Near East Danger.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 80, 8 April 1904, Page 4

Near East Danger.

THE TURKO-BULGARIAN CRISIS. LONDON, Feb. 17. whh„ e are T y gl ' uve lears tha t , a couplu Of months at the most a war will break out between luikey and Bulgaria. Indeed from a Renter telegram received to-day Horn Constantinople it seems that the tiouble may have already begun. Ihe message reports a big /ighfc between Albanian insurgents, who aie said to have revolted on account of the tux on cattle, and a Jody Of Turkish troops in tho neighbourhood of IJjakova. It is stated that the Albanians'attacked the Governor's palace and plundered and burned several houses but were subsequently repulsed. i-hesnii Pasha having arrived with reinforcements attacked the main position at Babaj-Ilosbi, but he was unsuccessful, and sustained heavy

ooo ,nsurgents are snid t0 mm " K>r

The keenest sympathy with the Albanians and Macedonians is felt in Bulgaria, and very little is needed to raise ail intense' outburst of public feelnig, which will force that country into war with Turkey. An Exchange Company's Paris telegram to-day slates that considerable disquietude is felt in official oircles there, reliable news having been received that Turkey is actively preparing to open immediate hostilities against Bulgaria. rile Constantinople correspondent of the Deutsche Zeitung states that luikej has ordered sixteen batteries oi iM-upp qtuick-liring p„ ls to bo de . liverod by the end o{ March, as well as smokeless powder. Firing practice for the troops, a thing unheard ot in Turkey, except on the eve of war, is going on. Reports irom the Bulgarian side says tho Vienna correspondent oi the Standard, state that the warlike preparations of official Bulgaria are no longer concealed. To all this it is feared there can be only one end-war. Should hostilities Wegin, and should Russia be unable to help Austria, the assistance of England promised by Lord Lansdownc would no doubt be accepted, and in that, case rweepi'ug ri'iorms in Eastern Europe might be adopted. 11l a leading article, the l'olitica. a ell-iuiormed Belgrade journal, expies.ses the fear thut war betwivn Russia and .lapnn will mean that Austria will have a free hand in the Balkans. The l'olitica issues a warning to Servia and Bulgaria against abtdting in any way a rising in the .spring, declaring that. Austria is eagerly awaiting her opportunity. The troops on the Balkan frontiers are being strongly reinforced.