. The only thing they are interested in is to collect
taxes and to send gendarmes from house to house telling people that
if they do not send their children to Serbian schools they will be
punished. Of vino and beer they drink abundance. 'Bozhe, Bozhe, bez
vino ne se mozhe!' . . . Corruption in all branches of the
administration Is the essence of Serbian rule."

This picture, corroborating as it does the Carnegie Report of the
"government within a government," is the more valuable, as it is
evident that early in 1914 the writer had heard the plans for a
"death-blow to the Austrian Emperor" discussed. Possibly his death
and not that of his heir was first intended. The Serbs seem to have
been so sure of Entente support that even the adverse reports of a
consul had no terrors for them.

It was the last letter I had from the writer. He is dead, the bright
and honest boy who used to discuss endlessly to me the happy land
that Macedonia would be if once "freed from the Turk." From
Montenegro news was no better. I learnt of the boycott of the
Albanian population of Podgoritza--the people who, in fact, carried
on most of the trade of Montenegro, and heard: "As to the Moslems
there is a regular exodus of them from the 'liberated' country. Four
thousand have gone, four thousand five hundred are in process of
going, and two to three thousand more are to go as soon as
possible." The unfortunate tribes of Hoti and Gruda been handed over
to Montenegro and devastated.

It was reported that Prince Mirko was out of his mind, and Princess
Natalie had definitely left him and claimed the children
--Montenegro's only heirs.

Meanwhile the Powers could not longer delay the election of a Prince
for Albania.

The combined efforts of France and Russia had whittled down Albania
to nearly half her size, and had made a very cruel frontier, whereby
all the populations of a wide mountain tract were cut off from their
market town, Djakovo. The Dibra refugees were still camped in
Albania, and the Prince hoped for as a Messiah still did not come.
Prince Arthur of Connaught was the desire of the Albanians. "Give us
even your King's youngest son," they said, "and we shall be safe. No
one will dare attack us."

Essad now insisted on being a member of the provisional government.
All feared him. None wanted him. He started a government of his own
at Durazzo. In February the British and German Commissioners went
there. Sir Harry Lamb worked hard on