_N. Filipescu, ex-Minister of War, said:_
The position of the Rumanians in Hungary is not so bad after all.
Since the beginning of the general war the Rumanians of Hungary gave
proofs of their faith and devotion to Hungary.
We hoped to see this country appreciating the fact. Our belief is
strengthened every day. I am convinced that if from this war Hungary
should emerge victorious she would show less good-will toward the
Rumanians of Transylvania. It is the first time that I have expressed
in this way my opinion as a seeming threat. I hoped that the
Hungarians would in the end take to the right path. But I see that we
have nothing to hope from that side, and I only regret our former
amicable relations with Germany.
Two Balkan States--Servia and Greece--are nearer to us on account of
the recent past. But in saying this I do not mean that our relations
in the future will be less friendly. With the other States, and
especially Bulgaria, our relations might become better. This is our
sincerest desire. As for Turkey, we never ceased to be on good terms
with her, and I hope the same will hold good in the future.
Exit Albania?
Departure of Prince William of Wied--After the Revolution of July,
1914.
[From Il Corriere della Sera of Milan, Italy, of Sept. 3, 1914.]
DURAZZO, Sept. 3.
An hour ago the Italian yacht Misurata, flying the Albanian ensign on
the foremast and the Italian colors aft, weighed anchor and proceeded
to Venice. Aboard the Misurata were Prince William of Wied, Princess
Sophie, Tourkhan Pasha, (the Albanian Premier,) Akis Pasha, and other
members of the Court.
Princess Sophie, coming aboard the launch which took them to the
Misurata, was weeping. Prince William looked calm. The Italian marines
and the Rumanian volunteers cheered, and the cruiser Libia saluted the
Prince with the regular number of salvos. The square near the seashore
was by that time full of refugees.
Prince William bade Durazzo good-bye, but every one is convinced that
he will never come back.
Last Monday (Aug. 31) the Ministers of the powers met in the Italian
Legation to consider the taking of certain measures, in case of
trouble, which was already brewing on account of the non-payment of
the apportionments to the men of the garrison.
On the morning of the next day the Minister of Rumania brought to the
palace a letter from the insurgents addressed to the representatives
of the powers and announcing that the patience of the insurgents was
exhausted, and that they were resolved to enter Durazzo by any means.
An identical letter was addressed to the inhabitants of the city.
It was then that the Prince decided to abandon Durazzo.
The Ministers, having received the message of the insurgents and
having been notified of the intention of the Prince to leave the
place, met again in the palace in order to find a way of settlement of
the vexing financial problem. At the same time the International
Commission of Control decided to call on the insurgent camp at Shiak,
(outside of Durazzo,) give them the news of the imminent departure of
the Prince, and invite them to the city.
The insurgents replied assuring the commission of their good
intentions toward the city and the foreigners. They added that they
had not taken any decision regarding the new form of government,
because some of their chiefs were at that time in Avlona, and they
promised to make their decision known after the departure of the
Prince from Durazzo. On the other hand, they left it to be understood
that there was already established in Albania a mutual national
confidence between all the Musselman Albanians.
On its return to Durazzo the International Commission of Control found
itself face to face with another surprise. The gendarmerie had
mutinied. The men belonging to this corps were opposing the departure
of the Prince before he had paid their wages, and threatened to make
use of their weapons.
The commission sent the French delegate to the gendarmerie barracks,
and it was with great trouble that the men were dissuaded from their
original designs. Yesterday the Prince distributed decorations freely.
Today at 7 A.M. he left the palace, and, saluted by the Diplomatic
Corps, he repaired to the waterfront.
After the Prince and Princess embarked, the adjoining square was
filled with great crowds of people. Malissor and Kotsovessi tribesmen
and all those who were yet in Durazzo as protectors of the Prince went
to the waterfront in order to embark on an Italian mail steamer bound
for San Giovanni di Medua.
These people looked desperate and gave the impression of being in the
last degree of poverty. Each one had from two to three pistols, and no
one was unarmed. There might have been nearly 2,000 men there, all
eager to leave, but this proved impossible, as their chiefs, Issa
Boletinotz and Baïram Zouri, had not provided them with the necessary
tickets.
At last, with the help of the Almighty, order was re-established, and,
after two hours of trouble impossible to describe, these 2,000
refugees embarked on the steamer Citta di Bori.
The Italian marines re-embarked on the cruiser Libia, and the
International Commission took charge of the Government.