THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 22

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION.

» - (Pee Press association.) London, May 17. The French Government intend to place a sum of 30,000,000fr on the Estimates for coastal defence. An Austrian officer has been arrested in Poland on a charge of being suspected of having mapped all the Russian forts of the frontier. . The Russian railway authorities have been ordered to accumulate 50,000 tons of coal. May 18. The Duke of Cambridge has ordered 25,000 volunteers into camp to undergo special training, Other camps will be formed in succession until the whole of the volunteer force has undergone a course of continuous drill. A revolutionary outbreak has taken place at Belgrade, with the object of deposing King Milan of Servia. In the House of Commons the Under- i secretary for Foreign Affairs repeated the denial that England had concluded a treaty with Italy, and stated that England was free to deal with any questions as they might occur. May 21. The Admiralty have decided to strengthen the Mediterranean squadron by the addition of two ironclads. May 22. Fourteen of the largest steamers of the Messageries Maritimes and Trans-Atlantique Companies are about to be prepared for immediate equipment as auxiliary cruisers. A commission is now sitting to decide as to the strength of their armament. Belgrade, May 19. A conspiracy involving the army has been discovered, showing that it was intended to arrest King Milan. Many of the trusted adherents of the King proposed to proclaim Prince Peter Karageorgovitch as king. Berlin, May 21. In compliance with the suggestion of the German official press, the Austrian Government are sending large reinforcements to a position on the Galician frontier. Vienna, May 22. Three German generals have had an audience with the Emperor Francis Joseph, and subsequently made an inspection of the military posts on the Galician frontier.