THE BALKAN WAR

Evening Star, Issue 15065, 23 December 1912, Page 7

THE BALKAN WAR

TURKISH DEMANDS AND DELAYS,

BULGABIA'S FIRM STAND,

"BETTER WAR THAN CONCESSIONS.-"

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

LONDON, December 22. The King gave an audience, which lasted half an hour, to the Balkan Peace dolegates. The Peace Conference sat for two hours It is understood that the Turkish Envoys prepared to negotiate with the Greeks, but as a preliminary, and on humanitarian grounds, they ask to revictual Adrianople and other besieged towns. The Allies have replied that the question of revicbualling was settled at Chatalja, and is therefore outside of the scope of the present Conference. The Turkish delegates then said Uiat they must refer the matter to the Ports.

The Conference adjourned until to-mor-row.

The Paris ' Temps's' Constantinople correspondent reports that Reshed Pasha has been instructed to immediately wise the question of the position of Adrianople at the_ Peace Conference, because if the Bulgarians persist in the surrender of the city the peace negotiations mav be broken off.

(Received December 23, at 8.5 a.m.) The' Observer' says that the Bulgarians are obdurate, and declare that war is preferable to acceding to the request concerning the revictualling of Adrianople. ALBANIAN AUTONOMY.

. LONDON, December 21. It is officially stated that the Great Powers have agreed to the Ambassadors' recommendation to accept autonomy for Albania, with a guarantee to Servia for her commercial access to the Adriatic. BELGRADE, December 22. . llw Bulgarian Government adhere to the recommendation of the Powers regarding Albanian autonomy, with commercial access to an Adriatic port for the Servians,

PARIS, December 22. ; (Received December 23, at 8.5 a.m.) In the Chamber of Deputies the Premier (11. Poincaire) foreshadowed Albanian autonomy under the Sultan's suzerainty and European control, with a free neutral port for Servia, and means of railway communication, which would be likewise under European control. AN IMPROVED OUTLOOK. PARIS, December 22. (Received December 23, at 8.5 a.m.) An official communiquo emphasises tho marked improvement in the international situation, and adds: "Austria, which has hitherto maintained an attitude of reserve, has decided to come into line with all the other Powers, and to urge prudence and moderation on Turkey." The document concludes by stating that the outlook for peace had made great strides during the last 48 hours. THE PROCHASKA INCIDENT. BELGRADE, December 22. (Received December 23, at 85 a.m.) The Premier (M. Pasics) expressed spontaneously to the Austro-Hungarian Minister his regret at the blunders of individual military officers in connection with tho Prochaska incident, which has now been satisfactorily closed. UNREST IN MONTENEGRO. DISSATISFACTION WITH KING NICHOLAS. LONDON, December 21. The 'Daily Chronicle's' Cettinje correspondent reports the starting of an agitation to dethrone King Nicholas. The Montenegrins' want of success is contrasted with Servian triumphs. ... In . order to restore his popularity King Nicholas assumed command of the'investing army at Scutari, but during the two months of his command the Turks were enabled to improve their position, while the Montenegrin army was reduced. The country generally is said to be in a deplorable condition. It is reported in Belgrade that King Peter i 6 considering the question of obtaining united sway in Servia and Montenegro. GREEKS STILL FIGHTING. ATHENS, December 22. The Greeks forced several difficult passes to the south-west of Pliasja, and occupied Goitza wfieTeupon the Turks fled. At Mitylene 1,700 Turkish soldiers surrendered. TURKISH CLAIMS AT JAXINA. CONSTANTINOPLE. December 22. (Received December 23, at 8.45 a.m.) The Vali of Janina reports that the sreeks were repulsed after a five days' battle. ALLEGED TURKISH CUNNING. BELGRADE, December 22. (Received December 23, at 8.45 a.m.) The newspapers state that the Turkish Envoys at thß Peace Conference are making excuses in order to gain time. They urge the Allies to force peace or to resume hostilities immediately. MOSLEM GREETINGS. ATHENS, December 22. (Received December 23. at 8.45 a.m.) The Moslems at Fiorina presented a loyal address to Prince Nicholas, the military governor of the Salonica district, on the occasion of his name day. GERMAN PRESS SATISFIED. BERLIN, December 22. (Received December 23, at 8.45 a.m.) The newspapers are gratified with the results of Sir E. Greys' initiative at the Peace Conference. HONORING GLADSTONE'S MEMORY. LONDON, December 22. (Received December 25, at 8.45 a.m.) The Balkan delegates to the Peace Conference have decided to place wreaths on all the Gladstone monuments, as a tribute of their gratitude for his great and faithful friendship for their country. FRANCE'S POLICY. PARIS, December 22. (Received December 23, at 9.10 a.m.) Speaking alternately in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the Premier said he hoped for an early settlement of the Balkan trouble, but i"f war resulted, then France would offer her mediation. He anticipated that when the agreement was signed peace would rest on a solid basis. The Balkan Allies rose in the name of Justice and Liberty, and were bespeaking France's good-will in judging their work. Turkey, however, would retain a considerable empire, enabling her to continue fruitful relations with France.

PRAYERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE WAR.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, in a recent issue of his 'Diocesan Gazette,' writes: "The terrible conflict now raging in Eastern Europe, under conditions -which, seem to enhance the inevitable horrors of war, cannot but be constantly in the mind of every thoughtful Christian man and woman. At euch an hour, and in face of the apparent impotence, for the time at least, of diplomatic effort, we can a t least fall to prayer. I hope that the clergy throughout the diocese will, in their conduct of divine service, take care that the thoughts and prayers of every congregation are specially bidden thereto. Let the Collect for the fifth Sunday after Trinity be everywhere used, with direct reference to the present hour.- A special interest belongs to it if it be true that it took shape m the troublous years of Attila's invasion, in the fourth centurv of our era. Whether that fee so or, not, no words more

appropriate could be devised. Again, when the Litany is said, it'is of real rise to the congregation that, to arrest attentoin, a pause be made in connection with this petition: 'That it may please Thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord.' Such prayers from our own prayer book furnish us, as it seems to me. with exactly what we want in church. For use elsewhere than in our appointed services in church, I suggest such a prayer as the following, which is taken from a well-known book of devotion:—'o Lord Gcd Almighty, who from Thy throne dost behold all the dwellers upon earth, look down with pity upon those on whom have fallen the miseries of war. Have compassion on the wounded and the dying; comfort the broken-hearted; assuage the strife of the nations • make wars to cease; give peace in our time, 0 Lord. We ask it in the name of Him who is the Prince of Peace, Thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.'" WHY GO TO THE ADRIATIC! "Why does Servia want a port of her own on the Adriatic?" The ' Daily News' makes this reply: Because she wants, and has long wanted, to run a railway from the Servia she has long controlled through the old Servia she has just reconquered down to the sea—a railway which will connect up and find an outlet- on the Adriatic. That is the shortest route from Servia to the sea; it is the route which will open up most Servian territory; it will bring Servia direct on to the Italian markets, the Western Mediterranean, and Northern and Western Europe. The Austrian suggestion of an iEgean port is not satisfactory to Servia because it means that the latter shall have one instead of two routes to the sea; that all her commerce shall be driven along a longer intead of a shorter railway journey; that upon the top of the longer railway it shall have a longer sea journey; and 'that her new-won territory shall be left undeveloped or deprived of-its natural outlet to the sea—the Adriatic.

The two harbors of San Giovanni de Medua and Durazzo, on the Adriatic, are the future ports of the coming Transbalkan railways, which is is admitted must form the necessary outlets of the new hie in the peninsula. Now there are not even roads. All is squalor and desolation San Giovanni de Medua—the name is noble—may be presently known as that of one of the best harbors in Albania. -Now the place with the grandiose name is only a deserted bay ami a huddle of wretched hovels. But Durrazo—that is another story, enriched bv splendid memories of the stir and fame that were before the coming of the Turk put back civilisation nearly 2,000 years. For Durazzowas Dyrraehium. On opposite sides of the Adriatic, Brindisi and Dyrrachhim were somewhat as Dover and Calais are to us. Here Cicero in exile lingered and dated his letters, in order that he miVlit be as near as possible to native land and triends. Here Pompey's fleet manoeuvred. The port became one of the pivots whereon turned the successive movements of the struggle with Ca;sar for the mastery of the world. Later, Durazzo became still more important-. Albania is almost as untraversible now. But after Constantinople was built the Via Egnatia ran through the Balkans to the Bosphorus. Beginning at Durazzo, it passed through Salonica. ° As the main Touto between Old Rome and New Rome, what is now chiefly a track through a brigand-ridden wilderness was the most crowded road of all civilisation. —'Pall Mall Gazette.'

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS,

The following cable messages have been published by the Sydney 'Sun':— The Berlin Press state that fear of war arising out of Balkan complications has greatlv increased the number of emigrants from Germany. In November 22,000 per sons ]eft Bremen for foreign countries, and the total to date this year is 190 000 —an increase of 30,000 on the same period last }-ear.

A Rothschild syndicate is financing a loan to Austria. The Government are paymg 6* per cent, on their borrowings. Cholera is increasing in Constantinople amongst the civilians, and 250 cases are being reported daily. The disease is now in a less virulent form than at tho beginning of the outbreak, but it still persists owing to tho contamination of the water supply. Orders have been placed with theCreusot works by the French Government for the supply of 80 of the new typo of light gu " S Ar I y are to be read y in Jti] yMy honest impression now is that, as .he xesu t of this war, Germany will be obligee, t to remodel her artillery* - and her system. This admission was made bv a German artillery officer with the Turkish * T J?y tojha special correspondent of the . Daily News. '■ Ido not want to be unjust, and I am aware that the Turkish artillery was badly served, and, indeed I myselt saw_ Turkish guns that came out ot action with the covers still on and iust as clean as they went in, but Krnpp guns can fire, neither so fast nor with anything resembling the accuracy of those deadly Greusots.

Never has it been more clearly demonstrated, eays Mr M. H. Donohue, that every army moves and fights on its belly. 11 there is no food there can be no n<dit lo tho entreaties of the religious chiefs to rise up and exterminate the infidel invaders Abdulla s soldiers invariably make answer : " First give us bread." The Russian aviator Efimoff, who was engaged by the Bulgarian military authorities to carry out reconnaisance work at Mustapha Pasha and Adrianople, had an exciting experience. Ho new over Adrianople where he threw down a despatch demanding that all the Bulgarian inhabitants should be allowed to depart. After doing this he continued his flight over the city at a height of 1,300 metres, until he reached Fort Karagash, where a number of Turkish infantrymen began to shoot at him. Four bullets hit the planes of his machine, and immediately after the forts opened fire. The aeroplane was struck many times with splinters of shrapnel. M. Efimoff feared that the machine would fall, and drew his revolver with the intention of shooting himself in the event of falling into tho enemy's hands, fortunately, however, the err-ine was not struck, and tho places continuing to pei'torrn their work, the aviator at thl end of 20 minutes was able to make a safe descent at Mustapha Parta.