THE BALKAN MENACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3606, 20 August 1912, Page 5

THE BALKAN MENACE.

ALL THE STATES ARMING.

FRIGHTFUL MASSACRE BY MO* HAMM EDAMS. CHRISTIANS’ RETALIATION. TWO VILLAGES SEEZEB. FIGHTING DAY AND NIGHT. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT) CETTINJE, Aug. 18.. Mohammedan Arnauts massacred Christian women and children at Ber-a-na. and carried eff t-lie maiden captives. . . . The Christians retaliated hy seizing two villages, and razing three Turkish blockhouses to the ground. Fighting is going on day and night. The Turks threaten to exterminate the -whole Servian _ Christian population in B c-ran.a district. Contrary to promises, the Albanians, defying their chiefs, entered pillaged the town and released the prisoners. TERRIBLE STORIES, ■SUPPOSED ATTEMPT TO LIBERATE EN-SULTAN-THOUSANDS OF CRIMINALS SET FREE. (.UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT] (Received Aug. 19. 10.2 d p.m .) LONDON, Aug. 19. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Const-anti-nople correspondent ropoits tliat 000 Ghats, who released the criminals at Uskrub, sent- 3000 to seize Knprili and another band has gone to Salonica, it is believed, with the intention of liberating Abdul Hamid, ex-Sultan. Other telegrams, state that the Albanians demand the, restitution or arms and the impeachment of Sant Hakki’s Cabinet. . More responsible Albanian . leaders disavow the release of criminals a t skub. , , nc , Tire Government lias sent nffceen trustworthy battalions to Kuprili and Salonika. ~ The Malishoni tribes are threatening Scutari and several Christian viiBerana was set on fire bv Turkish shells. THE ITALIAN EHTANGLEMENT. efforts at peace. GERMANY LENDsIiER SUPPORT. Germany is supporting Count Berchtold (Austrian foreign blnustc in his efforts to secure peace between Italy and Turkey by arranging a conference of the Powers. ! STORM MUST SOON BURST- ! DIPLOMATS ALARMED. W VR CONSIDERED UNAYOID- ' ABLE. [INDEPENDENT PRESS CABLE.] LONDON, Aug. 8. With international revolutions threatening the complete breax-un oi the Ottoman Empire, and the _ relations between Turkey and t- t i-ece strained to breaking point, lipiomaw admit that they are ihorcugm? alarmed at- the situation. Turkey, Montenegro, Bulgaria, aim Servia are all' arming, and it is ine firm belief everywhere that a- conflict is unavoidable. , . Reports from 'Constantinople Si-ate that Near Eastern affairs are reading a crisis, and that the of!Union and Progress has decide,! o summon the dissolved Chamber oi Deputies to -re-asemble m Adnanoplo. Alartial law has been -leclar-yl in Salonica. Adrianople, and Smyrna. The Constantinople eorrNWmr.dent of the “Daily Chronicle” cummers that civil war is inevitable. BELLICOSE BULGARIANSUNANIMOUS DEMAND FOR WAR. MOBILISATION OF TROOPS . ' HOURLY EXPECTED. [INDEPENDENT PE,ESS CABLE.] SOFIA, Aug. 8. Enraged beyond bounds by the reported massacres of Christians in Turkey, the Bulgarians are demanding with one voir e that war should be declared against the Moslems The order for the mobilisation of •Bulgaria’& troops is hourly -expected, ami it is believed that at last the iong-smouldering fires in the Balkans i s about to break into flame. The existence of a defensive alliance between Bulgaria and Servia is now admitted. MONTENEGRO EXASPERATED. TURKEY’S THREAT OF INVASIONFULL REPARATION WILL RE DEMANDED. [INDEPENDENT PRESS CABLE.] ROME, Aug. 8. Despatches received in Rome report that' fighting continues on the Tu rko-Montenegri n frontier. M. Popoviteh, the Montenegrin Consul in this city, says that he Pas little confidence in Hie ability pp the diplomatists to stave off a conflict. Montenegro, added the Consul, r-iS exasperated, and would insist upon

complete reparation for the threats of invasion made by Turkey. M. Popoviteh further remarked: “We have 80,00 men and excellent artillery. Every family in my country has been organised on a military principle.” MONTENEGRIN EXPANSION.. AUSTRO-GERMAM OPPOSITION. RUSSIA’S POSITION. [INDEPENDENT PRESS CABLE.] PARIS, Aug. 8. Discussing the Balkan menace a Paris paper points out that Russia is pledged by ties of blood and sympathy to support- Montenegro, but that Austria and Germany have more than once shown themselves to be irrevocably set against Montenegrin expansion at the expense of Austrian ambitions in the Adriatic.