New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-25
MILAN'S BIG LOAN.
HAS HE PLACED HIMSELF IN THE SERVICE
OF RUSSIA
Vienna. October ~.

Vienna, October -.
The latest doings Of Milan. the ex-Kng of
Servia, are furnishing much food for gossip and
political speculation. It may be that they are
significant of ntriyues Of some Importance. At
any rate they at present quite prehensible
He was driven from his throne as every
knows, because he was hostile TO Russia.
Naturally. therefore, Russia should be the last
country TO which he would hook for help Of any
kind. How comes il, then, that ne has just been
able TO borrow 100000 in clean cash on easy
terms from the Volga Kama Bank. OF Russia
This. too, at a time when Russia herself is borrow
ing money from abroad The bank would not
have loaned him the money without the Cars
permission. How comes il that the Gar is willing
for Russian money to be loaned to a man who has
all along been regarded as RusSias enemy?
No answer is forthcoming to these questions.
Why Milan wanted the money is plain enough.
He needed it, and needed it. the Texas man said
OF his revolver mighty bad. Milan is high
liver, and the ladies of his harem are by no means
economical in their habits or modest in their de-
mands upon his purse 1t is true that he has had
lots Of money in his lifetime. When he became
Prince OF Servia in 1871 fortune Of several
million ducats was placed at his disposal; and he
disposed of il. When he married Natalie, she
brought him a dowry of 100000 That, too,
went like snow in dog-days. She had, also, some
valuable estates in Russia. He mortgaged them
for million dollars. which was all he could get
on them: and spent that within year. His civil
list spent as rapidly as he could get hold Of
it, and during his reign he was always heavily
in debt Now and then his debts were paid; or
part Of them. Who did it is not known. 1t was
some one outside OF Servia When lie resigned
his throne a small part Of the civil list was as
signed to him as a pension. But this did not
satisfy him. SO few months ago the Servian
Regency paid him $500 900 in lump, in com
mutation and full cancellation Of all his claims
upon them. The sum quickly spent, and ne
again was pennless and heavily in debt.
Now the extraordinary fact is made known that
a Russian bank has loaned him the sum Of $780,
900, on only per cent interest. That rs
a large sum Of money, and very low rate Of in
terest What security does Milan give for it
A mortgage on his share-so the story gOes-of the
crown estates of Servia. These estates include
the following items The Grand Hotel and the
Hotel Kragutevatz in Belgrade; Of houses
on the Save Embankment. and a large garden.
all in the Servian capital; further. in other parts
Of Servia. the fishery rights the Servian shore
near the Iron Gates palace in Kragueievatz
another palace and a landed estate at Nish and
finally several villas and vineyards in Semendria
This would be all very WELL but for two con-
siderations. In the first place, all this property,
at it's full value, is not worth anything like $780,
600 Two-thirds of that sum would be much
nearer the figure. Is 1t not extraordinary that
Russia should lend him so much money, on such
easy terms, on such inadequate security? But the
second consideration is more important still. That
property belongs to the Servian crown, and not to
Milan personally. He therefore has no right to
dispose Of it, or to mortgage it, and any such
mortgage is clearly illegal, unless as is most i'm
probable, the Servian Government has sanctioned
it, The Skuptschina will soon meet, and then the
question is certain To be put whether the Regents
and Cabinet have given their consent to Milans
bargain, and whether the Regent, NJ Rstitch, In
particular, as the guardian Of King Alexander, who
is still minor had nothing TO say in the matter
The only reasonable explanation Of the matter,
if indeed it be reasonable, is that Milan has again
turned his coat and become tool OF Russia. Dis
credited and despised as be is, he still has not
little political influence 1t would be possible for
him to reveal many state secrets that would be OF
great value to Russia, and most detrimental to
Austria Perhaps, a last desperate resort to NIL
his impoverished purse he mas sold himself to
Russia, and this loan is really the payment, or
part of the payment he is 10 receive.