Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-01-31
THE WAR In MONTENEGRO

tract OF country which, though surrounded h.
the most powerful military empires of antiop;t,
uhu Oh fhooern times, has never been wholly CON
quered, and though within reach of the com
merce' the culture, and the wealth of Greece
ana Italy, have never been civiIised. The ridges
OF the Albanian mountains have been inhabifed
from time immemoriaI, by ferv and ;ndanan
dent race of highanders, whose onlv nurs,;,a :
those OF pastoral life, and whose chief nass;on
Is tile use OF arms. Their martial habits have
indeed, secured to them sort of indenendence
even under the despotism of the Ottoman am
pre- AS long as the Venitians held tbe coast
OF the Adriatic. several free Christian commn
miles, self governed and sefdefended, maptein.
cd close relations OF amity with the republ;c of
81. Maf.s. 1t was not till a much later period
that the interesting little States of Suli and par
ga sank under the barbarity of Ali Pasba &c
Joannina-a name which will recall to our elder
readers the interest with which this region was
regarded about thirty years ago. The powers
winch were afterwards to recognize and estab-
ish the independence of the present kinpdom of
Greece had, in 1916. consigned these small
states to destruction; aud, in succeeding to the
commons OF Venice,5on the Dalamtian coast
Austria iorsook the cause of those Christian com.
munitles, which had been upheld for ages
against the Turk.
somewhat more to the north, in the recessea
OF toe mountains included between the Pashalic
OF ocntarI. the Herzegovina and the Austrian
frontier Mt the Bocca di Cattaro, there still re-
mains one OF the most Independent and most
wafilke oil these mountain clans. The district of
Montenegro for it is to that we refer) does not
exceed nifty miles in length by thirty in breadth.
Its mountains are darkened with pine Forests
The country is i'll adapted for agricultural purno-
ses wild and destitute of roads. The inhabi-
tants are armed shepherds, living with their
llocks ready for plumber; delighting in war
they are pure Slovenian race retaining their
pflnitWe manners, protesting for tho most part
the faith OF the Greek church, and governed tn
the present day by their own ratriarchal insttu-
ions. The curt OF Russia has more than once
testified strong interest ia this singular neon,,
and has addressed friendly communications to
their Wladika, or chief, under the pretext of
their common relig ion. The most important fa
mlly OF the country seems to be that of Petro-
vitsch, one of whom, Peter Petroytsch. exer
cised great authority, in the tribe from 1870 to
1880. and his descendants CURE in the recent oc.
currences which now attract our attention to this
subject. Attacks have frequently been made ON
Montenegro In earlier times, by the Turkish Pa
shas OF Scutari. but in vain; and since 1897, the
very year in which the republic of Venice was
overthrown the complete Independence of tho
tribe has been admitted by the Porte. The
strength OF the native population may amount 10
about 10000 warriors, for every man is practised
in the use OF arms but besides the actual popu-
latlon OF Montenegro properly called, con-.
siderable number OF families of the same race
have gradually settled in the neighbourine Tur-
klsh provinces OF Bosnia, the Herzegovina, and
Scutari, who retain connection with their
klnsmen aud their birth place, and may possibly
extend over much wider field the hostilities
which have broken out in Montenegro
We are not in possession of any clear and GER
tain account OF the origin of this contest; but we
are informed by the German papers that con-
siderable expedition against Montenegro was al
ready in preparation by the Porte, when the
mounnineefs, becoming aware of their danger,
pounced Oh the disnantled fort of Zabliak, drove
out the feeble Turkish garrison, left 1900 Of their
own men in the place, and so began the war;
1t can hardly be supposed that these highland
shepherds, who have no artillery, and but little
of the material of war, would thus have brayed
the military power of Turkey without very
strong motives or approximations. Certain it is,
that within short time of this occurrence, and.
indeed before it could be known at Constantine
pie, the Porte has proceeded to put in motion
forces, both by sea and land, which seem strange.
y out of proportion to the enemy they are to
encounter squadron of Turkish men-of-war,
said to be commanded by the Captain Pusha in
person, has entered the Adratc, and blockade
of the Albanian coast is established from Dulcq-
no to the Austrian frontier This is, however,
singular measure for the coast ,l ,;sa,f i CANA
is Turkish territory Montenegro ise'i rs sePa
rated nv a small strip of land from the sea; ana
on the West it is contiguous to the Austrian ter
ritorv. where of course, the Turks can exercise
10 direct control. The Austrian government
Is, however, also taken measures to prevent the
tsnoe of warke stores. BY land, the pre-
Ph.ions of the Porte are still more CONSIDERABLE
Lar, bodies of regular and irregular troops
are So to he concentrated in the HerzegowiGe,
anu Isl il Pasha is at Mostar, prepared TO march
southwas mon Stolatz and Gatzko. The Pasha
OF Scutafi Omar Pasha, who passes for one OF
the best gei~als in the Turkish army, was to
operate on . other side of the territory OF
Montenegro; upon his first attack ne is SAID
TO nave been SCI rely handled by the enemy.
and to have lost co. men. All these particulars
are, however, still 'ttremely vague, and we
must wait tor more anAentic statements from the
scene of action.
But 1t is easy to perceive, that whatever be the
immediate result of this contest, it is calculated
20 raise political questions9t n serious character
We are informed that the .ffer of mediation al
ready made by the Emperor of Russia is rejec
ted by the Porte, on the ground that the Sultan
is resolved to enforce his rights against Montene-
go. This may be the language OF the fauatcal
party which has unfortunately obtained tempo
rary asceudaney ia the Divau, but in reality the
| alleged rights Of the Sultan on Montenegro have
no existence ut all and least of all can they now
be suddenly and perenptoriIy enforced in the pre-
sent condition of Turkey and OF Europe. 1t is
: by no means Improbable that the movement of
which Montenegro is at present the centre, has
much wider iamications, and shall not be
surprised to learn that more extensive insur-
rectiou has be en- kinded in the Turkish provin