THE BALKAN STATES

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 20

THE BALKAN STATES

ATTITUDE OF HUNGARY. AUSTRO-RUSSIAN SECRET AGREEMENT. VIENNA, March 4. French advices from St. Petersburg "Premier, has assured the "Diet that the reforms demanded from Turkey harmonised with the Austro-Russian Agree-, ment of 1897 respecting the Balkans status quo. He added that if the revolutionists persisted in their efforts Turkey's measures to repress them would! Lot be impeded. LONDON, March 5. ' French advices frqin St. Petersburg ' state that Austria and Russia hava , secretly agreed to provisionally occupy., = and hold Servia and Macedonia if, as is ■ expected, the Sultan fails to ' execute the promised reforms. March 6. A Blue Book published to-day show 9' that the Austro-Russian scheme for dealing with Macedonia was communicated to Lord Landsdowne on February 17. The British Government, in order to avoid delay, accepted it immediately on principle, recommending the Sultan to accept it also, hut reserved the, right to make further proposals if, on trial, the scheme proved inadequate. March 7. The Standard's Constantinople corre* spondent elicited in an interview with! the Grand Vizier his intention to execute the reforms to the letter, time alone being needed. The best and most energetic functionaries will he selected for! the whole of Macedonia. NEW YORK, March 7. According to the New York Herald", President Roosevelt's Commission o£ Arbitration in the late anthracite coal' strike awards 10 per cent, increase of wages and other advantages, and directly recognises the Miners' Union. It condemns the boycotting of non-unionists. The duration of the verdict is three . years. .CONSTANTINOPLE, March 5. Official reports published by the Porto" ' state that the Bulgarian insurgents'- ; hands have reappeared at several points • in Macedonia, causing apprehensions that • a general movement has begun. It is ' also stated that the inhabitants shelter these bands, and inform them of the movements of the Ottoman troops, thus impeding pursuit.