The Progress of the World. 613 



Servian, and many of the exclusively with avidity upon the question of a 



Servian habits and customs remain to Servian outlet to the Adriatic and the 



this day in practice amongst the tribes, possession of the port of Durazzo, over- 



They have no idea of government or of looking altogether the fact that the 



authority, and resemble very closely the question of ownership of Durazzo in no 



early condition of the clans of the High- way concerned Austria, but only Turkey 



lands of Scotland before settled condi- and Servia, since the latter has con- 



tions and established authority trans- quered her outlet to the sea, Durazzo, 



formed them into an element of value from Turkey and not from Austria. It 



to the country in which they live. The is certain, also, that Turkey in the 



Albanian question has been raised in Treaty of Peace will cede to Servia the 



Vienna in order to provide an argument strip of coast which she desires in North 



against the Servian outlet to the Albania. To a logical mind it might 



Adriatic, since it is argued that Albania, seem curious to find Austria desiring to 



if it is to receive autonomy, must not interfere between Servia and Turkey in 



be cut up. The Balkan Powers reply a matter which does not apparently 



that autonomy for Albania is the worst concern her at all. It cannot be that 



of all solutions, but that if the removal she desires an additional commercial 



from the north of an autonomous port in the Adriatic, since she has many 



Albania of a small piece of land only a along the Dalmatian coast. Any talk 



little larger than two small Welsh at Vienna of Durazzo becoming a 



counties, and peopled by 150,000 souls, fortified port is, of course, nonsense, 



is going to spoil Albania as an indepen- just as much as the pretence that if 



dent State, then there can be small use Servia owns this port it is merely a 



in disturbing the peace of Europe in preliminary to its use by a Russian 



order to create a second Monaco or fleet. Had Russia desired any such 



San Marino. From the point of view ports in the Adriatic, she has long 



of internc.tional law, of course, the possessed them in the Montenegrin har- 



Albanian question is one for settlement hours. We could not, of course, expect 



between the Balkan League and Turkey^ Austria to admit that, should trouble 



since there has never been any attempt arise necessitating the presence of Rus- 



to prove that Turkey is not the owner sian warships in the Adriatic, these are 



of Albania. It is probable that at Con- much more likely to anchor in friendly 



stantinople there will be much less Italian harbours than in hypothetical 



desire to preserve Albania as an autono- Servian ones. The question of the 



mous State than is shown by the kind- Adriatic must necessarily be of great 



hearted statesmen of Vienna. interest to both Italy and Austria, but 



Searching round wildly especially to the former. It is there- 



The Question of for somc prctcxt or fore very significant to have the opinion 



an Adriatic Port, auothcr by which to of Admiral Bettolo, who occupies as un- 



delay the inevitable equalled a position in Italy as that of 



growth of Servia and the consequent Admiral Fisher in this country, and who 



internal danger to the Dual Monarchy, has held the post of Chief of the Naval 



the Austrian authorities have seized Staff and Minister of the Marine : 



