Kingly Claims.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9, 10 January 1914, Page 5

Kingly Claims.

THE ALBANIAN THRONE.

IZZET BEY’S CANDIDATURE.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association ) Vienna, January 8.

The Nieue hVfcie Pressc’s Constantinople- correspondent asserts that Essad Pasha is privy to Izzet Bey’s proclamation. Essad Pasha, acting in conjunction with the Young Turk Committee, which has not abandoned the idea of Turkish sovereignty in Albania.

Izzct Bey emphatically denies the whole story.

Constantinople official circles deny knowledge, of the proclamation stating that Izzet Bey is. Prince of Albania, Izzet Bey,, they say retired from the War Office because he was opposed to lowering the age for army promotions, to permit of the advancement of young officers trained in Europe. ;

A SCHEME THAT FAILED. Home, January 9. Ismail Ke'mal denies any intercourse with T/.zet Bey. The independent existence of( Albania, he said, rested with the Great Powers. Three hundred and eighty Turkish officers and soldiers, who embarked at Constantinople to participate in the coup d’etat in Albania, have arrived at Trieste. Owing to the objections of the Albanian provisional government, the captain of the steamier refused to land the soldiers at Valonia.

HATCHING A PLOT. (Received 8.0 a.m.) Constantinople, January 9. I'Azet Pasha denied any complicity in the Albanian plot, but circumstances suggest Ottoman prompting, as if successful he .would be able to boast that he placed a Moslem prince on the throne; while in case of failure he would be none the worse oil. A further detachment of Turkish soldiers and officers in mufti landed in Avlona, but were arrested and sent to Trieste.

PRINCE OF WIED’S CLAIM. London, January 9. The Prince of Wied’s ascension oi the Albanian throne is considered doubtful.

Prince William of Wied lias* been chosen by the Powers to ascend the throne of Albania as its first sovereign ruler. There were many rival cahdi- • datqs, native and foreign, but the selection of Prince William was from the first a foregone conclusion. Apart from bis personal qualities, he possessed one great advantage over the others: he was an Evangelical Protestant, and could be relied upon to hold the balance*even as between the three religions, Moslem, Greek Orthodox, and Roman Catholic, which claim the allegiance of the Albanians. What this moans in the Balkans is known to everybody. In addition the house of Wied has for centuries been celebrated for its traditions of religions tolerance. Hermann of Wied, the Archbishop of Cologne, was one of the first to extend his protection to the, persecuted followers of Luther, and Prince Alexander of Wied turned his residence, Xemvied, into a veritable harbor of refuge for all creeds. Catholics and Protestants, Jews and Menuonites, Orthodox and sectarians, all found hospitality under the shadow of Neuwied Castle, and lived side Inside in perfect amity. Those traditions could not be ignored by the Powders when seeking a prince to rule over Albania. Detachment from the rival Albanian religions and perfect tolerance in all matters of faith—those were credentials of the very best kind in the particular circumstances obtaining. But there were other advantages. The Wiods are of an ancient stock, which gave Germany illustrious namesin various domains.