Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1892. The Albanians.

Manawatu Herald, 2 August 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1892. The Albanians.

The cable news about the Albanians and the Turks appeared at first sight very alarming. Scutari, the town mostly in mind in connection with Turkey, being the site where the hospitals were during the Crimean war, is situated just the other side of the Bosphorus to Constantinople, and the idea that 15,000 Albanians had surrouuded a town only sixtyseven miles from it, looked bad indeed for "the sick man." Fortunately for the Sultan there is another Scutari, in the province of Albania, and the the town Jacova is near there. The province skirts the Adriatic Sea, into which the Drin emptias itself. We thus arrive at the fact that instead of the cablegram being a very important piece of European news, it is merely the chronicle of another of the many risings the Albanians have made against the rule of the Turk. Turkey in Europe comprises 700,000 Turks, 1,500,000 Albanians, and 1,300,000 Greeks, Bulgarians, and Wallachians. In years long past the Albanians were a portion of the ancient Epirus, but during the decline of the Greok Empiie they secured their independence. In 1478 they became under the control of the Turk and have from time to time endeavoured to free themselves. The country was semi-independent in 1878, and the army rebelled against the Turks in 1880, but after severe fighting as subdued in May 1881. The chiefs revolted again in 1883, but after a month's fighting were again quelled. There was much disorder in 1884.