Austria Considers Sending Ultimatum.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 22, 1913:
Montenegro Refuses Demands — Will Receive More Energetic Remonstrance.
ITALY PREPARES A FLEET
Vienna Hears of Servian and Montenegrin Atrocities Perpetrated Upon Albanians.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Saturday, March 22.— A Vienna dispatch to The Daily Mail says that Montenegro's answer to the Austrian representations is considered very unsatisfactory. The assurance of King Nicholas that the fire of the heavy guns before Scutari will be turned toward the fortifications instead of the city is regarded merely as a concession made to public opinion in Austria and Italy. Italy yesterday protested against the Montenegrin action as being calculated to endanger the lives of Italian subjects.
    Austria's principal demand is disregarded. Count Berchtold, the Austrian Foreign Minister, who is always inclined to avoid extreme measures, will probably be obliged to yield to the force of public opinion and take a serious step. It is expected that an ultimatum will be delivered at Cettinje either to-day or on Sunday, backed by a threat of a naval demonstration should the proper explanation not be forthcoming before the expiration of a certain time limit.
    Conferences on the subject are being held between Count Berchtold and the Italian Ambassador. Since the beginning of the dispute Italy has made every effort to keep herself and Austria in line with the other powers and to prevent independent action on the part of Austria.
    The King of Italy feels that personal reasons put him in a difficult position, as King Nicholas of Montenegro is his father-in-law.
    According to a Naples dispatch, naval preparations on a large scale are going forward in the harbor there. The fleet which is being made ready for sea is understood to be destined for Albanian Coast work. The preparations are on so large a scale that parts of the harbor are reserved for the use of the naval and military services, the public being excluded. In the squadron which is under orders there are six large transports, fourteen torpedo boats, and the battleships Vittorio Emanuele, Napoli, and Roma, ready to sail. Troops are arriving in, large numbers from Northern Italy and embarking as rapidly as possible.

By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    VIENNA, March 21.— A long telegraphic message is published here giving accounts of the atrocities which it is asserted the Montenegrins and Servians are still perpetrating in Albania. In the village of Schaschare, near Uskub, Servian soldiers are said to have committed indescribable cruelties upon women, and similar charges against them are made in the village of Letnica. In twenty-nine villages of Karadagh 280 farmhouses were burned, and all the male inhabitants who did not flee fell under the bullets and bayonets of the soldiers. Five other villages were scenes of horrible massacres. No fewer than 238 were slaughtered there without mercy. An old woman and her Catholic servant were burned alive in one village; in another the Serbs burned alive a man, an old woman, and two children; in a third a Mohammedan woman in delicate health was shot by five Servian soldiers. The Serbs then set the whole village, comprising ninety farmhouses, on fire.

    LONDON, March 21.— Russia, with which country Austria is reported to have reached a complete agreement, will, it is understood, urge Montenegro to show a more conciliatory spirit, but the previous efforts of the Russian Government in this direction were fruitless, and it is feared that King Nicholas, who believes his crown depends upon the capture of Scutari, will remain stubborn.
    Austria has not notified the powers that her fleet has gone to the Albanian Coast because of the position of the Catholics, of whom Austria is the protector, and has sent back to Cettinje her Minister, Baron de Giesel, who will impress upon Montenegro the determination of Austria that Scutari shall remain Albanian and that Austria's other demands must be complied with.
    The report that a final and satisfactory settlement has been reached by Austria and Russia, which was sent by an unusually well-informed correspondent, says that under the agreement Djakova, which has been the chief point in dispute, will go to Servia, as Russia desired, and in return Austria will have a free hand to deal with the Montenegrins and Servians at Scutari.
    Servia, which realizes the fruitlessness of the continued siege at Scutari is understood to acquiesce in Russia's assurances to Austria. In fact, the other allies with the exception of Montenegro, which is preparing a general storming attack on Scutari, are anxiously awaiting an excuse to end the war.
    King Nicholas is said to have declared in speaking or the situation: "Either I shall return to Cettinje the conqueror of Scutari or not at all."

    VIENNA, March 21.— Beyond promising that the future bombardment of Scutari will be directed against the fortifications and not against the town. Montenegro's reply to Austria's remonstrances is a refusal to comply with the Austrian demands.
    The note declares that for military reasons Montenegro must refuse to permit civilians to leave Scutari, and that she cannot allow the Austro-Hungarian Consul in Scutari to take part in the inquiry into the death of the priest Pali or the alleged forced conversions of Catholics, declaring that such an investigation by a foreign official would be incompatible with the sovereign rights of the King of Montenegro.
    Finally, the note contains some evasive remarks concerning the alleged molestation of the Austrian steamer Skodra at San Giovanni di Medua. Austria demanded the punishment of the military officers and civil officials responsible for ordering Capt. Blasich to assist in landing Servian troops and war munitions and to help rescue drowning men from transports which the Turkish cruiser Hamidieh had sunk.
    The Montenegrin reply is considered here as creating a serious situation. A lively exchange of views is proceeding between the Austro-Hungarian and the Italian Foreign Offices in regard to possible joint action by the two powers. Austria, it is believed, will insist on enforcing the decision of the European powers that Scutari shall remain an integral part of the future autonomous State of Albania.
    It is not known what action is to be taken by the division of the Austrian fleet which recently left for the Montenegrin and Albanian coasts, although they are officially declared to be proceeding there to carry out manoeuvres.
    The most bitter feeling is expressed here both by the press and the public, which has been aroused by the reported forcible conversion of Catholic Albanians to the Orthodox faith by the Montenegrins, who are said to have offered them the alternatives of conversion or death.