KING OF BULGARIA

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 322, 8 October 1908, Page 7

KING OF BULGARIA

TROOPS MOVING. RESTRICTED AUTONOMY FOR BOSNIA A EUROPEAN CONCRESS. SERBS THREATEN TO TAKE A EiND. (bx telegraph—teess association—copirigbt.) (Rec. October 7, 11.10 p.m.) Vienna, October 7. Tho Emperor Francis Josef, in a proclamation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, dwells upon the splendid results following Austria's steadfast endeavour to introduce a regiment of law and order, enabling every man to enjoy the fruits of his labours under tho protection of a well-ordered Government. Considering it his solomn duty to tirelessly move towards tho same goal, tho Emperor declares that the timo has come t-o give the two provinces fresh proof of his trust in their political maturity; and they will henceforth be allowed a voice when decisions are- taken concerning their homo affairs. Francis Josef recalled the ties existing of yoro between his glorious ancestors on the Hungarian throne and tho two provinces. [Bosnia was governed bv chiefs till a brother-, in-law of Louis, King of Hungary, was made Kinjj in 13TG. He was defeated by the Turks in 1389, and becamo their vassal. The Bosnians made many efforts to recover their independence from Turkey, but the Turk remained master till tho Austrian Army ousted him in 18T8. Austria then took over the civil administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and initiated a military (not civil) administration of the Sanjak of Novibazar.]

ARMIES ADVANCINC. THE TURCO-BULGARIAN FRONTIER. AUSTRIA. MOBILISING. SERVIA SUMMONS RESERVISTS. London, October 6. The Vienna correspondent of the Paris journal "Le Temps" states that the Bulgarian Amiy is moving towards the frontier, and that a Turkish Army is advancing to meet it. Austria-Hungary is mobilising two army corps. It is believed in Vienna that war will result. . Servia has summoned 120,000 roservists, and there is much enthusiasm in favour of war against Austria-Hungary.

MAKINC OF A KINC. THE CEREMONY AT TIRNOVA. (Rec. October 7, 11.10 p.m.) Sophia, October 7. After tho proclamation ceremony at Tirnova, the President of tho Sobranjo (Parliament) asked Princo Ferdinand to accept the title of Bulgarian King. Prince Ferdinand consented. BULGARIAN REJOICINCS. CAPITAL EN FETE. London, October 7. • When the news of., tho proclamation at Timova of Bulgaria's independence arrived at Sofia, there were immense rejoicings in tho capital. At night tho city, .was illuminated. Thousands of people, headed by a military band, marched to the agencies of the Powers, which wero cheered. Prince Ferdinand and his Ministers are at Philippopolis (tho capital of Eastern Rumelia), whero there wero similar rejoicings. Tho Europoan representatives, at Sofia havo been instructed to induce tho Bulgarians to avoid everything calculated to further annoy Turkey. RUSSIA'S ATTITUDE. ' -i i PROTESTS TO BULGARIA, AND WARNS AUSTRIA. WILL INSIST ON CONGRESS. London, October 6. M. Isvolsky, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, assured M. Clemenceau (French Prime Minister) and M. Pichon (French Minister for Foreign Affairs) that he had not been consulted by Austria, whose contemplated action camo as a surprise, since her references to ultimate annexation had been made in most general terms. M. Isvolsky has since warned Austria of the far-reaching consequences of her action. Ho proposes to visit London. Russia has also strongly protested against 'Bulgaria's action. Unofficial St. Petersburg telegrams state that Russia insists on an International Congross to meet in St. Petersburg, when sho will demand compensation. Meanwhile, she will try and avert war between Bulgaria and Turkey, but fears that her efforts will be fruitless. •

