William Stewart writes:

“In my dispatch of the 2nd of this month, I mentioned the complaints made by the Ottoman authorities against Montenegro.

Yesterday, Tewfik Bey visited me and spoke at length on these matters. If his information is accurate, the frontier populations may be said to have been in open warfare with one another for the last month.

He first complained about a gathering of armed Montenegrins near Andrijevica. Prince Nikola and Mr. Vuković gave explanations and assurances but said reliable information could not immediately be obtained because the telegraph line to Andrijevica had been interrupted.

After several days, Mr. Vuković gave further explanations, although these were somewhat contradictory. At first, he claimed that the people of Rugova had merely been firing celebratory gunfire (feu de joie), and that the Montenegrins had assembled because they believed they were about to be attacked, but that no actual fighting had occurred.

Later, however, he admitted that there had indeed been a skirmish and that lives had been lost.

After this came attacks on Rugova and on villages in the Lim Valley.

Tewfik Bey stated that no fewer than seventeen Muslims had been killed by Montenegrins during the previous four weeks. Among the most brutal incidents was the murder of two merchants from Sjenica.

These men, who had no connection to the local conflict, presented themselves at the Montenegrin frontier near the Lim River and asked whether they could pass safely. They were assured that no harm would come to them. But after riding for about an hour into Montenegrin territory, they were attacked and murdered.

Tewfik Bey made strong protests regarding these outrages and received friendly assurances in return.

He was informed that the murderers of the two merchants had been arrested, and that the Captain of Andrijevica—who was considered partly responsible for the disturbances—had also been arrested and would be brought to Cetinje.

Tewfik Bey further explained that there was considerable anger among the Albanians, but that they were being restrained by strong Ottoman military forces stationed along the frontier at Gucia, Peja, and other places.

He believed that because the Albanians were being held back by Ottoman forces, the Montenegrins had become emboldened to carry out these attacks.

Regarding the dispute between the Kuči and the Kelmendi over Velipolje, Tewfik Bey stated that Prince Nikola had now agreed to allow the Montenegrin territorial claim to be judged by the courts of Shkodra.

The report concludes by noting that a new captain had already been appointed to the district of Andrijevica and had departed to assume his post.

Source

Thomson, William Stewart. Practical Guide to Indexing and Précis Writing. London: W. Clowes and Sons, 1891. Accessed via Google Books.

Baring, Walter. British Diplomatic Dispatch on Ottoman-Montenegrin Frontier Disturbances in Rugova and the Lim Valley. Foreign Office Correspondence, late 19th century. British diplomatic archives.