The Star. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1913. THE ALBANIAN THRONE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10755, 29 April 1913, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1913. THE ALBANIAN THRONE.

There lias been sad and serious work in tlio Balkan Peninsula of late, but at last there is a prospect of tragedy giving way to comedy. The Powers, naturally/will want to nominate a respectable and trustworthy ruler for the new Albania, but they have been forestalled by the very capable soldier who has held out so long at Scutari. Essad Pasha's name has never been considered in this connection, but itis safe to say that it will have to be considered very seriously now. He appears to have strengthened his position pretty effectively, for he has an army of trained men behind him and he has entered into a sort of compact with Montenegro with regard to the future spheres of Montenegro and Albania. That ho will be under Austrian influence is unlikely, although it has been asserted that on tlio outbreak of hostilities the Austrian authorities gave him a good deal of useful assistance in secret. There are j plenty of aspirants to the new throne. The most favoured foreigner is Prince Harald of Denmark, but of course, his claim will not be pushed personally. Of the natives the most active is Juan Aladro Kastriota. He is called a native Albanian but is really a Spaniard, who traces his descent from a daughter of Skanderberg, the great Albanian patriot, Kastriota. preferred his claim first ten years ago, when an Italian committee, pitting in Pome,, was supposed to be fostering Albanian interests. This committee accepted Kastriota as the rightful claimant, and during the last decade it has furnished him with a good deal of money for propaganda work of a kind. No one has taken the matter at all seriously, but Kastriota has now a certain following, and he is said to have been particularly energetic during the war. But there are two other descendants of Skanderberg in the field, both of them Neapolitans. There is Giovanni Castricta Scanderbeck, Marquis of Auletta, and his cousin, the Baron of Fossaceca. Then there are claimants descended from the Greek Paleologi and the Roumanian Ghika, The Ghikas were of Albanian origin, and at one time they were great men in the Koprili district. The descendants of the Paleologi, the Empci-ors of the East who lost Constantinople to the Turks, have followers, but they are apparently not ready to push their claims actively. Essad Pasha's most dangerous opponent is a true Albanian chief, Sali Beg, a Moslem of Herzegovina, a direct descendant of Ali Pasha, of Janina, the friend of Byron. Sali's family can depend on warm Albanian support, and Essad Pasha may have to fight Sali when the time comes for a decision. In the meantime Essad appears to control the situation, because ho is in actual possession, and he has, doubtless, assurances of Montenegrin and Servian support. Moreover, it is always possible that he surrendered on Austrian advice and that, while making terms with the Balkan allies, he has also secured a promise of Austrian support.