, 1880-06-09

or StambouI.' With these words the aged
speaker tore the gold facings from bis
uniform, and threw his clasps and medals
to the ground. A hundred and fifty Turk
ish officers followed his example, tore off
Fl their epaulets and medals and trod them
under foot. Hodo Bey continued Nov
we have declared ourselves Independent
of the Padishah and those Efendis In SIAM
boul, let US show ourselves to the land
as we really are. Bairaktar of the clan
Hotti, do thy duty 2 A lofty warrior
form appeared at this moment, yataghan
in3 hand, on the balcony, and with one
stroke cleft in two the pole which bore the
banner of the Crescent. Like o gigantic
bird OF prey wounded to death, the stan
dard of the Sultan fell slowly and heavily
to the ground. And now the standard
bearer unfurIed the new banner of the
nation, bearing the ruddy rampant Albani-
an lion on a red field. A frantic, { Sc
agalliemneenere %resounded from tho
assembly, and Hodo Bey gave no W, in
eloquent words, an exposition of the stu
alton. and counted the chances which his
party would have in the shortly-ensuing
conflict :-' We have weapons enough,
and hands enough to use them. We have
ammunition for years ; we are in want of
money alone, for the Albanian is brave,
but poor. Immediatelythe senior of the
Merchants Guild rose. and declared that
q synod of bankers-Pema, Bianehi, Sum
ma, Paruzva, N~icolodjaba, and others
had pronounced themselves willing to
hand over daily 500 gold napoleons to the
headquarters, for providing the soldiers
with the necessaries."
The effect of this declaration, if it is acted
on heartily, is that the Treaty of Berlin is
menaced in its efficacy at W most impor-
tant points. The cession to Montenegro
is annulIed, unless Prince Nicholas can
conquer the ceded districts at the swords
point,-a most serious and doubtful oper-
alton and the rendition of Epirus to
Greece is distinctly endangered. 1t is mott
larger Albania, which has revolted but
the seceders are powerful down to Jannl-
ma, and may protest against 6 reece as
f%iercely as against Montenegro, This, in
deed, is probably the calculation OF the
Porte, which undoubtedly famed the move
ment, and sent troops into the disputed
territory with secret orders though it is
possible, or indeed likely, that the Alban-
gan Mussulmans, never very obedient, have
gone much farther than the willy politi-
clans Of Con s~tantinople either expected or
desired. Be that as it may. 1t may be
taken as certa in that neither Greece nor
Montenegro will undertake the conquest,
if they can help it, the Albanians being
able to place 10000 men in the field,
though of course not to move an army
approaching to that number. They are
among the bfavest n en- in the world, occu-
ny q territory which is o natural fortress
and one of the finest bits OF Europe, and
might if attacked by inadequate forces,
make a terrible defence.
1t remains, therefore, if the Treaty is to
be carried out, to apply means greater
than any upon the spot, and whence are
they to be obtaired9 They do not exist at
Constantinople. Surprising the Powers to
be sincerely in accord, which, as regards
Austria, may be doubtful, and to be ready
to apply irresistible pressure to the Turkish
Government, what will be the results? The
Sultan will plead want Of money, want
of men, and dread of the Albanian Guard,
and will either. sit sullenly inactive, or send
forward troops which will either be half
hearted or openly favourable to the Alban-
ian cause. They will take months over
their work, thereby driving the Montene-