The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-08
A LULL BEFORE A STORM.
EUROPEAN WAR STILL LOOKED
UPON AS CERTAIN.

and Russian governments have exchanged
assurances of peace, aspirations to which
nobody alta ches the slightest Importance
! The only actual change in the situation
tending toward peace is the active resump-
ton of neg gotiations between Count Kalnoky,
the Austrian Foreign Minister, and Prince
Lobanoff, the Russian Ambassador at
| Vienna, for a settlement Of the balance Of
power in the Balkan peninsula. This miti-
gates the crisis and removes the danger of
war, at least for the present. But it does
not modify any of the essential
| differences between the two governments.
| The negotiations are expected by both
| sides to end in an exact definition Of their
| respective demands such as heretofore has
not existed and from which may be OBJ
tanned valid excuse for war, According
to a Unofficial dispatch received from
| Vienna tonight Prince Lobanoff has opened
! the diplomatic campaign by proposing as the
| first step toward an entente the removal Of
Prince Ferdinand from the throne of Bull
garia, under Joint mandate of the powers,
the election of new Prince by new So
| branje and the re-appointment of Russian
+ officers to the Bulgarian army. The pro-
posal specifies that the new prince must be
a member of the orthodox Greek church and
the SObran je so elected as to enable Russia
to recognize it as being legally constituted
BISMARCK HOLDS ALoOF.
In the meantime the Foreign Office here
| holds aloof from the negotiations, which are
recognized as feelers by Russia toward other
demands. The Cars Ministers already
| know that Count Kalnoky will not admit
that the Berlin treaty gives Russia any spe-
cial right to interfere in Bulgaria. They
know asO that it is impossible to obtain
| E1.Ny, tln int 11na lot
on these points, Russia will next raise new
question OH Austrian retention of Bosnia
| and Herzegovina. These provinces were
| occupied under a purely temporary title,
| but are now practically annexed. Austria
will be called upon to evacuate them, and
it is probable that the question of their fu-
| ture administration will be referred to a
conference ofthe powers An ostensible cdsus
beLj, it is anticipated, will arise over Austria S
refusal to divide the Balkans. The lines of
st. Petersburg's diplomacy tend to an ex-
change of views, thus assisting the plans of
Russian strategists who are unwilling to
risk war until summer.
BISMARCK HANDICAPPED.
No time would be given to Russia to COM
| plete her preparations if Prince Bismarck
had free hand. But the divisions within
the imperial family are increasing, the
weakness of the Emperor and the
renewed activity of the anti-Bis-
marck faction Influences combine to en-
feeble and retard the development
of German policy Only the determination
of Austria can now precipitate war. If
| Count KalnOky's government IS too timid
| TO cut short the negotiations and demand
| reason for the concentration of Russian
troops on the frontier. Russia can select
her time for the rupture. Meanwhile, despite
| semi. official assurances to the contrary, war
! preparations progress on either side. The
| Warsaw arsenal is working day and night,
| At Kovno more extensive earthworks and
detached forts are being constructed and
| the defenses of Ivangorvel are being armed
with heavy guns. Cracow papers report
that the Russians are erecting a bridge at
the junction OF the San with the Vistula,
and are forming there also a cavalry camp.
AMBULANCE BEDS.
| They also report that 1000 ambulance
beds were distributed last week along the
! stations on the NiStula line; that military
| intelligence bureau has been established at
| Piotrkod, and that the valuabes, pictures
and art treasures in the imperial residences
in Poland are being removed to the interior
of Russia. Another strong column of
| troops has been concentrated in the Lubin
| district Another division of cavalry has
| left kischeneff and division of grenadiers
| has gone from Riga. Both divisions are
bound for Poland The total force of the
! Russians in Warsaw, Wilma and Kieff dis
| tricts, according to military estimates,
| reaches 81, 900 men with 720 guns. The
cavalry regiments stationed Immediately on
the frontier are being supplied with rations
| on the same scale as during an actual cam
| paign. The cost to the Russian Treasury is
| also equal to a war cost. Everything points
to the conclusion that the Gar means to
enforce bis terms if not by diplomacy by
| war.
ENGLANDs ATTITUDE
The attitude of England in the event of
! hostilities will be one of friendly neutrality.
, his fact is known to the Berlin Foreign
Office No overtures have ever been made
! by the German government for England's
cooperation in the triple alliance.
The Cologne Gd2eHe's article urging the
advantage to England of joining the al
| lance was without official Inspiration.
What official inspiration reaches Berlin on
the position of England is derived from
London and st. Petersburg. The Car has
obtained assurance that England has not
joined the alliance.
AKIN TO A THREAT.
The Moscow Gazette to-day emphasizes
the wisdom of England abstaining from any
coalition with Central European powers.
1t says that she should rather coacilIate
Russia, in order to remain in peaceful pos
session of Indig.
The Pan Slavist organ seeks to show hat
Lord Salisbuly'5 friendly neutrality is as
socated with sympathy for Prince Bis
marcks policy, and says that the evolution
of events may soon convert this sympathy
into active cooperation with the alliance.
The Car continues to insist upon absolute
reticence regarding the persons concerned
in the recent forgeries. An official denial
is published tonight Of the statement chat
the King and Queen of Greece, obtained
the documents from M. Paul peRoulede,
and showed them to the Car at Copen-
hagen Their majesties never saw NJ De
Rouede at Copenhagen or elsewhere,
WHENCE THEY CAME.
1t is certain that the documents were
given TO the Gar when he was visiting at
Fredensborg through a member of the
Danish royal family This makes him un-
willing to consent TO complete revelation.
NJ. DeRoulede tried to obtain an audience
with the Gar in st. Petersburg in August.
He failed in the attempt, but followed the
Gar to Denmark and went 10 Fredens-
borg on Sept. u, where the
Car again refused TO grant him an
interview. The forgeries reached the Czar
at about the same date and effected their
purpose in preventing meeting of the EN-
perors at Stettin on Sept. Is.
Rumors that Emperor William was seri-
ously i'll and had been attacked with faint
ing fits were current yesterday. The
rumors have received an emphatic denial