The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1886. THE BULGARIAN SITUATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1340, 13 September 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1886. THE BULGARIAN SITUATION.

Central Europe is malrhg history fast, and the remarkable senes of events which has transpired within a few months in Bulgaria seems likely to lead up to still more important changes, involving, not improbably, another great European war. The part played by Prince Alexander is a very extraordinary one. Succeeding, in spite of Russian opposition and intrigue, in eons -lidating the two Bulgarias, and having successfully repelled the invasion of his Servian neighbors and compelled King Milan to sue for peace, adored by his army and trusted by his people, he is suddenly seized by revolutionary Ministers and carried away as a prisoner. A provisional government, set up by the revolutionaries, is speedilv superseded by another set up in Prince Alexander’s interest by the leaders of the loyal party, when just at the moment of his return to his dominions, where he was received with enthusiasm, the Prince suddenly abdicates at the dictation of the Czar, and advises his people to obey a regency established under the auspices of foreign authority. This conduct would be

wholly inexplicable except on the theory that the Prince has sacrificed himself in the hope of saving his country, and it seems probable that this may be the true reason for conduct which would otherwise be totally incomprehensible. That some deep laid scheme on the part of Russia is now being worked out all the indications of the times go to prove, and that the consent and passive assistance of Germany and Austria have been secured seems equally evident, an understanding having doubtless been arrived at at the recentmeetingof the Kaizor, the German Chancellor, and the Emperor of

Austria. One of the subjects of that understanding, or secret agreement, would appear to relate to the approaching partition of Turkey, Russia being allowed the fulfilment of her longcherished desire, the possession of Constantinople, in return for certain advantages to be secured to Germany and Austria. Of course, England is the only other Great Power that has to be reckoned with before the sick man’s possessions can be thus disposed of, and it is ominous that just at this lime there should be cause for anxiety in India in the issue of seditious circulars calling upon the Natives to rise against the British, in the hope of expelling them from their country,; ominous because if trouble arise in this quarter England’s attention will be effectually diverted, and with trouble in India and in Ireland her hands would be too full to enable her successfully to interfere with the projects of Russia in Europe. It is rumored that the seditious conduct attributed to Dhuleep Singh in the Punjaub has been directly incited by Russian emissaries, and it is doubtless part of the plot afoot to keep England from interference in Turkey by engaging her attention elsewhere. Altogether the outlook is fraught with reasons for grave anxiety, and unless we mistake the signs of the times we are on the threshold of great events.*