, 1893-05-27
THE IMPROVED SITUATION IN
THE BALKANS.
Spectator 18th April.

political Importance. Like the betrothal Of
the Prince to a connection of the Hapshurgs.
the warning recently given to Ser,Ia. and
many Incidents in Roumania, it shows that
the Austrian Court has definitely made no
It's mind to defend the existing situation in
the Balkan Peninsula, and that, in fact. the
broad shield of the Triple Alliance has now
been extended between the small States and
harm frsm their only enemy. NJ Stambouloh
in his conversation with the correspondent of
the 1imes-reported in the Times of Thursday
makes no secret of his convictions on this
point. He declares that Russia canrot now
pass through Roumania on her way to Bulga.
ria without fighting the army which relieved
her from her position before Plevna. and also.
as he correspondent hints. a much more pow:
erful forcr,-that is, Of course, the Austrian
Army. King Charles of Roumania has his
Army in perfect order. and in spite of Russian
protests, has finished his Qualifications with
their strongest defences all constructed so az
to resist attack from the Russian side. A
march through the Dobrudscha is impossible.
as the Russians might be- taken in flank. and
Bulgaria, therefore, as a matter of fact, can
be attacked only through the Black Sea by 81
sudden descent on Bourgas. The Russians
have now powerful feet of transports in the
Black Sea but they wouldshardly venture on.
81 UeHp6Idlc u IQO WlIHUub D0llS CCIldln Ok
English opinion; and if they did, the means
of resisting them appear to be ready prepared,
NJ. Stambouloff asserts that Bulgaria could
fight the Russians with two hundred thousand
of her own trained men, all well equipped
while it may be taken as certain that the
Ottomau Army would, in such an event sup
port Bu gtria, the Sultan dreading so close a
RUSSIAN appIoch to Constantinople. An at
tack on Servi by Russia is hardly to be DIR, a /.
ed. IS she lies TOO far to the westward. And
in SET, the situation. as described by NJ.
Stambouloff, comes % this: Although the
federation OF the Balkans is as yet imperfect
and incomplete, an informal federation exists
under the protection of the Austrian and
Turkish Empires 50 that Russia, if she
invaded the Peninsula, would be resisted by
two great fighting States and at least three of
the balkan States-Bosnia. Roumania, and
Bulgaria-which, together, would add to the
great armies behind them three hundred thou
sand drilled men. AS there will be, or should
be, no break in this situation while the Triple
Alliance lasts, it is quite possible that all the
Balkan States except one may enjoy ten,
fifteen, or twenty years of peace, during
which their armies will be still more
thoroughly organised, and their wealth will
DO indefinitely increased. The King of Rou-
mania is a Hohenzollern aud does not waste:
in Bosnia, NJ. Kallay is now paying all ex-
penses out of revenue and the Bulgarians
have ample funds for all they AT present
desire to DO. Their peasantry are getting
rich, and the taxes are paid with exemplary
punct uality.
This account shows an immense advance
towards stability in Eastern Europe; but
there are two weak places remaining still.
One is the condition of Servia, where the
Treasury is always in difficulties, and where
the parties quarrel holly with each other and
with the regular Army, which remains, in u,
vague way, devoted to King Milan. 1t was
recently believed that an explosion in Bel
grade could not be avoided and even now
it is doubtful whether the soldiers will not
be provoked to use their arms. There is
always, however, some trouble in Servia !;
and it must not be for often that next year
the young King attains his majority, and the
unsuccessful dd interim Constitution GENES
to an end, and that Austria has always the
power of raising her tariffs, and so compelling
the peasantry. who cannot live without the.
Austrian demand for their products, to keep
the peace The political parties, moreover
do not want to. see an Austrian occupation;
! and in spite of their violent language, will
probably wait to see what q new reign will,
do for them. and what they May hope from