Widnes Examiner. — 1903-10-10 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

OUR THREATENED CONSUL.  The state of affairs in the Balkans, instead of decreasing in horror and importance, seem; each day to grow more shameful and alarming and it is an anxious subject of discussion not only amongst all humanitarians, but alsc amongst all politicians. Bulgaria each week seems nearer to war on behalf  of its massacres and ill-treated relatives across the border ; and  „  now it is said  , that October i I 2 th will actually see a ~-.-,., il declaration -of •Lfii, _ / war on behalf ....„.., af that State. Monastir an "'ii,, pears to be the ', •7f ' , centre of the , , ...; %,` troubled dis- r ~:'.. ~.":1;•:* / trict, and life there can hardly be pleasant for l- -. /-,-,/,;,::,;:,,z, the more civil .:,--•;;;> ..,l'ed European  The Rus'sian MR. MACGREGOR, OUR CONSUI consul was AT MON AsTrR. murdered some  time back, and  it was announced th-it .the American representative had met with a similar fate, but fortunately the story turned out to be unfounded. Now comes the news that Mr. Macgregor, the British Consul at Monastir, has had his life threatened. Such an event could only precipitate our action as a nation in the matter, and it can hardly be worth the while of either party to bring down vengeance upon themselves by • such a deed. Mr. Reginald Wyon, a newspaper correspondent, has been ordered out of the country for letting us to much into the secrets of the situation; Mt lie, at- what may ultimately prove the risk of his life, has refused to go, and has been backed up by the British Embassy at the Porte. He points out that it is not the rebels who dislike correspondents, but the corrupt Turkish officials, and between the two the .Powers arc between the devil and the deep blue sea The only satisfactory point in the outlook is the fact that the Powers all appear to be in complete harmony on the subject, and ready to act in unison, or to support passively any joint action of Austria and Russia. This has been the political significance of the visits of King Edward, the Kaiser and the Tsar to Vienna. The state of the Balkans is a terrible blot on European civilisation, ,but the political exigencies of the situation demand careful action for fear of worse complications. The frightful condition of affairs in the north-eastern portion of Macedonia may be gauged from the huge numl-Ners of fugitives who are crowding over the frontier into Bulgaria. Two thousand of these wretched individuals, pursued by a squadron of Turkish 'cavalry, have crossed the frontier 'at Allen Kaviak. In cases of this kind the Turkish troopers fire on the mob just as the frontier is reached, and drive it into the wildest flight. Another fugitive group, composed of similar numbers, crossed the frontier of Samabof. These fugitives were protected by a rear guard formed by four revolutionary bands under the command of Lient.-Col. Zogarof. It may be safely stated that the hilly parts of the entire Razlog district are crowded with fugitives, nearly all the Bulgarian inhabited villages being burned down. Belitza, an important village near the frontier, has shared the fate of Mehomia and Betschewo. Seven hundred of its inhabitants were massacred by the Turks.  i------4  /4  ••,111.?,,t ' 1.-:.-1/ .111:1, #1...,.. k• 'q i  • / ,