Article: The Balkans and the Peace of Europe
THE BALKANS AND THE PEACE OF EUROPE
thought out, and military genius shown in the thorough preparations for war. On the eighth of October Montenegro declared war on Turkey. By the seventeenth all four armies were in the field, each with an objective nearest its own boundary. The Greeks, with fleet and land forces moved on [[../Salonica|Saloniki]] and Janina. The Bulgarians marched toward Adrianople, “jewel of the Orient,” and the old Moslem capital. The Servians attacked Novi Bazar and protected the rear of the 40,000 Montenegrins who besieged Scutari. This was the Turkish stronghold perched on the rocks above the old Servian port on the Adriatic.
The allies were warned by the powers that they would not be allowed to keep any conquered territory. But a series of swift victories paralyzed Turkish resistance and obliged the powers to change their tone. France proposed to let the Balkan States divide Turkish territory in Europe, leaving to Turkey only Constantinople and a strip of seacoast. These terms were accepted at the peace conference in London, late in January, but were repudiated by an overthrow of the Turkish government. War was renewed in February. Adrianople and Janina fell in March. Scutari was captured in April. Montenegro and Servia, however, were robbed of the fruits of this victory. Austria had demanded that this seaport should become a part of the newly created State of Albania. Some color of justice was given to this demand by the fact that the Albanians too have struggled for freedom for centuries. The other powers agreed, in the interests of European peace. By the terms as finally concluded, Turkey loses 60,000 square miles and has only about 5,000 square miles left in Europe. Montenegro and Servia submitted to overwhelming force again, as in 1878. But here is a seed of discontent that may germi-
Image: MONTENEGRIN MOUNTAIN CHIEFS IN PROCESSION, PRECEDED BY CRIER
Image: TURKISH CAVALRY ON THE MARCH
Image: MONTENEGRINS IN CAMP