Turkish advices state , that Austria is approaching tho Porto with a view to settling the Bosnia-Herzegovina question amicably. SOFIA AND ST. PETERSBURG RUSSIA REFUSES TO RECOGNISE BULGARIA. AGENT MAY BE RECALLED. (Rec. October 7, 9.55 p.m.) London, October 7. Bulgaria has asked Russia to immediately recognise her independence and appoint a Minister at Sofia. Russia declined to anticipate the decisions of tho European Congress. It . is expected that the Bulgarian Agent at St. Petersburg will be recalled. EXCITEMENT IN SERVIA. ANTI-AUSTRIAN DEMONSTRATION. , Belgrade, October 6. There is much excitement in Belgrade. Thero was an anti-Austrian demonstration at Belgrado throughout tho night. Those taking part in tho demonstration gathered outside the legations of Britain, Italy, Turkey, and Russia. Speeches wero made expressing admiration of those Powers. Tho streets aro thronged with demonstrators, shouting "Down with Austria!" THE SEIZED RAILWAY. GERMANY APPROVES BRITAIN'S PROPOSALS. j London, October G. The Orient Railway Company demands an indemnity of £600 per day until the lino has been restored. The German Government lias approved Britain's mediatory proposals rescectiiia thq

Orient railway, which aro to tho effect that, if tho railway is temporarily restored to tho company, Turkey will consent to its transfer to .Bulgaria if the Porto's rights aro safeguarded. WILL THERE BE WAR? GERMAN AND ENGLISH ADVICE. London, October 6. Gormany considers it impossible to rovise Bulgaria's action. Europe, in her opinion, can now only try to prevent hostilities with Turkey and tho'risk of a general conflagration. Tho German press condomns Prince Ferdinand's action. "Tho Times" publishes a confirmation of the communiquo sent by Reutcr (who wired that Turkish moderation would avert a crisis) and adds:—"Tho sympathies of responsible pooplo aro with Turkey, who has been badly treated. It is to be hoped that tho Turkish Government will not permit itself to bo provoked into taking any active measures of retaliation, which would do tho. now regime no good." TURKEY TO "DEFEND HER RICHTS BY FORCE." PROPOSED EUROPEAN CONFERENCE. AUSTRO-ITALIAN VIEWS. DIPLOMATIC DEFEAT FOR THE KING. (Rec. October 7 3 9.55 p.m.) London, October 7. The Porte, besides protesting against Bulgaria's action, has addressed a circular Note to the Powers, emphasising the necessity of Turkey .defending her rights by force. Signor Tittoni, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, speaking at Milan, expressed a hope that tho concord of tho Powers ■ would be preserved. Italy, he said, was fore-armed against all eventualities. Austrian newspapers warn Turkey that she must acquiesce in Bulgaria's action; otherwise sho will run a great risk of losing her European provinces. Several Austriau papers refer to tho proclamation of Bulgaria's independence as a defeat for that great diplomatist, King Edward. Diplomatic circles in Paris regard the situation as moro reassuring. Tho idea of a European Conference is assuming concrete shape. Britain, France, and Germany will simultaneously proposo that course. ARMIES CONCERNED. FIVE AND A HALF MILLION TROOPS. The following table shows the area, population, and army strength of the four Balkan States—Servia, Rumania, and Montenegro, which obtained their independence under the Berlin Treaty, and Bulgaria, which has just proclaimed herself free—also of Turkey and Austria-Hungary. The figures are compiled from "Hazell's Annual":—

