MONTENEGRIN NEGOTIATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9256, 25 January 1916, Page 5

MONTENEGRIN NEGOTIATIONS

PREMIER GIVES AW EXPLANATION TIME GAINED TO SAVE THE ARMY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, ( ROME, January 23. The Montenegrin Premier’s communique, explaining the Montenegrin mystery, says;—An exchange of communications with the Austrian Army became necessary after the fall of Mount Lovchen and Cetinje. The negotiations and the suspension of . hostilities , had the sole objects of giving time to assure the retreat of the Montenegrins and their evacuation towards Podgoritza and Scutari, and also avoided the other Montenegrin forces being imSeded on distant fronts, and gave time for the Serbians to reach Alessio and iurazzo. Thus Austria was delayed at least a week. The Montenegrins, under General Vukovics, continue to struggle with the enemy, with .the object- of joining the Serbian Army. LYONS, January 23. Press correspondents state that the loss of Mount Lovchen was due exclusively to want of food and munitions, Austrian uubmarines having blown up the transports. The negotiations for am armistice enabled King Nicholas to organise, a final resistance. ' • . ITALIAN PRESS SOUNDS A WARNING AUSTRIANS INSIST THAT MONTENEGRINS HAVE SURRENDERED M/ ■ — - ( ■ ■ ■ ROME, January 23. The Montenegrin Consul-General confirms King Nicholas’s arrival with Prince Peter at Brindisi. They will join the Queen and Princesses at Lyons. Prince Mirko, with three members of the Government, remains organising the defences. “Times” and Sydney ‘’Sun” Services. LONDON, January 22. The Italian press advises caution in accepting the Montenegrin assertions. It points to the extreme smallness of the casualties at Lovchen, and asserts that King Nicholas has not yet given proof of his actual intentions. Vienna is officially silent, but unofficially, claims an ultimate success. The pro-Austrian party in Montenegro suggests that Montenegro and Serbia be a joint kingdom under King Nicholas. The various European capitals describe the Auatro-German attempts to raise up a pro-Austrian party in Serbia. AUSTRIANS ADMIT SOME “DIFFICULTIES.” By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. AMSTERDAM, January 23. The “Koelnisohe Volk Zeitung” says that owing to the Montenegrin Ministers quitting Cetinje Austria cannot negotiate with them. Austria has ordered all arms to he 'surrendered within thirty-six hours, otherwise the military will take steps. _ The “Frankfurter Zeitung’’ admits that some difficulties have, arisen over the negotiations. . . Other journals are gently breaking the news of their collapse. Austria professes to regard the. Montenegrin surrender as a fact, and has notified the Montenegrin commanders that the Austrians have begun to march to the interior to disarm troops as a preliminary to further peace negotiations, and threatens penalties to those who resist. The “Cologne Gazette,” which recently haughtily commented on England’s efforts to starve an Empire stretching from Arras .to Bagdad, says:— “The King of Montenegro wul find a means .of - compelling his rebellious soldiers to acquiesce to the surrender ” _ 1 .The “Gazette” adds: “An effectual auxiliary is starvation, however modest the Montenegrin claims in the matter of food.” PEACE NEGOTIATIONS'DENIED. “Tltnee” and Sydney “Sun” Services. (Received January 24, 5.5 p.m.) ! LONDON, January S 3. The Montenegrin Consul-General at Rome states that there never have been any peace negotiations with Austria. _He emphaticaly denies the story of the army’s capitulation, characterising rt as a lie. THE CROWNING DISASTER. (Received January 24, 9.5 p.m.) ROME, January 23. The sinking of the Italian steamer Brindisi, which with the Cittadi Palermo was torpedoed or mined in the Adriatic a fortnight ago, was the crowning disaster for Montenegro. The vessel was the Montenegrins’ last hope. She was carrying a million francs in gold and much food" and ammunition.- Her arrival would have saved Lovchen. All her American passengers and 400 Montenegrins were lost.