The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-04-06
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.
BIsmarck's Speedy Resignation One
OF the Probabilities.
Because Of the Proposed Marriage OF
Emperor Frederick's Daughter.
Opposition to the French Cabinet
Alarms Its Friends.

BERLIN, April 5.-The Cologne Gazette
today publishes the following: Great ex-
citement prevails in diplomatic circles In
Berlin over the possibility OF the speedy res
ignation Of Prince Bismarck, because OF the
proposed marriage of Prince Alexander OF
Battenburg and Princess Victoria OF Prus-
sia. Prince Alexander wishes to accompany
Queen Victoria to Berlin as suitor for the
hand of the Princess. The bearing OF the
reports is SO serious that they cannot be
passed over. Until the Bulgarian question
is settled by all the powers. the projected
marriage can only be judged from a political
point of view, and on that account the mar
riage is impossible. German policy has its
root In the endeavor to avoid anything like
ly to arouse an inducement fol suspicion, ana
in the Bulgarian question Germany must In
accordance with the declaration made 0ybls-
marck, remain a wholly uninterested party.
AS long as tBulgaria Is question. TINS
retaining the full confidence OF opposing
governments. That confidence will be dis
turbed in an instant II the Cars most de-
tested antagonist were TO become the son-ln-
law of Frederick. As a German patriot.
Alexander cannot take a step which can
only be the reverse Of beneficial to either
teemed, makes it Impossible for him to
attempt "a suit which would assuredly cost
the German people their chancellor. Public
opinion in Berlin Is emphatcally In FAVOR Of
Prince Bismarck" 1t Is rumored here that II
Prince Bismarck resigns. Count Herbert
Bismarck will be made schancelor.
Politics In Fickie France.
PARIS. April On. DeFreycinet. minister
of war in the new cabinet, will allow the
war department to retain an exclusively mil
itary character and will refer to special
secretaryship all civil and parliamentary
questions. All the Paris journals say that
Yesterdays voting in the Senate and Cham
Der Of Deputies on the motions to adjourn,
indicates that the Cabinet Is distrusted.
La Justice says that a coalition confronts
the Cabinet, but it can afford to await the
first attack since the entire Republican par
ty is on its side.
Gen. Boulanger will make no reply TO the
questions put to him by the radical congress,
but will probably issue another circular 70
the electors OF the department OF tne Noru'
The Nord Opportunities committee Will sup
port NJ. Fowrchard as candidate for the
Chamber Of Deputies in opposition to Gen.
Boulanger.
In Morocco.
LONDON, April 5.-In the Commons today
Mr.. Ferguson, parliamentary secretary OF
tn ehome office, stated, in answer to ques-
tion, that Her Majesty's government had not
offered to mediate the differences between
the American Econsul at Tangier and the
Moorish government The English minister
had done what he could, with propriety, to
bring about an accommodation, but without
success.
BERLIN, April 5.-The following are de-
tails about the inundations, obtained from
official sources:
The alluvial lands of the Vistula and No
gat, which is one of the two arms of the for
mer after it has reached Marienburg.are now
single field Of destruction, affecting 70
villages with about $4,000 inhabitants.
The whole Of the vast tract about the
town of Elbing. from 800 to 400 square miles,
Is under water. There is no possibility eth
er of harvest this year or of spring culti-
walton, as the submerged land lies below the
river and the Baltic.
Experts say 1t will take months Of labor to
pump the water away
These alluyial soils are the best agricul-
tural land. Ithas for the most part been
| cultivated by yeoman farmers who were, til
| floods overwhelmed them, in fair circum
| stances.
The houses of laborers are rendered unin.
habitable. From localities on the Oder and
its affluent, the Warth, appalling accounts
come of II villages and five towns submerged.
In the country OF the Lower Elbe the chief
centres Of misery are DomitZ in Macklen-
burg and L0tzen in Prussia. The p0pula-
tion affected Is from $1,000 to $4,000. More
over, in East Prussia there is fall of snow
to the depth in some places Of Is feet, IS feet
and 20 feet. III the enormous masses dis
solve suddenly the damage that Is still be-
fore the inhabitants of those districts Is ey-
en- more serious that what has already hap
pened.
Moneyed relief comes In slowly and 1t is
said appleals will soon be made to pros per-
Gus Germans in the United States.