, 1880-12-18

Getting Of the chiefs in the Diora districts, and
presented to his Majesty last Thursday by two
delegates sent here for the purpose. 1t Ia to
the following efeot:-
"Sire.-We lay at the feet Of your Majesty
the assurance of our loyalty, fidelity, and dsvo.
ton, Our enemies try to calumniate us by
making your Majesty believe that we have de-
signs of separation from your glorious Empire.
We desire the progress. development, and pros.
perity of Albania, and these can be obtained
only under certain oonditlons-namsly, that
the integrity Of the country must be respected,
that the whole of Albania should be constituted
iato q single province under a governor.general
named by the Porte, aud that serious reforms,
In accordance with the demands Of civilization
and the traditions of the country, should be
introduced. Such is the wish Of all Albauians
who are ready to make all human sacrifices to
ameliorsts the sad condition of their country.
Sire, We have often addressed your Majesty,
and we have never received q reply. For
that reason we have decided to make q last
attempt, and we send this petition by two
delegates with orders TO place 1t In no hands
but those of your Majesty"
With regard to this petition, 1t was decided
by tbs meeting that If the Sultan did not
grant the demands contained in it, the chiefs
should themselves take measures to protect
the interests of the country without waiting
for assistance from the Porte. Meanwhile it
was resolved to resist oil the attempts of the
Government to take recruits for the army.
VIENNA Dec I.
AS the exchange of the territory Of Dulcigno
for that of Gusinje and PLAYA, which the Trea-
~ of Berlin has awarded to Montenegro, en-
tails a modification of the treaty stipulation,
negotiations are proceeding with d view OF
drawing up an international document In this
sense, which is to be added as an annex to the
treaty. Besides the new stipulation violating
TO the annexation of Duloigu0 to Montenegro,
this annex is also to s~tirulate the extension
of the goth Article, regulating the maritime
rights of Montenegro over Antivari and the
coast-line, and placing the maritime and sani-
tarv police in the hands Of Austria ungary
for her consent to the cession OF Dulclgno to
Montenegro. Another paragraph in this an
nrz will refer to the guarantees promised 10
the M~ussulmaus who will by the new arrange
ment fall under the rule OF Montenegro. Such
an European guarantee has been, it may be
remembered, already arranged between the
Powers, with a view Of a~llayiDg the apprehen-
sious Of the populations and Of meeting the
complaints Of the Porte about the treatment
of the Mahomedan population In Podg0rllza.
There is, indeed, as regards these latter the
disposition of the 3O;h Article Of the Treaty,
which guarantees to the Mahomedans the en-
ioyment o. their property as we'll as of their
civil and political rights. 1t appears that the
Austrian Cabinet, to whose initiative this
international guarantee for the security of
the Mahomedan population In the oeded dis
triot is chiefly due, has already taken occasion
TO draw the attention Of the Prince of Monte
negro to the necessity of giving effect to these
dispositions, and that the Prince, In return, has
assured the Austrian Cabinet that he meant to
show in the nomination OF the local authorities
for Dulcigno that be would take into consider
alton the wishes of the population. This will
now be SO much the more possible without any
dasger as the Intelligence is confirmed, from
Turkish sources, that the people of Dulcigno
are beginning to a~cquiesce in the change that
has been made, and that, with the execution of
a few Of the principal families, all those
who had left when the Montenegrins occupied
the district have returned to their homes.
~SeGpe--