Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-05-02
Foreign News.
PREPARING FOR THE CONFLICT.

! The London Times Of April 29th, con-
/ tains a dispatch from st. Petersburg,
stating that there is some truth in the
report that Germany has withdrawn
/ from the position of mediator between
England and Russia, and Prince Bis
marck is now endeavoring to secure the
naturalization of the Baltic in the event
of war These dispatches, taken in
connection with Times dispatch from
Vienna to the effect that Austria is de-
! termined to take immediate and for
chile possession of Bosnia and Here
govinla, creates an impression in Lon
don that all efforts to prevent war has
been abandoned by both Germany and
Austria.
AUSTRIA s POSITION
London advices under date of April
9th say the newspapers this morning
take discouraging view of the course
of political negotiations. They claim
to see in Austria's changing attitude Il
desire to wait in hopeful silence to see
what they may profit in the calamities
and weakness of the combatants. Tie
Daily NeWs says: cit is time to give up
all illusion respecting Austria's interfer-
ence III the present strife. Her govern
ment has long ago made military pre-
paratiOns on the borders of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, in anticipation of war be-
tween England and Russia, and will
watch its develope9lents, get what it can,
and congratulate itself on having done
SO without fighting. 1t will be glad
if we help its design but will owe us no
thanks" ;" A Vienna correspondent says,
IN confirmation of the foregoing utter
ances, that, Notwithstanding various de-
mails, it is maintained that the Austro-
Russian negotiations at st. Petersburg
are proceeding favorably, and that the
chief objections Of Austria against the
peace of San Stefano have met with due
consideration.
AUsTRIA'S RESOLVE.
A special telegram from Berlin, under
date of April 29th, states Austria is re-
solved to take immediate and forcible
possession of Bosnia and Herzegovina
NAVAL PREPARATIONS.
1t is reported from Chatham that a
powerful ironclad squadron will be i'm
mediately prepared, to be in readiness
for operations in the Baltic.
TROOPS FROM INDIA.
Advices from Bombay under date of
April eth, state that troops are arriving
there daily for embarkation. The first
detace ement will leave for Malta April
%, and the second May 1st. They will
not stop at Alden. Fifteen ships and
twelve steamers have been engaged for
the conveyance of the expedition, which
will be conveyed by man-ofwar.
Great enthusiasm is manifested through
out India, and troops are volunteering
for service.
WAR CLOUDS.
Vienna advices under date of April
Goth state that all negotiations have
failed, and that it is question only of
days for an outbreak Of war between
England and Russia. The formidable
attack of the Turkish insurgents and
irregular troops upon the Russians in
the Rhodope Mountains in Roumelia
has called forth communication from
the Grand Duke Nicholas to the Porte,
requiring the Turkish government to
suppress it, and this insurrection un-
doubtedly has had much to do with the
failure of the negotiations for the stimuli
taneous withdrawal of the Russian and
English forces from the vicinity of Con.
stantinople. The porte has sent peremp-
tory orders for the evacuation of Batoum
in Difference to the wishes of the Rus
sian commander-in-chief, but it will be
difficult, if not impossible, to induce the
Turks to fight against other Turks at
Russian dictatiOn.
MOVING INTO LINE.
London advices under date of April
26th state that unless negotiations shall
have reached a more satisfactory stage
than can now be hoped for, have on
good authority that the English govern
ment has said its last word, ard that its
policy now is to continue to strengthen
its forces and prepare for war. Large
quantities of shrapnel shell-missile
which are used solely against troops in
open field action-are being sent to the
Mediterranean fleet, and cables for ad-
ditional telegraph lines in the Sea of
Marmora are to be laid at once 1t is
also expected that the naval reserves
will soon be called out, as Il contract for
uniforms for 10000 men was made yes
terday, and marked urgent. 1t is not
improbable that some more warlike ac-
ton may be decided upon at the cabi-
net council neXtMonday, but England's
present attitude is that of armed watch
fulness.
\ GLOOMY OUTLOOK.
A Vienna special of April 25th states
that the feeling there is that war be-
tween England and Russia is inevitable,
but that Austria will maintain an armed
neutrality. The negotiations for with
drawal of the Russian troops and the
English fleet from the vicinity of Con-
stantinople might have been successful
but it was found that, should the con-
gress prove a failure Russia would be
unable to resume her present military
position from the fact that Turkey
would have a powerful army of not
less than 100000 men defending the ap-
proaches to Constantinople. No means
could be devised for guaranteeing that
the Turks would allow the Russians to
reoccupy the present lines, and there
fore the negotiations are temporarily in
abeyance 1t has been simultaneously
necessary to accept the terms upon
which the congress should meet, and to
settle the line of demarcation in case of
| the withdrawal of the troops and fleet.
but since England insisted upon her
original demand for the submission of
| the whole treaty of San Stefano, and
since Russia has shown no signs of
yieldiDo on this roipt there Is little roo