The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-28
FACTS ABOUT MONTENEGRO.
The Principally Beginning to Develop
"a Foreign Trade.


Within the last two years British goods
have made their way to Montenegro. and
a small export trade to Malta and Great
Britain has arisen. The area OF the prln-
cipality Is about $3.50 square milesN the
popula ton about 100000: the greatest
length from north TO south about 100 miles
and the greatest breath about 80 miles. A
large part is uncultivated; there is an al
most total absence OF roads. though.
thanks TO Austrian engineers. roads are
made between the chief centers.
A little steamer belonging 10 the Anglo
Montenegrn Trading Company plies on
the lake of Scutari, between the Montene-
grin port of Rieka and the Turkish tom
OF Scutari. a distance OF twenty-five miles.
There is single diligence In the country.
carrying the mail from Cattaro 10 Cettigne
and subsidized by the Austrian govern
ment. 1t conveys four passengers, and
the director OF posts and telegraphs -
prepared an elaborate set OF regulations
for the guidance of passengers, one OF
which provides that, though the traveller
is entitled to the seat marked on his
ticket. the respect due by youth to age re-
quires that The former should always yield
the best places 10 their seniors.
Last year the maize harvest was poor
and the tobacco and wine production in
ferlor The Croatlan system of domestic
communism prevails in the ownership OF
land. and the chief crops are maize. to-
bacco, oats. potatoes. barley and buck
wheat. The wine is cultivated In two dis
triets. and the olive on the coast near An
tivarI and Dulcigno. Live stock OF all
kinds is reared. and many sheep and cat
tie are exported 10 Malta and Marseilles.
and some 10 Italy. Some cattle, also, are
struggled across the Austrian frontier, the
Austrian duty being very heavy.
The Austrian tobacco reggie purchased
the whole tobacco crop. amounting 20
about $4,000 pounds. in 1894; but the ex-
pertinent proved failure. as the experts
were not satisfied with the quality. so the
cultivators last year had large stock
left on their hands. Sufiac, a small
plant growing wild in the mountain dis
tricts, is powdered and sold in Austria and
Germany for dyeing and tanning. Hides,
skins wool. beeswax and other products
are exported Ia very small quantities The
import OF salt and petroleum is govern.
ment monopoly
Up 20 two years ago the whole trade OF
Montenegro had been in the hands OF
Trieste and Vienna merchants, through
whom British goods were imported at very
high prices: but the trading company al
ready mentioned has endeavored 20 Develop
a direct trade, and with some success.
The British imports are chiefly cotton,
piece goods and yarns The total Imports
last year amounted 70 s5725o. Of which
the British share was GtS. ie0
The difficulty in the way OF trade is that
Montenegro has no port. Dulcigno and An
tivar! being mere roadsteads. and there
fore everything has to be imported through
the Austrian port OF Cattaro. The total
revenue Is g5o.0oo 10 GTe,0c0. Austria helps
10 make and maintain the roads, and Rus
STA subsidies the schools; there are 20
hanks and no coinage. Crime il rare. and
the people are friendly 20 strangers and
especially 10 Engiishmen, on account q
the services rendered by the British fleet
az DaIciguo in fss0
The personal devotion Of all MonteDe-
er.ns 70 their prince Is extreme. The re-
tail traders of the priBcipaisty are, as
rule, Christians from Albanis, HeTzogo-
vtna and Novt Bazaar, while the skilled
worknen are from italy. Dalmatia AMI
Trieste. the Montenegrins themselves look
ing on arms ~ the only occupation worthy
OF mans attention.