Aroa. Population. Strength of Army. Squaro. Peace War ; miles. footing, footing. Aus.-Hnng. 241,833 45,405,267 403,900 3,507,200 'Bulgaria ,37,189 4,028,239 41,330 220,000* Servia 18,630 2,688,747 20,000 331,9UUi Turkey 1,111,741 25,000,000 700,620 1.531.600J Rumania 50,720 • 0,500,000 — 169,800 Montenegro 3,630 225,000 About 50,000 men •"The army has. been brought to' a notable degree of efficiency." fThe accuracy of those official figures "must bo accepted with caution." f'The Ottoman Army has been trained and reorganised largely *by Gorman officers, and is composed of the best fighting material, out is generally badly fed, badly housed, badly olothed, and ill-paid,' ivhile the administrative branches reported to bo mismanaged." The Austrian and Bulgarian' war armies would, according to the above, total 3,787,000; the Turkish and Servian, 1,863,000; in all 51 million men should be at the command o? those four. States. " Hazel's" also gives the area of \ BosniaHerzegovina as 19,702 square mile 1 , and tho population as about 1,737,000, "most of whom are Croato-Servians." A PEASANT STATE. WHY THE SERB HATES AUSTRIA. Servia, a land-locked State wedged in tiglitlj among its Balkan neighbours, has boundaries with Austria (tho livers Danube, Save, and Drina), Rumania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, and on its western border is the Bosnia-Herzegovina which Austria is dolerimned to annex. To most English readers Sorvia is known mainly, and unfavourably, by tho assassination of the late King Alexander, by tho triumph of the regicides, and by the weird brutalities of the present King Peter's erratic son. A littlo light on Servia's relations with her neighbours, especially with tho big northern nation, Aus-tna-Hungary, is of interest. "Jealous of Bulgaria, afraid of Austria, the Serb is really a relic of the mediovnl age." Thus _ Mr. John P. Praser, who shows that "Sorvia cannot do anything commercially without the sanction of Austria. Austria has about half the imports of Servia, and takes practically all tho exports. British trade is dwindling." How Austria commercially bullies Servia, which is an agricultural country,' is shown by the following"The growing of pigs and exporting them to Austria is the staple industry. Indeed, pig-breeding may bo called the one trade of Servia. When a Serb is well to do, the money has come from pigs. There is. however, a speck on the prosperity. Austria is not only tho big customer but it is the big neighbour. Sometimes Austria is inolined to play tho bully and makes Servia do things that little .Servia does not want to do. 'Very well,' says Austria,' 'you have swine fevor in such and such a village; swine fever is a terrible thing; wo could not think of subjecting Austrian swine to the possibility of contagion from infected swine; therefore we prohibit any Servian pigs entering this coun-' try.' Ruin stares Servia in the face. It is no use protesting that the swine fevor .is so infinitesimal it does not matter. Austria is adamant. Servia yields. It does what Austria wants it to do—gives Austrian wares a preference over those of Germany and Prance. And just at the time Servia gives in, Austria decides that the swine fever in Servia is not very bad after all, and tho prohibition is removed."

Servia is the real peasant State of the Balkans. The Serb hates town life. The lifo ofi the hills lias laid hold of him. Ho loves well and hates well. Excopt Belgrade, thore are 'no towns worth the name. "Sorvin has conscription. Every man, from his 21st to his 45th year, is liable for military service. . . In time of war well over 300,000 men conld take the .field. Each young fellow* serves two years; afterwards he is in the reserve, liable to thirty days' seryico per annum till ho 'is thirty years of age," eifrht 'days' service till he is forty, and afterwards only liable in emergency. The Serb- boars what is often called 'tho burden of conscription' willingly, and as a mattor of course. It is the natural thing;' if. exists in the surrounding countries. The Serb knows that any day he may be called upon to fight for .his existence as a nation." THE JAPANESE OF THE NEAR EAST. BULGAIfS WANT WAR. The history Of Bulgaria is a kaleidocopo. "The Romans," writes Mr. John F. Fraser, "made a province of it. The Goths and the' Huns over-ran it. Tribes invaded it and butchered one another. A Racial Mixture. "The dominant tribo was that of tho Bulgari: Finns with an Asiatic strain, and from tho Volga regions. They got mixed up with tho Slavs—indeed, the Bulgar is nioro Slav than Bulgarian, though he does not know it. The Bulgarian language was puro Slavonic. Modern Bulgarian is Slavonic, but murdered by Alien peoples. No doubt Vlach and Russian influence has been the cause. In writing Bulgarian assimilates to Russian. Still, the Bulgarian language is no nioro of a hotchpotch than is English. In tho twelfth century tho Bulgarian tribes consolidated and llung off the Byzantine rule. Then they fell under Sorvia. Next, both Bulgaria and Servia came under the Turks, and for nigh live hundred yoars remained stagnant. Freed by Russian. Russia, with an eye on the Bosphorus, cair.o as the Liberator, and after the siege of Plevna, and the defenco of tho Sliipka l'ass,' forced Turkey to free Bulgaria. Then by tho Treaty .'at Br.rln. 1878, Bulgaria .was constituted an

