari in Albania in return for Slav compensation olsewhoro. If the Montenegrins took and held Scutari, the bargain would be difficult to carry out. As soon as the agreement is complete the Montenegrins and Servians will be 'invited' by the Powers to withdraw their' troops outsido tho frontiers agreed upon. "Unauthorised voices are, nevertheless, raised to declare that tho question of Scutari is by no means a vital AustroHungarian interest, and that it is, on tho contrary, a mattef of comparative indifference whether tho city belong in future to Albania or to Montenegro. The Socialist org!\n, which frequently uses the language of common sense, declares tho question to bo merely ono of what semiofficial writers imagine to bo Austrian prestige, but, it adds, nobody commanded those in. power to nail their colours to the mast over tho question, of Scutari without waiting for tho issue of the Balkan War. Austrian prestige will recover from tho loss of Scutari as rapidly as it recovered from non-intervention in tlio Snnjuk of Novi Bazar. Count (Sternberg, the 'enfant terrible'. of Austrian public life, declares roundly, in another journal, that, tho whole schenio of creating an Albania, to be used us a counterpoise against Serviu and other Balkan State.s is a piece of folly. We, ho adds, ought rather to give Albania to tho Balkan States and let them enjoy their indigestion—provided that wo obtain in return markets for our goods aud a clear trade routo to Salonika." COST OF WAR TO THE VICTORS. BULGARIA'S LOSSES. A Bulgarian official statement of.tho loss and ruin brought upon the people by tho Balkan War was employed in a recent address at Cardiff by Mr. V. W. Hirst on "The ElTcot of War Upon Trade and Wages." Mr. Hirst said that the war in tho Balkans was lauded by military experts as a singularly triumphant and successful war, and tho victors were hold up for envy, admiration, and imitation. "I want you to hear what tho victors thomselves say atcut it. Thoro camo recently from Sofia to tho offico of tho 'Economist' a printed document in French. It was issued by tho Commissioners of 'tho National Dobt of Bulgaria, and is, in fact, an official statement or exposo on behalf of tho Bulfiovmmjicnt, It rccitcs same p£.

tho consequences of victory in order (o induce Europe t9 recoguiso 'tho claim of tiio allies for an indemnity from Turkey." First of all, continued Mr. Hirst, this documont draws attention to tho staito of Thraco and Macedonia, of which Bulgaria expects, to get tho lion's 6hare. It is a country naturally fertile, and in parts extraordinarily rich. But practically all this territory has boon ravaged and desolated. For a long time the new territories will bo a source not of income, but of expenditure, a drain on tho public purso of Bulgaria. Instead of defraying tho cost of war, they will incrcaso it. The present inhabitants of Bulgaria would bo actually belter off if 'they wero suddenly disappointed of tho prize for which they lmvo mado these enormous sacrifices of blood and treasure. The conquered territory has been twice burnt, twice packed and pillaged; first by tho retreating Turks then by the Bulgarian bands of irregulars. Most of tho Turkish farmers (probably nearly all) aro. lied or dead. Bulgaria will look larger on tho map, but it is an estate mortgaged up to the hilt, on. which tho rates -will bo at least 30s. in tho pound.

So much for tho first argument urged by Bulgarian statesmen. Thoy want Turkey to pay an indemnity in order that thoy may not bo ruined by tho cost of reclaiming this wilderness, this territory wasted by firo and sword. What is the second argument? Bulgaria as a result of the war, say these .official exponents of her financial and economical predicament, has lost 25,000 men in the prime o!: life, ' and 25,000 more havo been invalided or maimed for tho rest of their days—so,ooo in all, one in eight of her conscript force—a very moderate estimate, Mr. Hirst was afraid. Apart altogether f::om the economic value of these men— merchants manufacturer®, shopkeepers, farmers, mechanics, labourers, etc.—tho Bulgarian Government estimates that the taxpayers who remain will havo to find more "than .£IOO,OOO a year for a generation to come in pensions to the families of the dead or maimed. Bulgaria's population at the last census was only 4,337,000. What is the third plea? The Bulgarian Government declares that immediately after the war Bulgaria will havo to rearm its troops with new rifles, buy fresh guns, accoutrements, etc., because most of the weapons used in tho war aro already worn out; and it will bo necessary to return at onco.to the old level of efficiency. As Bulgaria cannot afford to buy them, Turkey must pay for them by contributing an indemnity. This really means that English and French creditors must lend more money to Turkey in order to enable Bulgaria to put herself into immediate condition for another war. Yet wars aro often recommended as on escape from tho intolerable burden of rival armanents.