The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-24
sssctei ce,rssposdsscs to THs Sun.

liz o8obt1 obSVSO
the adopted by the Allies to.
ward Greece prove insufficient. with
Avlona a. a base for an expedition
operating In southern Albania and Anti
VAR In the northern part Of the country
the danger Of the Austro-Germans ana
Buisarians reaching the Adriatic will. II
u believed. BE- avertsd.
sienor Orlando. the Minister OF Grace
and Justice, in his Palermo speech ad.
mitted that Ita,y's interests In the Bal
are effective and momentous. but
that Italy did mol consider them indie
pendently from the common victory OF
the present war. consequently either her
participation or non-participation In the
Balkans depends on the estimation OF
the best means toward the accomplish
ment Of the essential objective. In such
estimation. the Minister added. we are
Influenced by two reasons n senti-
mental and tho other political. namely :
all our admiration for and our entire
solidarity with the heroic Serbian people
and the ~incalcuiable Importance for Italy
Of the conditions Of the Balkan people
who are our near %neighbors across the
Adriauc.
The above passage in Sisnor Orlando's
speech needs Interpretation. as oratory
often hides the meaning Of official state
ments. In simple and palmer language
what the Minister meant was more or
less as follows: Had Italy AXE Into
account merely her Balkan interests be-
fore participating with the Allies to help
Serbia she could not hesitate. Instead
= A--L 49, ---.al-.nl- NkA AtaAaktnp
whether or not her pa rticipation would
have proved beneficial to the war In gen.
eral, and evidently there were reasons
why no Italian troops Joined the Anglo
French expedition to Salonlca- The chief
reason influencing Italy's decision Is the
fact that the war is approaching peril
ously near Italy across the Adr!atic.
Cause Of Albanian Move.
Thus Interpreted, or %paraphrased the
allusion TO Albania Is obvious. or
course II lie premature to give particulars
about ltaly's imminent action In the Bal
kans. even though It Is known with more
or less certainty that It IL bound to occur
in Albania. Tho ultimate objective OF
tho Italian expedition to Albania Is nat
urally withheld. and the strength. coin-
position And destination Of the expedi-
tionary forces. even II known, cannot be
divulEed. But 1t must be borne In mind
that Italy's interests In Albania are far
greater than those Of any other Euro
pean Power. since she holds Avlona.
which she must defend at any cost II the
theatre of the Balkan war is shifted. as
1t threatens. from Serbia and Macedonia
to Albania, The political aspect and
probable developments Of 1taly's inter-
vention in Albania can therefore safely
be examined without divulging any in
formation OF a military character con-
nected with the expedition.
1t Is practically certain that the bulk
Of the Serbian army now gradually re-
firing in a southwestern direction will
Join the Montenegrin forces operating
In the sanjak of N~ovibazar and which
are holding the line Of the river Lin
The Serbians who are defending Nitro
vita n Pristina must join the Mon
tenegrins above the pass of lpek. through
which they a retire Into Montenegro II
they fail to check the advance of the
Austro-Germans and the Bulgarians
whose objective Ia to surround the Ser
bians and compel them to accept battle
Assuming that an advance from the
Adriatic coast to Serbia Is the objec-
tive OF the Italian expedition to AL
bania. the one great drawback. apar'
from difficulties OF transportation and
landing. will be the march across tbs
country. which Is entirely mountainou
and lacks proper roads. The condition
Of the few roads In Albania. including
the Via Egratia, the ancient Roman
highway to the east. which is stu used
from Duraszo to Elbassan and Ochrida
Is such that II In almost impossible fol
any body OF troops to march from thu
coast to the interior. Mostly all thu
roads worthy Of the name are intersperse,
with bride paths. hence wheeled train,
Is impossible. There are no bridge.
over rivers and torrents. which must b.
forded. During the fall and Throughout
winter nearly all he Dad are flooded
Albanian Roads Built.
The country offers absolutely no re
sources and an expedition has therefor.
to be accompanied by considerable train!
Of supplies. which hav to be carried
on mules, When Il is considered tina
a mule under ordinary circumstance
during a march OF from six to sever
days can only carry sufficient supplies u
fodder and food for itself and It's driver
II is hardly conceivable that a militar,
expedition across Albania could be or
Eanized with any hope OF success.
The Dad problem in Albania seems
however, to have been solved in som,
mysterious way, particular RS OF whict
cannot be divulged, The Austrian pris
oners captured by the SerbIans durin,
the invasion Of Serbia last year. number
ing about 10000 men. have not been lief
In idleness, and the work assigned I,
| them consisted In road building. II IL al
| open secret that they are still hard "A
work In Albania under the supervision
of French. British and Italian engineer
and that "a a result. although the exist
ing difficulties have not been entirely re
moved. matters have considerably i'm
| proved.
The Italians In the Trentino and tn,
Carntc Alps nave improvised roads u
inaccessible mountains and succeeded 1,
placing gun on peaks nearly 10000 fee
high. There is no reason why wit
such experience they should not over
come the minor difficulties Of the Al
bantam roads. since In Italy there ar
over 100000 citizens OF Albanian orl
gin. the -A~lban!ans OF souther,