Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-04-04
GRAND RAPIDS WIS, THURSDAY, APRIL H. 1878
Foreign News.
TILE QUEENS MESSAGE.

Foreign News.
THE QUEENS MESSAGE.
London dispatches of the 1st state
that the Queens message was read in
the house of commons by the speaker.
1t is as follows The present state of
public affairs in the East and the neces-
sity of taking steps for the mainte-
nance of peace and for the protec-
ton of the interests of the
Empire having constituted, in the opin-
ion of Her Majesty, a case of great
emergency, within the meaning of the
acts of Parliament. In that behalf,
Her Majesty deems it tproper to provide
means for the public service. There
fore, in pursuance of these acts, Her
Majesty has thought it right to COM
municate to the house Of commons that
she is about to direct that the reserve
force and militia reserve or such part
thereof as Her Majesty may think
necessary be forthwith called out for
permanent service.
LORD SALISBURY MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS.
Sir Stafford Northcote, chancellor of
the exchequer, announced in the house
of commons this afternoon, that Lord
Salisbury had been appointed foreign
secretary.
THE LAST HOPE OF PEACE.
A st. Petersburg dispatch of April 1st,
says that despite the general ex cite
ment, few men in high position advo-
cate final attempt at conciliation by
simultaneous withdrawal of the Brit
ish feet and the Russian army from
the neighborhood of Constantinople
pending arbitration by neutral Sover-
eign.
AUsTRIA's ATTITUDE.
A London dispatch of April LIST says
Notwithstanding England's warlike at
titude, there are hopes in Vienna that
war may yet be avoided, and Austria
has decided to agree to Gen. Ignatieff's s
proposals for the purpose of securing
the certainty of her neutrality in case
of an Anglo-Russian war. Austria is
making great efforts to revive the pro-
ject of European congress to settle all
questions raised by the treaty of San
Stefano, but if, in spite of her efforts,
war should result, she is determined to
make the most of her opportunity and
obtain such terms from Russia in return
for her neutrality as to avert all danger
to her own interests.
THE TERMS.
A Vienna correspondent telegraphs
under date of April 1st that Gen
lgnatieff is returning to Russia, instead
of going on to Constantinople according
to his original intention, and that he
takes with him Austria's conditions as
follows:
FErs-That by military and COM
mercial convention with Seryia, Monte
negro, Herzegovina, and Bosnia, her
predominating influence shall be Sc
cured in the Western Balkans.
SecOnd-That the new principally of
Bulgaria be cut off from the 1Egean
Sea.
Third-That these matters be settled
between Austria and Turkey directly,
without Russia's assistance.
ROUMANIAs POSITION.
1t is understood that Roumania will
cooperate with Austria for the purpose
of obtaining the latter's assistance in
the matter of the retrocession Of Bessa-
rabia. Nothing is certain as to the
prospects of war or peace, and any day
might produce such a radical change in
the situation as to overturn all previ-
ously arranged negotiations and agree
ments. The intensity of the warlike
spirit has slightly diminished here, but
reports from India show an alarming
state of agitation there, which
may hasten England's desire for war.
THIS MEANS WAR.
A London press dispatch of March
30th, says orders have been sent to the
Mediterranean fleet in the Sea of Mar
mora to patrol the Dardanelles and
Bosphorus with or without Turkish
consent, and to use such pressure, in
unison with the British minister at
Constantinople, as to force the porte to
resist the demands and encroachments
of the Russian Grand Duke. Should
Turkey acquiesce. it is hoped to be able
to keep the Russians away from both
the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus I'M
til England troops can arrive from
Malta and England. All arrangements
for embarking 10000 men at Chatham,
Portsmouth, and Plymouth have been
completed, and within fifteen days
they can be disembarked at Gallipoli.
There are also $4,000 men at Malta
ready for active service, not including
the men who can be spared from the
fleet have very high authority for
saying that England will act
exactly as if war were certain
within the coming month, without re-
gard to Russias action. Then if Rus
sia, by any possibility, should back
down, war will be averted, but if, as is
most probable, Russia's replies to Eng
lands menaces by equally vigorous
measures, it may be expected that two
weeks will hardly elapse ere the first
hostile guns are fired. As for Turkey,
her rights or wishes will be absolutely
unheeded by the English. She will be
gladly accepted as an ally, but she will
have no liberty of action, and, whether
she sides with England or Rus
sia, her fate will be equally certain
1t is probable that Germany will in
duce Austria to take large slice of
Turkey in return for remaining neutral
as regards England and Russia, and, in
that event, there is less reason to fear a
general European war than if Austria
should become involved That war is
certain is a foregone conclusion here
among all classes. 1t is useless to re-
capitulate all the warlike preparations
IN progress, but it may give some idea
of their magnitude to know that there
are eighteen powerful ironclads prepar-
ing for sea in the English dockyards,
most of which will be ready for service