THE ASPECT OF AFFAIRS ON THE CONTINENT.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 575, 22 April 1876, Page 3

THE ASPECT OF AFFAIRS ON THE CONTINENT.

The Berlin correspondent of the Argus, writing on February 14th, gives an interesting sketch of the present condition of affairs on the Continent. After giving an account of the manner in which the propositions of Count Andrassy were received at Coustant.nople, he goes on to say : —“ Austria being thus defeated by Turkey and Umsia com bined, the natural inference would seem to bo that the Oriental question would be buried, and put cut of sight until it suits Uussia to bring it to light again, and this would undoubtedly be the case were there no other agencies at work in Austria than that of a Premier content to pocket a rebuff. But Count Andrassy is not omnipotent, though after all too much of an Hungarian not to object to the annexation of TurcoSclavouian provinces, an annexation by which the Magyars would cease to be the ruling element in Hungary, His influence

at Court has lately much diminished. The Court suspects that had he been allowed to act as he liked best, Count Andrassy would not have interfered with Turkey at all ; and that having been forced into action mueh against his will, he is absolutely delighted at his want of success. Now, as tic Court cannot fail to perceive that (his time it might have been their opportunity, while next time it is likely to he Russia’s, they are not particularly edified by Andrassy’s preferring the interests of his own race to those of the whole empire. The Court, or to speak more plainly, the Emperor, with his aristocratic and military surroundings, have therefore taken the liberty of pursuing a policy of their own distinct from the Premier’s. While compelling Count Andrassy to intercede in favour of the insurgents, at least nominally, they have ordered the military commanders in the border provinces to consider themselves the allies to the insurgents, as far as it can be done without actually taking the field. Accordingly the insurgents have been allowed (o draw arms and provisions from their Selavoniau co-nation-alists in Dalmatia and Croatia. They have been at liberty to send their invalids and wounded across the frontier to be looked after by Sclavonian and International committees, and they have every now and then sent their defeated bands in the same direction, to rally and be recruited on Imperial ground. Now that the decision is imminent, the diplomatic and military parties at Vienna, it may bo imagined, have been discussing (his side of the matter more than once, but apparently they are as wide apart as ever. Count Andrassy insists that, now that the Sultan has accepted the actual programme, the insurgents, should they refuse to lay down arms, must he treated with the utmost rigour by Austria. He not only

desires that they should be forbidden to 1 cross the Austrian frontier in search of | men and food, but he also considers it imperative that the refugees now sojourning in Dalmatia and Croatia, and living upon stipends received from Government, shall be denied all further hedp, and be expelled forthwith. The Vienna War Office does not actually object to these propositions, but while professing to prepare to carry them out, is evidently going on an opposite taek. Though the Croatian and Dalmatian garrisons are numerous enough even now to close the accessible points of the frontier against the insurgents, were any such measure intended, steps are being taken by the War Office to send some 63,000 men more to the Turkish borders. We have distinct intelligence to the effect that beds and camp belongings for at least that number are being stored in Southern Hungary and in the German provinces of Austria, contiguous to Dalmatia. We further know that troops are being moved south-west and north-east, and that the fortresses of what was for merly called the military frontier are being placed in a state of defence. Now, it is quite as clear that this can only mean the invasion of Turkey, as it is manifest that no such scheme enters into the intentions of Count Andrasay. If he ever had any plans that way, and it certainly looked very much like it at first, he has abandoned them now or he could not have put up with the treatment accorded him by Turkey. Yet though his influence goes far enough to direct the diplomatic action of the empire, where it clashes with the Court he is impotent to prevent plans being matured, which, if they ever come to anything, will overthrow ami annul his doings of the last six months. If any of your readers should be astonished at these domestic antagonisms being permitted to neutralise the position of the empire, the only explanation that can bo given is ihat we are speaking of Austria. For centuries past the rule of the Austrian dynasty has been established upon the mutual hostility of the various races under their scept re. Now one race has been treated with partiality, now another, according as the interests of the dynasly demanded, In the period preceding the Frusgjan war, which expelled Austria from Germany) the Hungarians were treated as rebels, having failed to assert their independence. The war in question ending in defeat, it occurred to Francis Joseph that, had he been able to count upon the good will of the Hungarians, he might have fought a battle or two more, and perhaps have won. Accordingly the Hungarians were forthwith readmitted to favour, receiving a constitution which renders them pretty nearly independent of the rest of the empire. They have been in power ever since, to the detriment of the bclavonian element, kept down in Hungary, though tlio majority in the country, and injured even in the German half of the state. The position the Hun traiians have assumed keeps Andrassy at

tho head of the War Office, but Hit rather too Hungarian policy ho hns adopted, in a question involving imperial interests of the gravest nature, has lately induced the Court to circumvent aid foil his action with precious little cenmony, Events urging on decision, it will roon be seen which party is the victor; If Andrassy has his own way, the insurgents will be left in the lurch, if the generals and aristocrats identified with the dynasty get the lead, the insurgents will be put down, but by Austrian troops, and as a preliminary to annexation, while some undefined and confused episode may intervene if Andrassy, to keep himself in, effects a compromise ,with the military, when each party will try to thwart the other as before. The resolute attitude of the Austrian military party has exercised a peculiarly important influence upon the in surgents and their principal protector, the Sovereign of the tiny little mountain Stati of Montenegro. The Prince of Montenegro is a pensioner and protege of the Russian Czar, without whose pecuniary and political patronage he could never hftya maintained his independence against

the Turk; yet this client of the Czar has taken it upon himself to aid and abet the rebellion, contrary to the express wish of this protector. It is easy to account for his disobedience. Were the Czar to cut up rough, the Prince of Montenegro might be tempted to place himself at the disposal of the Austrian military party, and offer to go halves with them in Turkey. The intrepidity v/i'h which the Prince has sent his men to enter the ranks of the insurgents, is sure to derive a fresh impetus from the warlike phenomenon on the Austrian side of the frontier, and it is on the cards that, daring and shrewd, he will continue to complicate matters, as he has been doing all along.