Sultan Asks Italy's Aid.

New York Times 100 years ago today, November 25, 1912:
And Servia Asks Queen Helena to Disarm Austrian Hostility.
    ROME, Nov. 24.— The Sultan of Turkey has made an appeal for the good offices of the King of Italy to bring about a more conciliatory attitude on the part of the King of Montenegro and the King of Servia. Simultaneously, the King of Servia, taking advantage of Queen Helena's relationship to his family, urges her to do all in her power to disarm Austrian hostility, so that Servia may obtain the outlet to the Adriatic which she so much desires.
    In his communication to King Victor Emmanuel, the Sultan recalls the peace recently concluded between Turkey and Italy and the desire of both countries to live in amity and improve their reciprocal relations, and earnestly requests the King to use his influence with his father-in-law, King Nicholas of Montenegro, and also with the King of Servia, with the object of inducing them to offer terms possible of acceptance by Turkey, so that her dignity might be saved.
    Admiral Bettolo, ex-Minister of Marine, said in an interview on Albania that if Durazzo were transformed into a commercial port, allowing Italy's economic expansion from the Adriatic to the Danube, Italy could desire nothing better.
    With respect to Avlona, Italy would never consent that that important port should be possessed, directly or indirectly, by a great power, much less that this commanding position should be transformed into a military base. In the hands of any other country than Italy. It would so diminish the naval efficiency of Taranto and Brindisi as to endanger Italy's strategic position in the Adriatic.