The Portland daily press., 1878-04-30

| which might result il Russian troops attempted
to enter the city under .pretext of hearing
mass ia the Greek churches, passed quietly
! Dolly a small number of Russians came in
Saturday night, most Of whom spent the night
in cafes. Only about 80 OF them attended
church
The Evacuation Question.
The question of the evacuation of fortresses
continues to cause difficulty and irritation.
| The Russians say the retirement of their army
and thu British fleet from thu neighborhood Of
Coosta ntinope could bs cas- " arranged but
for the Turkish obstinacy on this point, which
destroys confidence
The time for evacuation was left indefinite by
the terms of the treaty of San Stefano. Last
week Gems. Joavanowsky and Zimmerman
sent officers simultaneously to Foil Pasha at
Shumla and Ahmed Kaiseri at Varna with
| formal demands for the surrender OF those
places. The answers in both cases were that no
orders to quit have been received from the
| Seraskierate, nor il such ord ers were received
| could troops be moved until the transports
came. Some threats were then used. FINALLY
the Russians begged permission to occupy the
outer lines, leaving the inner lines and towns
to the Turks. This was declined, and when
the Russians pressed the point, LET us talk
no more about this foolishness" was Ahmed
| Kaserlis answer
There are 45 full battalions between Shumla
and Varna with IA batteries of artillery. The
evacuation of Batoum is rendered difficult
through the opposition of the population.
| lucy reiuso W SuDmlG 10 russian rule ana 0ffor
to pay ransom and remain Turkish. Petit
| tons to this effect have been received at the
Porte.
Austrian Occupation of Bosnia and Her
| zegOvina Imminent.
| LONDON, April 29-Vienna newspapers re-
| port that the entry of Austrian troops into
Bosnia and Herzegovina is imminent This
announcement, however, is believed to be
founded on mere conjecture as nothing definite
| is settled.
The Turkish Forces.
The Turks have "a battaions and batteries
about Batoum between Trebizond and Erze-
roum, Is batteries between Erzeroum and
Moosb, in Thessaly, Epirus and Saonica 60
battalions, about Constantnople exclusive of
those at Scutari 120 battalions consisting of
about SO, 900 men. There is great and ac-
knowedged want of competent officers, but the
discipline is good. The troops have been
moved recently so as to more effectually cover
the land side of the forts of the upper
Bosphorus. The Grand Duke Nicholas and
Neportchilzky, the latter the Grand Duke 8
chief of staff, will leave for Odessa Tuesday.
The Situation in Roumania,
The tension in Roumania has been greatly
relieved by the circular Of M. Bratiano,
Roumanian minister president, to the projects,
cautioning them against the assumption that
the military convention with Russia has ex-
PRED and enjoiniug courtesy and forbearance
towards Russians and calmness and firmness in
the discharge of their duties until the questions
at issue are submitted to the judgment of
Europe.
The correspondent says: If this document
had been promulgated when the Bessabarian
and other questions were first preached it
might have prevented an enormous amount of
violent and exceedingly impolitic agitation,
Negotiations between the English commission.
ers and insurgents for cessation of hOstlities in
Thessaly continue. M. Trepotf, whom the
woman Vera Sassalitch some time since at.
tempted to assassinate, has been relieved of his
functions as perfect of st. Petersburg and of
the police.
and Germany.
A rumor comes from Vienna that Count Won
Moltke, the well known German strategist,
who is visiting Copenhagen, is commissioned
to negotiate league between Denmark, Rus
STA and Germany for the closing of the Baltic.
This rumor is probably based on statement
of the Northern German Gazette of SATURDAY.
that it would not conceal the opinion that
the dispatch of British fleet to tue Baltic,
where many neutral interests might bs affected ,
would render the situation immeasurably more
complicated.
The Vienna Montags review yesterday pub.
lished Berlin letter believed to be semi-otfi.
cial on the subject The letter said it could
hardly be!expected that foreign fleet would
make its appearance in the Baltic against the
wish OF Germany.
The Pail Mall Gazette's leading editorial ar.
tcle says: The solicitation to us of Germany,
Austria and Italy to propose plan of our own
amounts to neither more nor less than a YER
bally modified offer of the principle of equiva-
Tents as the basis of a settlement of the Easter
question. That offer has been again and again
declined by her Majesty's ministers during the
progress of the late war, and we have not fear
OF their accepting it at a time when they would
incur more conspicuous discredit by SO doing
than on any past occasion.
No PercepfabIe Progress with Negofia-
The correspondent of the Times at st.
Petersburg says: There has been no percepti-
BILE progress in the negotiations during the last
"a hours Direct pour paTlers betwoon Eng-
land and Russia have hardly began. Russia
still wishes to ascertain highlands views in
general terms. 1t is not yet known whether
Lord Salisbury will relax his present strictly
negative attitude.
Claiborne Hardy on Ensland,s Position
Claiborne Hardy, secretary of India, presid.
ing at the banquet at Bradford tonight, said
the government took its stand upon the public
faith and honesty, and upon the declaration of
1911 that one party to an engagement could not
withdraw from it withoat the consent of the
rest. He maintained that the treaty of San
Stefano in its present shape did not contain a
single clemens of permanent peace. The in-
terests OF the Greek and Mussulman popula.
ton must be protected as well as those of the
Slavs. The measures of the British govern.
ment were not warike but precautionary.
Mr. Hardy spoke in a very determined tone.
He said he believed England could send 20 600
men abroad at this moment. England is nc
longer small island, but vast empire having
the right to draw Trustworthy defenders from
all parts Of the empire. He knew of nothing
which gratfied him SO much as when lately he
received at the war Off 20 offers from Canada to
raise regiments and he believed that the same
heart was beating in all the colonies as al
home. Referring to the San Stefano treaty he
SAID it was dangerous;that if one power was able
to dominate and use another without actutal-
ly anexlng her English and European interests
might suffer and state of civilization and hu-
mainly be brought about very different from
the civilization and humanity of England
Durabls peace for Europe could not be secur
ed by the destruction of all which
had been solemnly ratified BY all
Europe or by the predominance of one power
1t was to secure durable peace that the govern.
ment were seeking entrance into the congress-
where views might be freely heard upon every
question affecting the treaties of 1856 and 1871
They looked to the people to enable them tc
speak with force and decision which would
give effect to their aims
Italy Meditating a Descent on Albania.
LONDON, April 30.-The Standards Berlin
correspondent says he hears on good authority
that an Austrian invasion of Bosnia and Her
zegovina being imminent Italy has decided to
make decent on the Albania coast.