THE BALKAN STATES

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 15

THE BALKAN STATES

ALBANIAN DISAFFECTION. PROBABLE INVASION BY TURKEY. A DESPERATE FIGHT. LONDON, May 4. Advices have been received stating that the pursuit of the Salonica Bulgarians was continued. Thirty of them, refusing to surrender, were shot dead. Many of the bomb-throwers were disguised as women and monks. The Times' correspondent states that he heard on Tuesday last that the Turkish authorities were aware of the plot, and that they were negligent or deliberately inactive. The Times declares that the Turkish inaction was deliberately calculated, and was at least equally wicked, but at the same time more intelligent than -"the action of the revolutionary committees. Turkey, not Macedonia, is the real gainer by Wednesday's crime. It issemi-officially reported in Vienna that the Powers will not restrain, the Porte in any efforts to suppress the revolutionary bands. The presence of European, squadrons at Salonica is a warning to Bulgarians that outrage will not be tolerated. Russia is preparing a scheme of pacification for Macedonia under the superintendence of the European Commissioners. Sanguinary encounters are of daily occurrence between Turkish troops and Macedonian bands. May 6. The Times' Sofia correspondent states that Turkey, in a note to Bulgaria, refers to the exportation of Bulgarian explosives and incursions into Macedonia. Bulgaria objected to the strong language of the note, which was not formally accepted. This protest will necessitate an equally strong reply. Pourparlers are proceeding. The Standard's Constantinople correspondent says there is an impression that Russia is driving- Turkey into an imbroglio with Bulgaria. Other advices state that Great Britain, France, and Italy have notified the Porte that indemnities have been claimed by subjects suffering by the Salonica disturbance. Charges of dynamite laid between the Ottoman Bank and the Post Office in Salonica were discovered on Wednesday, with batteries in working order. The wires broke, otherwise the foreign quarter would have been exploded. It is reported at Pesth that 400 carriages on the Klausenburg-Kronstaadt railway have been ordered to be in readiness for the conveyance of troops. Two officers of the general staff arrived at Klausenburg; one proceeded to Prideal, on the Roumanian frontier. Turkish battalions at Okrida encountered a strong body of revolutionaries. A hundred soldiers were killed ; ten officers were killed and six wounded; and 70 revolutionaries were killed and 21 woundc i. May 7. A fight occurred at Baintza, near Seres, one of the principal towns of Roumalia, north-west of Salonica. Sixty Bulgarians, including Deltzeuff (their leader) were killed. The Turkish casualties were eight. Thirty houses were burnt. The Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung says that Turkey has resolved to take extraordinary measures in Macedonia. May 9. The Times states that the Sultan of Turkey has -withdrawn the recent Note to which Bulgaria objected. Prince Ferdinand is said to be suffering from a bad throat. Other advices ?..ssert that a Macedonian pamphlet accuses him of betraying the national ideals, and threatens him. PARIS, May 7. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is on pleasure bent in Paris. CONSTANTINOPLE, May 5. There are signs of disaffection in every Asiatic battalion in Albania on learning that they are to be employed on behalf of the Christian cause and against Mussulmen. Hilmi Pasha, by means of specious promises of brilliant employment, is trying to induce the Albanian leaders to go to Constantinople. He has arrested 20 Albanian boys at Prisrend to send to Constantinople. A bomb factory has been discovered in a house in Salonica, kept by an Italian woman. The five inmates resisted search, and threw bombs at the searchers. Two of the inmates were killed, two committed suicide, and one was capt-ved. Thirteen Bulgarians defended another house in Salonica against a search party. They were all killed. The German warship !Loreley, at Constantinople, has been ordered to Salonica. The number of Bulgarians killed at Salonica was below 100. A man disguised as a Turkish priest yesterday tried to throw a bomb into the telegraph office. He was c&Dtured and executed.

Stores of dynamite have been discovered at Uskub, where a Bulgarian was arrested for firing the steamer Guadelquiver at Salonica on Tuesday^ and endangering 150 passengers. May 7, Turkey insists upon the withdrawal o( Bulgarian bishops, from Macedonia, and the recall of the Bulgarian commercial agents from Monastir. The latter ara accused of complicity in the revolution. Bulgaria has appealed to Russia la induce the Porte to modify its minatory note. While Austro-Russian influence dissuades the Sultan from aggressive measures in Bulgaria, it is suspected that Germany is prompting his policy and action. May 8. Omer Pasha is marching on Ipek. Other troops are traversing Salonica and Verisovitch. Troops at Mcnastir intercepted a Bulgarian band attempting to esplode a powder magazine. A fight ensued in the street, several being killed and wounded. Two Bulgarians at Prishtina have been arrested on a charge of attempting to murder the Russian Consul at Mitro-< vitza. A French naval division has been ordered to Salonica. Consular reports represent Bulgaria itself as a huge Macedonian insurrection committee. It is reported that the Sultan has decided to invade Bulgaria if similar outrages to those in Salonica are repeated. It is also reported here that Count Zenovieff, the Russian Ambassador, has warned the Sultan that in the event of a conflict neither party need hope to secure any ultimate benefit. May 10. A desperate fight -near Veles is reported. A band of Bulgarians were surrounded. They lost 42 in killed and wounded. The survivors ecaped during the night, throwing a collection of bombs among their opponents, which inflicted great losses on the Turks. News to hand by the San Francisco mail steamer shows- that the Albanians have scornfully rejected all overtures made by the Sultan. Russia and Austria are getting impatient at the half measures adopted by Turkey, and are demanding a greater display of energy in dealing with Bulgaria. The Kaiser's attitude may bo gathered from a Statement in the Turkish official newspaper Ikdam to the effect that the German Government has instructed the : Mauser Ammunition Factory to give precedence to Turkish orders over German army orders. It is stated that no reforms, good or bad, will bo properly carried out by the Turks. The substitution of the "European Concert" for the Austro-Russian backing would result in, "confusion worse confounded." The "concert" would fall to pieces in no time. The Macedonian Committee is still carrying cub its well-lonown policy : secretly arming adherents and exhorting contributions front all. On April 18 a cablegram emanating from Constantinople stated that the Porte was equipping an army of 25,000 for Monastir. The Bulgarian bishops say the people are determined to throw off the yoke of Turkish rule, and profess to be unable to check them.