, 1877-01-14
TIE EASTERN QUESTION

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TEE EASTERN QUESTION, .>.
]. The SCENE OF FAcrloS.-War is a oo,.a u,
ucator. We would know very lttlc ritbs. :.
the history or the geography Of the vo,l1 -
i've IN II 1t were not for an occasional ram,r.
Ill it. LII this respect OUR experience Is Ike n,
OF the traveller in coach full OF strangers. ~
didn't know one Of 'em,'' nc said; bnt n
rectly the coach overturned, I found lem N
out" Apropos of all this, 1t was precious l;t,.
we knew or were likely to know OF the coudfts,
OF Turkey in Europe till the news OF strfe /
that quarter aroused our curiosity a. ia IL.
conbatants. Perhaps some OF US are still enr.
rious; il so,-but wait a moment. i
Hyou will look on the map you will see :,
the south OF Europe a space Of green
yellow, or red,-some highly imprvbnh.
coior,-markeo TURKEY This is Turkey Il
Europe; there is more Of It IN Asia, but yita
that ne have little to do. II you have la,v.
map at hand you need not read the few fo,lor:
! Ing paragraphs, for 4 glance will shoy mn
the location and boundaries OF the Turkish.
European provinces. But il your map is snail
and indistnct,-as most maps are,-or Il m
have none, read carefully this outline Of tbe
geography OF that country: :*-.:
First OF ali, we note the fact that the gre,t
Danube, alter marking the boundary line b.,
tween Turkey and Austria for $50 miles orsa:
enters the former country at the Iron Gats
near OrssoVa, and pursues winding eou,;e
from thence north and east till IL reaches tie:
Black Sea, cutting of to the north large mof.
ince Of very irregular outline, which coustttuts
about one-fifth OF the entire territory OF TurRa1
in Europe. This province is Roumarl,;
it is subdivided into Nallachfa on IL
south, aud 3fo1davia on the north. 2outk
of the Danube, between it and Ii.
Balkan Mountains, Is the Province It
east to the River Timok on the west. West d
these provinces is Servia, which is separated
from Herzegovina and Bosnia on the west b.
the Rivers Ibax and Drina, and from Macedosh
On the south By the Balkan chain. Roumelh
occupies the southeast portion Of Turkey h
Europe, south OF Bulgaria and east OF Msct-:
donia, from which last it is parted by the R7r
karisl. Macedonia extends from the Kara
south to the Pindus Mountains, and from h.
Balkan range south to Mount Olympus and tn
sea- South of Olympus and east OF the Pindaa
chain is Thessaly, while the Province OF Abanls
stretches to the northwa1l. The small Proyiacs
Of Montenegro lies north Of this, while stM
farther north is Herzegovina, and north o:
it Bosnia, as before referred to. The northern.
boundary Of Herzegovina Is in the latitude
Of Bosnia Serai, the Capital City Of Bosnia, but
defes. by its irregularity, more particular DE-
scription. Bosnia lies between the Rivers Drina
aud Verbas, while beyond the Verbas, in tht
very northwest corner Of Turkey, is Croatia
So much for the geographical outlines OF thest
provinces. Some account OF their Inhabitants
their government, and general topography witt
row be necessary. -.
Turkey in Europe proper excludes Roumana
and Servia, which have Governments OF thrr ::
own, and pay tribute to the Sublime Porte. The
Principality OF Roumania contains IN area d
&c, 10 square miles, and population Of 4,5dl-
600. Of this population, SIS per cent are Rou.
manian by birth and descent, the remainder BE-
ing composed Of foreigners, mostly Jews nd
Italians. The race is descended from the anclent
Dacians, Vi whose country Roumana
then formed = part, modified only By
a few colonies from Itaiia and Slayonis
The Government consists OF Prince
d Senate Of seventy-six members chosen'by hin,
AlA SAAi0bEi NJ oNHAtEEo 4UltE AAAtACA 49,"
ifty-sevcn in number), elected by the people
The reigning Prince is CHARLES /. Of Rounlanh
IT the Hohenzol1crn family, the reigning houss
If Prussia. He WIS elected Prince OF Roumana
May 10, 1866 Roumania was formed to separste
Russia and Turkey. Its independence-thath Is
IS freedom from outside interference, either ou
he part OF Russia or Turkey--was guaranteed
y the seven Great Powers,-Austria, Ffanes'
England, Italy, Prussia, Russia, and Turkey:
Prince CHARLES acknowledged allegiance to TIE
sublime Porte, and bound himself to PAT +
ribute OF e50, 900 Annually. -..~ ~
The surface Of the country In Rouman1a
mostly low and flat, in some places inclined to
,e swaInpy during the wet season. Forests: ]
bound, especially in the Valley Of the Danube;
There are only about 500 miles Of railroad, ami
3GG0 miles of telegraph In operation. but
much has been done In the last ten years; aad.
1 peace and good government can be secnEeo4
here is every hope for Roumania~ AS rcea:ss
be religious creeds of its people, about 90 PEI:
ent Of the Roumanians belong to the GfeeA
Church; the rest are Armenians, Roman Cafho-
les, Protestants, Jews, and Afos(ems. Io"af@@
most crecds the Rounaaians seem to be Sss1 !;
olerant, but their persecution and general u
rcatment Of the Jews are notorious -:
Scrvia is also dependent pr;nc;palitE' Il.
as an area OF 16,S17 miles, and a population o1 :
,35o, 600. The Servians came originally tron
he north OF Austria; they are Of the slafonH
ace, aud their language is still understood Dl
be Russian, Rounania1, aud Hungarian but-
aria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Aoutene:
TO own like descent, aud speak t'&'
,cts Of the same language one
he aforementioned countries were part Of las
cryian Empire, aud the Serrian Car rulto E :.
:om the Save to the Dardanelles. The county /:
as subjected to Turkish rule about tlc ciose
the fourteenth century, and was held tn spe
lost abject slavery until the beginning o1 sa' :"
resent century, when, by desperate ssftleg'1
lc regained the right Of self-goVernn1ent. oa' #
this more anon.
The Government OF Servia consists OF 'ne "
mex, or Prince, whose prcrogatiyes are muea
&c same as those accorded to other European ::
'vereigns; Senate of seventeen memoeh:;
ominated by the Prince; and the Skuptcapsa'
House OF Representatives. The sena1o1s, #
ho are appointed for life, must be = Jea1s =
re-, and are invariably chosen from among eae
lb1lc men of the nation. The President aao
Of the Senate are appointed ~.
e Prince. ~:
The Skuptchiua il an ancient Institution I.
here are two bodies bearing this rema1kso.e So
lule, the ordinary and the extraordinary: iae ::
rmer answers to our House OF Represeat
YES and has about the same powers. Ine =
aordinary Skuptchina is more like our 11ee.'. 81 r.
College It is four times larger thaa w ;
dfnary body, and meets only On eft'1a y. n: H:
nary occasions It elects Prince whene,t.:::: /:
ere is yucancy, and has power to declare 1ae IL