"autonomous anil tributary Principality" undor the suzerainty of tho Sultan. Seven years later northern European Turkey, called Roumelia, but mainly inhabited by Bulgarians, united itself to its brother and became. South Bulgaria. This growth of Bulgaria did not please Russia. It was all right lopping oft a piece of Turkey and erecting tho littlo Bulgarian nation, Russia's child, to be claimed as her own whenever it suited the Muscovite intention. But an enlarged Bulgaria, with possible ideas of standing alone, brought scowls to the brow of Tsar Alexander 111. All Russian officers, wlio had so kindly assisted the Bulgarian Army, were withdrawn. It was imagined Bulgaria lacked tho brains to defend itself. Serbs Attack the Bulgars. The Servians, egged on by Austria, made war on their neighbours. The Bulgars, under their foreign Princo Alexander, smashed tho Serbs, and would have annexed Servia had not Austria, under threats, cried halt, and even made the Bulgarians yield territory. So the two countries liavo no love for each other. It rankles in tho mind of Servia that it was dofoated; it galls Bulgaria that it lost territory. Russia was wroth with Bulgaria strutting 'as a nation, instead of being dependent on Russia, which had done so much for it. Russia kidnapped Princo Alexander of Bulgaria, held him prisoner, lot liiui go when Lurope cried, "Shame," but succeeded by intrigue m making Alexander's life miserable, broke his heart, and caused him to abdicato. The War Spirit. "The country was in turmoil. The Princo Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg was chosen by tile Sobranje, or Parliament, and under his rule Bulgaria i has gonq ahead. t Ferdinand is, however, in the writers opinion, not popular. But, "despite. his shortcomings, Princo Ferdinand is a factor for "Were his influence 1 removed, there is little doubt Bulgaria would pick a quarrel with turkey; and plunge the Balkans into war. -the war spirit is dominant, though there is littlo of the splash and splutter which would be shown by a jnore volatile people. It is a spirit which has its roots in the belief that the Bulgars are at last coming into their heritage, ana have a large place to fill oil the scroll of destiny. They have watched the Far East. It, was often saidto me,'alittle' country like Japan can overthrow so gr<sat a Power as Russia, why should not Bulgaria overthrow turkey. We are the Japanese of the Near East, lhe nation expects and wants to fighc xurkey. ilie Turks know it. Turkey Not Afraid of War. "Later in my wanderings. I had talks with Turkish officials. They admitted that Turkey did not want to fight, but not because Turkey was afraid of defeat. Here was their logic: 'We fought the Greeks and defeated them; then wo lost Crete. We shall defeat the Bulgariaus, but we shall loso Macedonia. Ivisinet. Then a shrug of the shoulders. 1 "Now Prince Ferdinand does not want war. Ho is a little afraid of a rival Bulgarian nation in Macedonia. He is moro afraid of an endeavour toward a Big Bulgaria, for lie is not as confident as aro his people that the lurlts will be defeated, and ho knows that under a Turkish victory the Bulgarians; m their wrath, would mako him their first victim. "Most' Efficient Army jn Europe." "Thero is, however, something fine and noble in the way the littlo Bulgarian nation is equipping itself to meet a great Power, lie it Russia or Turkey. Now and then I heard a groan at the burden of tho army, which consumes a third of the national revenue. It is borne, because thero is no Bulgarian who docs not realise that his country any day may be called upon to fight for its independence-for the suzerainty of Turkey is but a name. 1 visited, and was shown over, tho great barracks bevoud Sofia. I wont out to the plains and saw' the men at drill. For its size the Bulgarian army is the best equipped and most efficient in Europe. It means business. Every detail is attended to, every probability of warfare providod for. "The officers are ,not so smart as those of Sorvia, but they aro more practical. What worries the War Minister is that the ofiicers j run so much to fat. They aro a most, podgy run so much to, fat. Thoy are a most podgy lot of officers. . If someone will deviso means whereby tho Bulgarian officers need not wear such largo waistcoats he will receive -the profuse thanks of tho army. Would Bulgaria Win? Though Prince Ferdinand is 'against war, tho writer thinks that Bulgarian popular passion will be too strong for him.- Ho sums up.:rr.: "At present Bulgaria is zealously preparing, her armaments,,as' Japan, 'through'long years, prepared for the conflict with Russia. There is the difference that whilst Russia did not really expect war, Turkey does, is also preparing, and in many quarters is eager. To imagine that Bulgaria—admirably, even superbly equipped as she is—will march through Turkey is, in my opinion, a hugo mistake. I cannot resist the conviction, however, that in tho cud Bukarian arms will prevail. 1 "It will be when Bulgaria requires the full fruits of her victory that a grave crisis for the peace of the whole of Europe will occur. Neither Austria nor Germany, nor Russia, nor perhaps Italv, will acquiesce in the creation of another Power in tho Near East. Roumania and the smaller States, like Montenegro, with no great political ambitions than to be left alone, cannot bo oxpccted to be silent onlookers while holding tli.e knowledge that their ultimate fate, will bo absorption. Albania will blaze with insurrection.'

