The News of the Week

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 14 October 1908, Page 5

The News of the Week

ALMOST A WAR Bulgari* Throws Off the Yoke of Turkey Bosnia. and Herzegovinia Annexed by Austria SOFIA. October 5. Bulgaria to-day proclaimed her independence at Tirnoro, the ancient capital of the State, in the presence of Prince Ferdinand, and the Ministry. a The army is prepared for immediate war, and 130,000 men are ready to take the field at a moment’s notice. AUSTRIA TO ANNEX BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. IXJNDON, October 5. The Faris correspondent of “The Times states that the Emperor Francis Josef of Austria, in a letter to President Fallieres, explains that he favours the demands of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a- Constitution, but that AustriaHungary’s relations with the occupied provinces are too anomalous to permit of the granting of a Constitution without the previous annexation of the provinces by Austria. The threatened annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria will be formally announced to-morrow. Apparently, negotiations were conducted between the German Chancellor of the Empire, the Russian Foreign Minister, and the Italian Foreign Minister, in perfect secrecy, without the knowledge or co-operation of France and England, the announcement of the intended seizure being made when the agreement of the three Powers named had ben secured. SERVIAN HATRED OF AUSTRIA. LONDON. October 6. Austro-Hungary is mobilising two army corps oh « war footing in readiness for an outbreak of hostilities. It is believed in Vienna that war will result from Austria’s action in annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina. Servia is also preparing for war, and has summoned 120,000 of her reservists to join the army. There is much excitement in Belgrade, where the streets are thronged with citizens who favour war against Austria, shouting, “Down with Austria 4 .” A REPORTED SURPRISE TO RUSSIA. ST. PETERSBURG, October 6. M. Isvolsky, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has assured M. Clemenceau, Premier of France, and M. Pielion Foreign Minister, that -he was not consulted by Austria prior to her announcement of her intention to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia has strongly protested against Bulgaria's action in declaring her independence. AUSTRIA EXECRATED. BELGRADE, October T. The newspapers published in Belgrade appear to-day with the big heading, “War with Austria!” above their reports of the Balkan situation. A mass meeting of ten thousand men in Belgrade urged the Government to prevent the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They offered their fortunes and their lives to promote the cause of their country in tne resistance of Austrian encroachment. One crowd of demonstrators against the Empire assembled in front of the 'Austrian Legation, which they bombarded with stones, smashing the windows in the front of the building. ADMINISTRATION OF THE ANNEXED PROVINCES. VIENNA, October 7. In a rescript addressed to Baron Buriam, who is charged by Austria with the administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Emperor Francis Josef declares his intention to grant full measures of civic rights under Constitutional ■ institutions to the annexed territory, by means of national representatives, who will be so elected as to reflect the religious and political conditions of the two provinces. AUSTRIA BREAKS A SECRET PLEDGE. LONDON, October 7. Count Khevcnliuller, Austrian Ambassador to France, granted an interview to a representative of the newspaper “Gaulois,” in which lie declared that everyone at the Berlin Congress knew that Austria’s occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was not temporary, but permanent. A flat contradiction to this statement is made by a dispatch from the Paris correspondent of “The Times,” which reveals the fact that when the Berlin ■ Treaty was negotiated Count Andrassy, the Austrian plenipotentiary, on behalf 1 of his Government, signod a secret agreement with Turkey promising the i Ottoman Empire that Turkey's sovereign rights in the two provinces would not suffer infringement, and that the Austrian occupation would be considered temporary. 1 “The Times” protests against Britain's association with any congress that inflicts further wrongs on Turkey. It advises the Sultan to acquiesce in the present moral injury under protest, and thus render a congress unnecessary

