The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-06
REMARKABLE DEAL
WITH MONTENEGRO
Nicholas, in Desperate Need Of
Money, Sends Crown Prince to
Paris. Where Contract Is
Made-Millions Cleared
Through Operations
in Market
BY CAPTAIN ALBERT II. TR-iPMAN.
Special Correspondence with tho Greek


Saioniki. July 5.-From a source alb
sclutely reliable have Just obtained
,he details OF perhaps the most extra
ordinary deal ever consunmated for
The starting OF war a war which is
aow on. and which has cost thousands
Of lives
Back Of the start of the Balkan War
was stockjobbing deal. Got that
the war would not have been started
without this. but it might have been
delayed for months The boom of the
first cannon in the great Balkan strug-
sic was directed b. group of fnan-
ciers. The spectators OF the Paris
Bourse were made to finance Monte
negro
In September last the enterprising
King Nicholas of Montenegro realized
other Balkan allies, his army, his hand
full of troops. must he brought up-to-
date and his cxcheaucr must be re-
plen;shed
Montenegro is poor. very poor. To
raise money In his own country was
out OF the question. Greece. Servia and
Bulgaria We're far too busy with their
own troubles 10 listen TO talk Of money
from the little kingdom
Two million was the sum asked to
put the army on a war footing, pro-
vide for a commissary and do other
things. In this emergency the crown
prince, carrying with him his fathers
blessing and siEnct ring. was sent to
Paris 10 see what could he done
Three or four reputable banking
houses were sounded. They wanted to
l. ~,
10 be given. The sentimental side of
the thing. the signet ring of monarch
and his word of honor did not tempt
them, and they turned down the appli-
cation for loan At last the famous
Franco -Prusstan fnancier Gunsbourg
came forward
Il cannot lend His Majesty $4,000
ooo.' said he hut I will enter into
business with him and share the prof
its The conditions are these. that he
declare war when | give the word. /
viii dabble in stock shares, and he
and viii share whatever profits that
result"
The crown prince put the matter up
TO the King by telegraph. and the ar
raneemcnt was made. Gunsbourc
named the 9Th of October for the dec
laration OF war King Nicholas said
he must have at least five days more
TO prepare.
IL was not necessary to begin war Sc.
riously. For his purpose a declaration
after the closing Of the stock EN-
change for the day and a demonstra-
tion in which cannon were used the
next day was all that was necessary
On these conditions the King con
scented to act and the declaration Of
war was made on October s At sun
rise the next morning the MontencGrin
guns fired a few rounds, and the news
was telceraphed around the world that
the great Balkan war had been started
by Montenegro.
Overnight, he .GuAsbourg syndicate
had sold TurkIsh, Bulgarian. Servian
and Greek bonds for all they were
worth The break came when the
news OF the opening guns was flashed
upon the world The syndicate made
more than s30cO,Ooo The next dav
the crown prince left Paris for Get
TIME with Sl5oo00o. II is on this sum
that Montenegro has subsisted ever
since
l, is an open secre, that the Bull
garian ministers Savoff and Daneff
made huge fortunes on speculation on
intimate exclusive knowledge. which
they alone possessed, but. unlike the
King of Montenegro. IL did not go into
the war chest of their country.