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 th
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