FEELING IN TURKEY. Turkish newspapers deprecate the Empire going to war, unless futl.be! njjgrcssion is intended. Cretans are preparing a erntp in favour of union with Greece, to rci>> ice the present nominal suzerainty of Turkey. GERMANY WILL SUPPORT AUSTRIA. BERLIN, Oi tuber 7. The “Koeinischc Zcitung” (“Cologne Gazette”) states that although Austria, in her annexation of the Balkan provinces, technically infringes the international arrangement. She really only gives a new Constitutional form to Gio de facto condition of things in the provinces. Germany intended to support hcrcomrades in the Triple Alliance throughout the crisis, in order to avoid complications. PRINCE FERDINAND'S NEW TITLE. SOFIA, October 7. After the proclamation ceremony at Tirnovo, the President of the Saliranjo (National Assembly) asked Prince Ferdinand if he would accept the title of King of Bulgaria, Prince Ferdinand consented. SERVIA’S DEMANDS. BELGRADE, October 8. Servia, in her protest io the Powers against Austria's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, asks for the complete restoration of the situat ion in those provinces prior to the annexation, in aeordanee with the Berlin Treaty. In the event of this not being conceded, Servia asks for corresponding compensation. JUSTIFYING THE ANNEXATION. VIENNA. October B. The Emperor Francis Josef, addressing an Austro-Hungarian delegation, which waited on him in reference totho annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovia, said the annexation was a necessity. There was, lie said, no ambiguity in the situation. He further expressed his best wishes for the consolidation of the Ottow* Empire, and the permanent pacification of the lately disturbed provinces. THE COST OF INDEPENDENCE. BERLIN, October 3. The “Frankfurter Zeitung*’ calculates that Bulgaria's independence will cost her a million sterling, including half a million for the purchase of tho section of the Orient railway within the Bulgarian boundary, an® half a million for the capitalisation of the East I’oumelian tribute, REVOLUTION IN CRETE. ing the Cretan Assembly to confirm the , /vsrrwaxr r. „ people’s decision by an official vote. LONDON, Getoboi 8. Later, five members of the Ministry anA revolution which developed with in compliance with' the striking rapidity has taken place in decision they had directed tencCrete, in favour of union with Greece to Uo ™ rtf ’ J.° a ' l . »*«e«s .« the replace the present nominal suzerainty na ™ e of J U,e Government, of Turkey * Armed people from ncsglrbourimg vil- • lages are pouring into Catiea. Canea, the capital of the island, was at noon yesterday bedecked with Greek REVOLT IN SAMOS, flags, Then the tocsin sounded, guns CONSTANTINOPLE, October b. were fired in the air, and 10.000 citizens . ... , . . assembled and listened to inflammatory Turfush warships Lave been sent to i,.,™,.- Sanios (ail island off the coast of Tur- ™ key, under the sovereignty of Turkey), Resolutions were adopted determining where revolutionary pretensions are Onto proclaim union with Greece, and urg- asserted. AUSTRIA'S POSITION EXPLAINED. VIENNA, October 9. The Emperor Francis Josef, in addressing a delegation at Buda Vest, declared that the withdrawal of Austria's-troops from the sanjak of Novi Bazar was an incontrovertible proof that Austria aimed al no territorial expansion beyond the present limits of her dominions. The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not constitute .such an extension, for the ties formed during the last thirty years, since Austria’s occupation of the provinces, rendered her possession indissoluble. Baron Aehrcnthal, Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs, affirmed that in annexing the provinces the Austrian Government was in agreement with Germany, Italy, and Russia, notwithstanding the direct denials given by Signor Tittoni, Italian Minister, and M. Isvolsky, Russian Minister for Foreign Affair*. SERVIAN RESERVES CALLED OUT. The Servian second line, the Reservists, have been ordered to join lh« colours on Sunday. Servian troops are now guarding the roads and bridges on the Bosnia frontier, in order to prevent Servian bands entering Bosnia. It is feared that war inflamed bands will seek to enter the province, and there commit acts of aggression against Austria, which will precipitate a conflict between the two nations. A WARNING. The majority of the Vienna newspapers warn Servia not to play with Dre, this being their answer to the popular demand in Belgrade for war. Austria, they say, is determined to maintain her stand, ami Servia might lose everything, even her independence, if she persisted ia her attitude of hostility to Austria's designs. BULGARIA STOPS HER TRIBUTE. Bulgaria has stopped the payment of the tribute which she has paid Turkey for the occupation of Eastern Eoumelia, and the monthly instalment ot £11,900 sterling for September will not be paid. SERVIANS PACIFIC REPLY TO AUSTRIA. BELGRADE, October IL The Servian Government has dispatched a paoiite reply to Austria’s demand for an explanation of Servin’-* action in summoning her reserves to join the colours.

The explanation tendered for the summoning of the reserves is that it was due to international necessities and the great numerical shortage in the Servian a rmy. In informing the Powers of this demand, Baron Aehrentbal (the Austrian Foreign Minister) intimated the determination of his Government to protect its frontier, and also the frontier of the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, against Servian threats. The signatory Powers of the Berlin Treaty therefore made energetic representation to the Servian Government. Count Khevenhullcr-Melseh (Austrian Ambassador to France), declared in an interview that Servian intrigues were partly responsible for the difficulties compelling Austria to settle the position of the two provinces. It was strange, he added, to hear Servia asking for compensation that would involve a general scramble. DEPRESSION ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE. LONDON, October 11. A deep depression exists on the London Stock Exchange to-day. On Thursday and Friday Consols, owing to the turn of affairs in the Near East, fell to £B3 15/, as against £B5 15/ a week earlier. They subsequently recovered to £B4 2/, but dropped again owing to speculators rushing to realise the greater portion of the advance, heavy sales thus bearing the market. The collapse would have been greater, but the big South African mines supported the market and thus assisted to restore confidence. Consols are now quoted at £SI 7/6.