CONQUERED AT LAST.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1916, Page 4

CONQUERED AT LAST.

For centuries the Montenegrins resisted the Turks. Again and again these eplendid men of the mountains, as hard physically as the rocks that they kept inviolate, hurled the Turks back from their mountain passes. But valour and iron determination, successful in hand-to-hand fighting, cannot by themselves prevail against modern weapons. The height that protected the capital of the country was under the fire of great guns, including naval ordnance, at the Austrian port of Cattaro, and when Mount Lovtchen was taken by the enemy the capital speedily followed. At the 6ame I time the enemy was thrusting from the east and north, and rather than go on with a hopeless fight the Government ! has made terms with the enemy. No I word of censure should come from the Allies. A tiny nation, as poor in material j resources as it is indomitable in valour, ; weakened by three wars, has given in I after an heroic struggle against an immensely superior force. Whatever , blame there may be attaches to the Allies for not sending help to the weakest member of the Alliance. There is naturally I a disposition to blame Italy, but it should be remembered that the Allies are now acting under the .decisions of a War Council, which may have decided that from a strategic point of view it was not worth while sending assistance, j Militarily, the surrender of Montenegro is of little importance. The : army have been reduced by recent j losses to less than an army corps, j and its equipment is poor. The most important effect is the opening of the whole northern frontier of Albania to the enemy. But from the sentimental point of view, and because of its possible effect on neutrals, the development is deplorable. British people will hear with deep sorrow that this nation, which fought through ages against over- j ( lordship, is at last conquered. * O smallest among peoples! rouch rock i throne Of Freedom! warriors beating back the swarm i Of Tnrklsh Islam for five hundred years, <sreat Tsernopora! never since thine own Black rldues drew the cloud and brake the storm. I' Has breathed a mightier race of moan-11 talnccrs. It was an English poet who paid the

Montenegrins this tribute, and eince it is as an ally of England that Montenegro has fallen,; shame must, mingle with ■, sorrow in British hearts. The the capitulation on. neutrals,- especiallyr. in the doubtful Balkan States, must be bad. Belgium firat, then Serbia, and now , • Montenegro—such will be their line of reflection. What will it profit a small country, they will ask, to join the Allies? We can promise Montenegro, as we promised Serbia, that her independence will be restored, but the promise at present is not likely to impress the hesi- ; tating neutral ■ 1 ■