THE SERVIAN SCANDAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1955, 27 September 1888, Page 3

THE SERVIAN SCANDAL

It la announced from Belgrade that King Milan Is preparing an answer to tho various statements mado on behalf of Qaoen Nathalie by Princess Morusol, which will bo oommnnioaled to several Enropoan aovorolgaa. The Xin s » denies that he has any iutention of contracting another marring", and offirraa that he has attained his main object no .7 that he has succeeded m withdrawing the Grown Pflnce from the Influence of ilia Qiaon.

A Belgrade oorro3pondent la responsible for tbe following voralon of tbe circumstances oonneciod with tho "Servian scandal" : — Tho King la roady to Ootioede anything »a long bs the Quoon remains out of the country, and thus ledemia the fault aho oomaaitted la trying to play an Independent politloal part;. Relations betvreen them are bo strained at presort that Ih In ooimnoi is Impossible. Tho present state of things haa existed for the lnat 10 years. It is a long time since all intimacy ceased between them. It was the efforts made by tbo Quoon to thwart the policy of tho Progroasißt Ministry that' widened the breach between her and her husband. Everybody was surprised to eoe that the Quoon showed a preference precisely for those political porHonagoa m whom King Milan had no confidence. Disputes arose which inspired the King with aversion for domestic life, and to a certain extent influenced his whole oonduct. Thet was tho state of things when the ill fated war of 1885 broke out, Dishoartonod by the defeat of his nrmy, the Kiog at one moment thought of abdicating. Do teleeraphed to tho Queen, who immediately replied that aho would see to the instalment of a regency. Queen Nathalie's cm-Y-reanmcnt on this occasion gave offence to the King. From that day forth he felt sure the Qaoen waabent on depriving him of the crown for her own benefit and that of her son o Tho following Incident amply demonstrate!! on what terms the Servian royal oonplo wero living. There was a dinner parly at the palace m honor of one of the Foreign Ministers. In the coarse of conversation the King observed that be had been ednoatod In Paris. "One would not perooive it," remarked tbe Queen. Unpleasant Incidents of this kind oconrred repeatedly. The Queen always liked to havo the last vtord, and failed to (zrosp what her position really was. The Klog at last deolded not to let his wife make heraelf a politloal position at his exponso, and a rapture was brought about.