The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-27

country which, though surrounded by the mos. pow
erul military empires OF antiquity and OF modern
times has never bean wholly conquered, ana thougn
within reach of the commerce. the culture, and the
wealth of Greece AID Italy, has never been cgilised
The ridges of the Albanian mountains have been IN
| habited from time hmmem0ral, by fiery and inde-
pendent race OF highAnders, whose only pur-
| suits are those of pastoral life, and whose
| chief passion is the use OF arms Their martial
habits have indeed, secured 70 them sort Of indie
pendence, even under the despotism OF the OF
| toman empire. As long az the Venitans held the
coast OF the Adratic, several free Christian commu-
mites, sefgoverned and self-defended, maintained
close relations of amity with the republic OF st.
Marks Ii was not till a much later period that the
interesting little States Of Suli and Parga sank
under the barharty of Ali Pasha, of Joanninaa
name which will recall TO our elder readers the m
terest with which this region was regarded about
thirty years ago. The powers which were afterwards
TO recognize and establish the independence OF the
present kingdom Of Greece had, in 1915, consigned
these small States to destruction; and in succeeding
Austria forsook the of those Christian commu-
mites, which had been upheld for ages against the
/ Turk.
Somewhat more to the north, in the recesses ofthe
mountains included be the Pashalic OF Scutari
/ the Herzegovina, and the Austrian frontier at the
Bocca di CattarO there still remains one Of the most
Independent and the most warike OF these mountain
clans The district Of Montenegro or II " to that
we refer) does not exceed fifty miles in length by
thirty in breadth. Its mountains are darkened with
pine forests. The country is i'll adapted Tor agrcni-
| tural purposes, wild, and destitute OF roads, The
inhabitants are armed shepherds, living with their
| flocks ready for plumber; delghting in war. They
are pure Slovenian race, retaining their primitive
manners protesting for the most part the faith OF The
| Greek church, and governed to the present day ny
their patrarchal institutions The court OF Russia
has more than once testified strong interest in this
singular people, and has addressed friendly communi-
cations to their Wadika chief under the pretext OF
their common religion. The most important family
Of the country seems to be that Of Petrovitsch
Of whom, Peter Petrovtsch, exercised great autho-
nty in the tribe from ITO to 1880, and his descend
ants figure in the recent occurrences which now at
tract our attention to this subject. Attacks have
frequently been made on Montenegro in eariertmes,
by the Turkish Pashas Of Scutari, but in vain; and
since 1897, the very year in which the republic OF
Venice was overthrown, the complete independence
of the tribe has been admitted by the Porte. The
strength OF the native population may amount 20
about 20 600 warriors for every man IL practised IN
the OF arms but besides the actual population OF
Montenegro, properly SO called, considerable num-
! her of families Of the same race have gradually
| settled in the neghborng Turkish provinces OF
| Bosnia, the Herzegovina, and Scutarl, who retain
near connection with their kinsmen and their birth
! place. and may possibly extend over much wider
field the hostilties which have broken out in Monte
negro.
We are not vet in possession Of any clear and
tain account Of the origin Of this contests but we are
informed by the German papers that considerable
expedition against Montenegro was already in pre-
paration by the Porte, when the mountaneers, be-
coming aware of their danger, ponnced on the dis
manted fcrt OF Zabak, drove out the feeble Turkish
garrison, left l2O0 OF their own men Ia the place,
and began the war. 1t can hardly be supposed
that these highland shepherds who have artillery
and but little Of the material Of war; would thus have
braved the military power Of Turkey without very
strong motives apprehensions. Certain IT s, that
within short time of this occurrence and indeed,
before it could be known at Consantnope, the Porte
has proceeded to put in motion forces both by sea
and land, which seem strangely out Of proportion to
the enemy they to encounter, squadron OF Turk
sh men-ofwar, said to be commanded by the Captain
Pasha in person. entered the Adratc and block
ade the Albanian coast is established from Duicgno
to the Austrian frontier. This is, however singular
measure, for the coast thus blockaded is Turkish
territory. Montenegro itself is separated by small
strip OF land from the and the west it is con-
tiguous to the Austrian territory where of course,
the Turks exercise direct control. The Aus
trian government has, however, also taken measures
to prevent the passage of warlke stores. BY land,
the preparations Of the Porte still more cOnsidera
BILE Large bodies Of regular and irregular troops
said to be concentrated in the Herzegovina and Is
mail Pasha is at Mostar, prepared to march south
wards upon Stolatz and Gatzko The Pasha OF Sou
tart, Omar Pasha, who passes for one of the best
generals in the Turkish army, was to operate on the
other side Of the territory Of Montenegro; but upon
his first attack he is said to have been sevesely
handled by the enemy, and to have lost 600 men.
AL these particulars are, however, still extremely
vague, and we must wait for more authentic state
nents from the scene Of action.
But it il easy to perceive that whatever be the i'm
mediate result of this contest it is calculated to raise
political questions Of serious character. We are
informed that the offer of mediation already made by
the Emperor of Russia is rejected by the Porte on
the ground that the Sultan is resolved to enforce his
rights against Montenegro. This may be the Ian
guage OF the anatical party which has unfortunately
obtained temporary ascendancy IN the Dlvan, but
in reality the alleged rights Of the Sultan on Mon
tenegro have existence at ALL and least Of all eau
they now be suddenly and peremptorily enforced IN
the present condition Of Turkey and Of Europe. II Is
by no means improbable that the movement of which
Montenegro is at present the centre has much wider
w re
that extensive instruction has been kndled in
the Turkish provinces The Kayaks indeed, are
SO devoid Of the spirit the means OF resistance
TO the oppression which crashes them, that they
will be the victims Of these disturbances, whatever
may be their result; but the mountain tribes, Of
whom part profess the Christian faith, are not to
be attacked and subdued with the same impunity.
The political interest of these occurrences is fur
| Their increased by the different views which may
be taken Of them by the European powers. Will
the Russian government offer no opposition to
measures taken evidently without its concurrence,
and in direct hostility to class Of Christian sub
iects Of the Porte, in whom Russia has long pro-
iessed an especial INTEREST," Will France stand
entirely aloof from events affecting the general
policy Of the East. and interesting to herself from
their proximity 70 a region which once formed part
Of the French Empire? What policy will Austria,
Immediately contiguous to the scene of these occur
rences, be disposed to pursue? II is premature 10
offer any answer to these questions and we have yet
much 10 learn az to the trne nature and extent OF the
movement But an opinion undoubtedly prevails in
the east Of Europe, that the Turkish domnions TO
the south OF the Danube ara likely to become the
Of important events and there is reason to fear
that the present ministers of the Sultan are men
whose only strength lies in their old Turkish violence,
which if let loose upon the Christian population Of
those provinces, might re-enact utterly intoe
Fable TO the present state of public feeling in Flu
rope. The world hss made progress in the last
thirty years, though the old Turkish party may have
remained stationary and atrocities like those perpe
trsted by Ibrahim Pasha in the Morea or Ali Pacha
in Albania, would not be endured by Chiistendom.
Fngiand.
In the political world there ~ nothing 3stir, II
except the contested election between Mr.. Gladstone
and Mr.. Perceva for the representation in Paria-
ment, OF Oxford University. The poll will be kept
open for some days, and in the meantime the race Is
"Deck-andneck.'
The G0sdtc contains a notice from Lord John
Russell, that the British government has received