The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-10-07
THE WAR CLOUD IN EUROPE.
ALEXANDER J., REIGNING PRINCE OF BULGARIA,
AND RECENTLY PLACED AT THE HEAD
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF RoU-


AND RECENTLY PLACED AT THE HEAD
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF RoU-
NELIA BY 4 REVOLUTION.
The populace of Philippopolis, the capital
of Eastern Roumelia. rose in rebellion, al
most to a man, on SCI tenber is, 1885, seed
the Governor-General, deposed the Govern
ment, and proclaimed union with Bulgaria.
A provisional Government was established.
The revolt was SO well planned that no dis
orders or bloodshed occurred, everybody
being in sympathy with the movement
cept the Government officials. Immediately
after the organization of the provisional
Government the militia was sworn in, taking
the oath of allegiance to Prince Alexander
of Bulgaria. Bulgaria, like Roumelia, is
state tributary to Turkey, but enjoys a
higher degree of local independence
Eastern Roumelia was created by the
treaty Of Berlin, signed July IS, 1878. Under
the arrangements thereby brought into force
it remained under the direct political and
military authority of the Sultan of Turkey,
subject to certain conditions. The majority
of the population being Christian, about
574, coo out of total of $1,000, it was pro-
Christian. On the other hand the Treaty
gave the Sultan the right to provide for the
defence of the land and sea frontiers of the
province, by erecting Notifications on them
and maintaining troops there. To him was
given the naming of officers to command the
native gendarmerie and local militia employ
ed in the maintenance of internal order; and
the right was reserved TO the Governor-Gen-
eral of summoning the Ottoman troops in
the event of the internal or external security
of the province being threatened. In such
cases, however, the Powers parties to the
Treaty were to be informed of the decision
TO employ Ottoman troops, and the exigen-
cies justifying it.
Out of the mongrel arrangementdescribed
the Roumelians have lifted themselves by
blOodless revolution, but serious trouble
threatens to grow out of this. Bulgarians
and Roumelians are preparing to defend
their newly wrought union by force of arms
against Turkey should this become necessary,
and Russia supports them in this decision.
Alexander, the Prince of Bulgaria, has en-
ned the capital of his volunteer subjects at
the head of an army of Bulgarian cavalry,
and new Governor General of Roumelia
has been appointed. Turkey is preparing to
fight for her rights or at least to make a
show of strength in the defense of her inter-
ests, which will certainly be prejudiced
whether by wa or the decision of the cOun-
Gil of European powers which probably will
be called to adjust the difficulty that the &C
ton of the Roumelians has created. The in
evitable breaking up of the Ottoman power
in Europe has doubtless been advanced by
the revolution the nature and relations OF
which have been explained in outline i'll the
foregoing paragraph
Prince Alexander of Bulgaria, who has
thus suddenly been called into worldwide
prominence, was known before his elevation
as Prince Alexander Joseph of Battenberg.
He was born April s. 1857, the son of Prince
Alexander Louis George Frederick Emile of
Hesse and the eldest brother of Prince
| Henry of Battenberg, recenily.ssma FRIED to
| the Princess Beatrice OF England. For sew
eral years beginning in 1870 he was an
| officer in the German army. In 1877 he en-
| tered the army OF Russia He accompanied
| the Russian headquarters in the last war be-
| tween Turkey and Russia, from the opening
| of the campaign to the fall of Plevna. AT
| ter this event he was absent from the army
| several weeks. but recrossed the Danube in
| January, 1878. and rejoined the Grand Duke
Nicholas at Adrianople soon afterwards. He
was fayorite officer, good natured and ready
| to oblige on al occasions.
On April 90 1879, he was elected Prince of
| Bulgaria by unanimous vote of the Consti
| tuent Assembly of Bulgaria, which, by the
| Treaty of Berlin, had been created tribu-
| tary state of Turkey. He assumed the Gov
| eminent June IS, 1879. But for a disposition
| WHICH appears 10 De eAtIdNdSdnI III lhe eyes
of his thrifty subjects, he enjoys great popu-
| larity.
He looks every inch prince, is over six
feet high, straight as an arrow, and possesses
| fine, commanding figure Whether on foot
or in the saddle his soldierly bearing is re-
markable. His face is dark, so are his hair
and eyes; his features are regular. He cul-
tivates a moustacbe or a full beard as his
preference dictates. The prince is very fond
| of horseback exercise His reading is CHIEF
| ly confined to works on military subjects.
| He enjoys the use of civil list worth about
| $4,000 year, with the maintenance of a
palace at Sofia. Late events will probably
| serve to better his financial fortunes