THE WAR SCARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9017, 2 April 1888, Page 6

THE WAR SCARE.

RUSSIA AND BULGARIA. GERMANY AND AUSTRIA READY. A PLAN OF. CAMPAIGN PREPARED. Berlin, February 18.—Prince Bismarck has obtained from Count Schouvaloff, the Russian Ambassador here, a definite declaration of 'the Czar's demands with reference to Bulgaria. , No secret is . made of the exact character of the proposals, nor of the official opinion that they : will be summarily rejected. 'He Czar asks a substantial recognition of the right of Russia ,to control Bulgaria and Roumelia. - Prince Ferdinand and the Sobranj6 are to be wiped out, and a Russian Commissioner, with a Turkish colleague, is to re-organise the Government and the army, and control the elections for a new Sobranj6. Russia further claims the right to ' occupy the principality until the Czar deems it proper to withdraw his impossible nature of these demands The impossible nature of these demands aggravates : the situation. It is reported that Prince Bismarck has advised CountSchouvaloff to urge the Russian Government to refrain from officially presenting them to Austria, on the ground that they would certainly meet with peremptory rejection without discussion. count kaenokt's views. Count Kalnoky, in conversation at the Parliamentary reception last Wednesday, compared the position of the European statesmen toward peace to that of doctors watching at the bedside of a dying man. " Our duty," he said, " is to employ every means in our power to prolong its days, and even although we are certuin that , our efforts will be futile we must endeavour to postpone the moment when it will breathe its last." •These words are a faithful reflection of the official conviction in Berlin.

The military preparations of Austria and Germany now approach a condition of readiness. Those governments can abide by events, accepting Russia's signal for war or waiting for an opportune moment for attack. - PLANS FOB THE COMING WAR. As an adjunct to the treaty of alliance a plan has been agreed upon for the cooperation of the allied forces. When the campaign opens there will be three armies in the field. One—consisting of fthei First, or East Prussian, corps; the Fourth, or West Prussian, corps; the Fifth, or Posen, corps, and the Sixth, or Silesian, corps— will be under the command of Prince William.

The second army, led by the King of Saxony, will consist of the Saxon contingent and the Austrian troops stationed in Galicia and Bohemia.

The third army, under Archduke Albrecht, of Austria, will be composed of the bulk of the Hungarian and Austrian troops, and will - form . the Southern corps. If France enters the field this plan will be modified, but the German and Italian armies mobilized are relied upon to dispose of the

WHY ITALY PUSHES HER FLEET FORWARD. The acceleration of the Italian naval preparations is due to urgent representations from Berlin. Signor Crispi, the Italian Prime Minister, Has responded to Prince Bismarck with - the assurance that the Italian fleet will soon be ready for offensive operations. ' Details supplied to the War Office confirm the reports of intense activity in the Italian arsenals. German officers who were sent to assist in the preparations report favourably on the concentration of the Itfilian naval forces at three centresMeSsina, Taranto, and Maddalena. On the island of Maddalena, which is off the northern coaat of Sardinia, a new arsenal has been established. The heaviest Krupp guns are being mounted at these points. Extensive fort works are being constructed at £ Maddalena,. which is designed to be the rendezvous of the fleet operating against the coast of France. The Russian military councils terminated on Wednesday, after daily conferences sinse February 5, . -

: , WHAT RUSSIA IS DOING, The Czar on Thursday gave a parting reception to the generals commanding the divisions on the frontiers of Galicia and Bukovina. Generals Gourko, Raditzki, Drantelu and ? Roop, with the ' chiefs of artillery and engineers, continued the councils until to-day, when the ; Czar gave them a final audience. The latent estimate by Berlin military experts, based on the most trustworthy reports, place the number

of Russian troops on the . Prussian, Austrian, and Roumanian frontiers, at over eight hundred thousand.; - Along the Polish frontier, notwithstanding sufferings of the men. who are crowded :in illbuilt shuts,#; reinforcements Continue to arrive. It is war without the excitement of actual conflict.