"That tho picture 1 draw is black and pessimistic I realise. But it is no blacker titan the picture which is in the mind of every diplomatist who understands, the Balkan problem at its true valuo." ANCIENT TIRNOVA, 4ND THE "CHURCH OP THE FORTY MARTYKS." ' Tirnovn, where Prince Ferdinand proclaimed Bulgaria independent, is the ancient capital of Bulgaria. It is a decrepit but proud city, and does not yield all its ancient rights_ to its antitype, the modern capital' Sofia; which has developed-something of the style of a city of the American West. "When Ferdinand was elected Prince, he was not really in the saddle," writes Mr. Fraser, "till he had come to Tirnova and been proclaimed." Literally, Tirnova means "tho thorn," and this quaintly perched city, to tho north of the first Balkan range, is not only shaped liko a thorn, but has truly been n thorn in the side of Europe. "It is away from the tourist track. It has not been touched by the stucco civilisation which marks Sofia. It is old Bulgaria, pic turesque, romantic! sleopy. . . There is a gnarled rock-heavo with the purling river Yantra making a pear-shaped sweep at its base. On the rock Tirnova rises. If the' rock on which Edinburgh Castle i 3 built were ten times the size, and it were nigh encircled by-a river, and on tho rock were built a ramshackle town, and hanging over the side of the rock wero bits of the town that could not gain full foothold, it would give a fair idea of Tirnova."

For two hundred years, in tho twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Tirnova was the capital of Bulgaria. Here were plotted tho revolutions which drove south the Byzantine power. ICiugs died of their wounds beyond tho gates. In the dim year of 1257, when kings and kings' oiTspriug were slain, thqre gathered in Tirnova the first National Assembly, and Constantino Ticho was chosen king. Ever since then, though tho fortunes of Bulgaria were broken, though the hill lands between Bulgaria and Servia were often stained with biood, though Tirnova in its corner seemed out of the way and Sofia waxed large, tho fortress town never forgot and never, failed to insist that it is tho lord of Bulgarian towns and deserving reverence. When tho unhappy Prince Alexander, not many years ago, was forced to abdication by Russia, the three men who composed the Regency came from Tirnova. The Tirnova man likes to toll the stranger how for centuries his ancostors fought tho Turks. As ho sits before his cafe trilling with tho dominoes he may look a lethargic gentleman; but when the talk touches something affecting Tirnova thero is a quick spark in the eye which tells much. Of the ancient church from whoso chancel Ferdinand proclaimed Bulgaria freo, Mr. Fraser writes;—" Wandering down tjio ragged hillside I came to tho Church of tho Forty Martyrs, low-roofed, dim, vault-like, but sturdy. John Osen, the king, built it in 1330. The Turks made it into a mosquo in 1389. Christian worship did not take place in it again until 1877. Only a bit of tho old edifico remains. Tho granito pillars nro of various periods. _ Ono came from a Roman temple; another, is undoubtedly Greek. Tho Christians had helped themselves lo the ruins left by former worshippers. I turned the pages of books of prayer in tho tonguo of ancient Slav: waferlike, brown, crumbling in the hand." A cablegram published in our Financial and Commercial column indicates ,a fall of 15s. in Consols.

England sadly needs tho appointment of a Minister of Manufactures, whoso duty it should lio to ascertain tho causes of our decline in certain branches of trade and to find the corrective and apply it if necessary from .tiio resources of thu State. —" Modern Busi> iicss.' '■