Allies To Fight On Till Scutari Falls.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 6, 1913:
Defiant of the Powers' Wishes, They Propose Different Terms of Peace.
MONTENEGRO PORT BARRED
But King Nicholas's Bold Attitude Rouses the Admiration of the English People.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    LONDON, April 3.— With the Balkan allies making an unsatisfactory reply to the powers' outline of peace terms and Montenegro obdurate in the face of a demonstration by foreign warships against her port. European diplomacy has apparently entered a cul-de-sac. To-night the opinion is expressed in London that the situation is such as to give rise to grave apprehensions.
    One development to-day, however, tends to make the outlook a little less unpromising. This is the reported settlement of the Rumano-Bulgarian dispute, which may hasten the signing of an armistice and eliminate the danger of Scutari falling into the hands of the Montenegrins.
    The wire pulling, which bears the name of diplomacy, was clearly exemplified by the arrangements relative to the naval demonstration against Montenegro. While official Russia assented to the decision of the Ambassadors' conference in London, unofficial Russia counseled resistance in Paris, Belgrade, and Cettinje, and organized demonstrations in St. Petersburg in favor of their Slav brethren. French papers were given to understand that Russia had declined to join in the demonstration, and an announcement to that effect, conveying the assumption that the other members of the Triple Entente. England and France, would not take part if Russia refused, made the task of Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, and M. Pichon, the French Foreign Minister, more difficult.
    Sir Edward particularly was in a dilemma. He had to allow the decisions of the Ambassadors' Conference to be set aside and the impotency of the concert of the powers to be demonstrated, or to risk the existence of the Triple Entente, which would have meant shattering the policy pursued by Great Britain, since King Edward's days.
    Sir Edward took the dilemma by the horns. He intimated to Russia that she could not run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, and must decide on her policy regardless of the Pan-Slavist agitators. If she was unwilling to abide by the arrangements made by her plenipotentiary in London, England would keep her word and take part in the projected demonstration in the Adriatic with Austria alone, if need be.
    The wires hummed with cipher messages and eventually the Russian Foreign Office expressed its full adhesion to the London Conference's decisions, and while not actually sending a warship to the Adriatic put itself on record as a participator in the demonstration by being represented by France, which on her side, while in full agreement with Sir Edward on the necessity of action, did not make a move to take part until Russia assented.
    The difficulties of the situation for Russia are shown by the fact that the Pan-Slavists fitted out a vessel which landed arms and ammunition at Antivari as presents to Montenegro at almost the very moment that Ambassador Benckendorff was agreeing in London to the naval demonstration against Nicholas's little kingdom.

    LONDON, April 5.— With the allies taking a stiff-necked attitude and refusing to accent orders from the powers and little Montenegro boldly defiant in the face of a blockade of her port by foreign warships, European diplomacy is again having some uneasy moments.
    The question with the powers now is how they can coerce the allies if it becomes necessary to do so. The allies recognize this dilemma and realize that the concert of Europe is not as harmonious as it was a month ago. The present policy of the Balkan States is to debate the peace terms and continue, the war, at least until Montenegro has captured Scutari.
    King Nicholas is talking freely to interviewers, declaring that he will take and keep the town, which he regards as necessary to the prosperity of his kingdom.
    Eight warships, representing Austria, Germany, Italy, England, and France, are blockading his port, but with the exception of Austria-Hungary and Germany, the powers represented are acting reluctantly. These two powers demand that Scutari be incorporated in Albania, and the other four have joined with them merely to preserve harmony.
    Public opinion of Great Britain and Russia is strongly in favor of Montenegro. The British newspapers are almost unanimous in expressing admiration and sympathy for the brave mountaineers. Montenegro has made the greatest sacrifices of any of the allies and gained the least, and the English people do not want to see the profits of victory taken from her.

    BELGRADE, April 5.— No confirmation has been received here of the report that Scutari had fallen to the Montenegrin and Servian besiegers.
    The allied armies outside the city summoned the Turkish commander to surrender so as to avoid further useless bloodshed, but the Ottoman leader replied that he intended to fight to the last extremity. The bombardment was thereupon reopened, and a general assault by the Montenegrin and Servian troops was ordered.