NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 6 November 1912, Page 5

NOTES

MR DONOHOE-WAR CORRESPONDENT. Mr Donohoe, the war correspondent of'the London "Daily Chronicle, is a-well-known Australian journaksL of Irish tic-cent. For srane. years he was on the staff of the "EVenine News" in Sydney, and served in the Sydney Lancers. Tn January. 1899. he went to Queensland on special work for his paper in connection with the Gatton tragedy, and was one of a group of newspaper men wno spent many nights and days in trying

to unravel that mystery. Later on Mr. Doiiohoe went to London to try His fortune; and toeing fairly solid jii Frertch found employment with the Uai IjChronicle" in Paris; and was one of that paper's representatives in the notorious Dreyfus case. He was the principal correspondent for the same journal in Soulth Africa during the Boer war, and. showed great activity and fine descriptive power in the western theatre M operations. He was with Methuen to the Modder and then with Lord Roberts and General Freiiich. to .Pretoria. During the revolutionary novement in Portugal Mr. Donohoe was conspicuously active, and secured one of the greatest journalistic "scoops" eyer achieved. He was able to get into his paper —by a splendidly organised scheme for rushirlg-the news across the border into Spain—a half-page account of the murder of the late Kino- of Poiltugal and the Grown Prince, and the flight of the Queen and Manuel, who is now here-, ditary king in name; but in fact a refugee finding sanctuary in England. "A good comrade, a good journalist, and a good fellow"—that slims up the now famous correspondent of the "Da:iy Chronicle." .RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA. ! In the Svdnev "Sun" of recent date, a j well-known. Greek resident of Sydney makes a forecast: — "The present state of affairs is more serious- than ever from a European.point of view. Russia cannot abandon her interest in Turkev, nor can Austria, with the ultimate result It hat friction must arise between -them.. Russia.. wants an expansion of the small Balkan States in order to miake Austria's thoroughfare rrrM-e difficult towards Salonika. Austria, realising Russia's plan; must strive to check it. ' _ , "Germany must assist Austria.: England will probably assume neutrality, yet will assist Russia, not for Russia's welfare ,but her own. • The confederate States will insist upon enjoying ithe fruits of their work, and there a bigger problem arises. "Undcvibtedly Europe in general has realised the terrible atrocities of the unspeakable Turk to which for so many centuries the Christian was obliged to sulbmit. and now It hey will allow a-utoiletry for Macedonia, Albania, and carry reforms of a substantial nature. As a Christian I sincerely hope the confederate arrms will be successful." BULGARIA AND HER. KING. The "Daily News" recently made the following editorial comment on the condition of Bulgaria : —Yesterday Bulgaria began the celebrations which are to mark the 25th anniversary of King Ferdinand's formal entiry the task of governing what was then nhe Thfe country has every reason to be grateful to the shrewd Co-burg prince whonr she then invilted to fill what was certainly a difficult, and possibly a dangerous post. It was said 20 years a.fter that establishment otf Bulgarian independence that crossing the frontier from Turkey was like advancing net 20 ib-ut 200 years in civilisation. There has! been no falling back since. The progress of Bulgaria has not Ibeen one-sided: IMaiterial prosperity has| been combined with intellectual enlightenment and political development with 'military prowess to an extent which no ether Sta'te in the Balkans has equalled, and in spite of difficulties greater than any other, except Servia, has had' to face. In her case the friendship of Russia was more deadly than its eivrity. But she was nrit- afraid to face either, and. thanks to the lionhearted Stamlboloff and the diplomacy of Ferdinand, she defeated the designs of her* g.reat natron upon her freedom. Bulgaria has shown herself something more than brave. It is a great thing for, a small Balkan State to have withstood Russia. To have done so without perrranently alienating her is a more remarlcahle tribute to her prudence. inrespect to Turkey her selfj-control 'is not less . conspicuous. The closest relations exist between her people and the Bulgarian:speaking peasants across the frontier in 'Macedonia, and ttbey. are. constantly augmented' !by the stream of refugees escaping from Turkish •persecution. Yet in spite of the massacre of 1903, and of the opportunity -which the Turkish revolution of 1908 seemed to offer, the Bulgarian Government lias always been able to hold in check the clcvrrand for what would certainly 'be a vei-y popular war. Meanwhile Bulgaria goes steadily on at the task of building up her credit. Undoubtedly the ccrmibination of a national character at ..once courageous and enduring with the qualities of stafrescraft exhibited by King Ferdinand has been a fortunate one, -which will, one of these days, count for a. great deal in the Balkans.