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Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1916, Page 10

The Montenegrins laid siege to Scutari shortly after the outbreak of the Balkan war in October, 1012, and delivered assault after assault upon the town, .until their efforts were finally ciowned with success on April -li, mil when the town capitulated. The gavri'■on. which was commanded by Kssad Jli-y. is supposed (o have been composed of some 12,0(10 regulars, and Albanian irregulars may have numbered another HNIiO. About :!.-).<)u!> Montenegrin troops wen' engaged in the' siege, and their disunities totalled about 10,000. Montenegro captured Scutari despile a protest by the (Irciit Powers, who rcgardede the sustained siege as a war of conquest, and not of liberation. The Powers ordered a blockade of the Montenegrin coast early in April by tin international naval squadron. Negotiations, the character of which was at the tune obscure, had been passing between King Nicholas and JJsancl Bey, and under tile eyes of the squadron, the Montenegrins eulercd Scutari by capitulation, Essad Bey inarching out with his troops with the honors of war. The 'Powers, however, insisted that the town should go to the new State of Albania, and it was evacuated by the Montenegrin forces a fortnight after they had entered it,