THE BALKAN CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 249, 14 October 1908, Page 2

THE BALKAN CRISIS.

ALLAYIXG TUH WARLIKE EXCITEMENT. SERVIAN PARLIAMENT'S RUSK. Received l:i, 10..> p.m. Belgrade, October i The Skuptschina's alleged vote against war was deliberately circulated by the Servian Government on Sunday in order to allay the warlike excitement in the I streets.

AX OMINOUS IPROCEEDIXG. VOTE FOK WAR SUPPLIES. Received 13, 10.5 p.m. Cutting?, October 111. The .Montenegrin Parliament, at a secret sitting, voted all the Government's request* for war supplies. PRINCE I'EKDIXA.ND. Received 111, HU .p.m. Solia, October 13. I l'rince Ferdinand bad a great reception at Solia. safeguarding skuvian in- I TERESTS. servia pursuing A pacific POLICY. CROWN PRINCE REPROVED. Received 13, 11.30 p.m. Belgrade, October 13. The Skuptsehina unanimously gave the Government a free hand to safeguard Servia's interests, and voted sixteen million francs to make the army I'llicicut. Tile t.ovrrnment strengthened its resolve to pursue a pacilic policy, and reproved tlie Crown Prince for his utterances.

THE OCCUPATION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. Received 14, 0.38 a.m. London, October 13. The Times Paris correspondent shows that the Convention of 1879 declared Jhe occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to be unaffected by Turkey's sovereignly there. BAIION AH RENT-HAL SCATHINGLY CRITICISED. SCAPEGOAT OR PEACE-OFFERING'/ Received 14, 0.38 a.m. London, October 13. 'German newspapers scathingly criticise Baron Aeronthal. The Times' Berlin correspondent asks whether Baron Aerenthal is selected as a scapegoat or a s a -peace-offering on the altar of Turko-Gcrman friendship.

AUSTRIA AND THE CONFERENCE. Received 14, 0.38 a.m. Constantinople, October 13. It is stated in Constantinople that Austria's attitude towards the proposed conference is still undecided, but tli-.it there is reason to believe she will eventually accept the Powers' decision under certain reservations. AUSTRIA'S FLIMSY EXCUSE. SIGNING TREATIES "AGAINST HER WILL." Vienna, October 12. Huron Aerenlhnl, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was asked a question about the secret agreement between Austria and Turkey signed at the time of the Berlin Treaty m IS7S, in wliieli Austria, promised to regard the occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as merely temporary. Baron Aercntlial contended that this agreement was virtually annulled by the Constantinople Convention ot April 21, 1ST!), which made no mention of provisional occupation. He remarked that the secret agreement of 1878 had been signed against Austria's will, became Turkey .wanted to break up tile Congress at the last moment and Count Andrassy, tlie Austrian representative, thought occupation would sutiic-e for the immediate future. London, October 12. The Daily Telegraipli comments on the extraordinary character of Baron Aerenthat's statement. The Times declares the principle is dangerous, and adds: "Austria 'has signed so many treaties against her will." Berlin, October 12. The Hamburg newspaper Frcmdonblatt, in an inspired article, states that Germany, Russia, and Austria secretly agreed in 1881 that Austria should be at liberty to take Bosnia and llerzegovnia whenever it should be convenient. BRITISH POLICY. London, October 12. The Premier, Mr 11. If. Asquith, speaking at Leeds, claimed that the Whole nation approved the British policy in the near East.

BROKEN BEFOIiR THE TREATY OF BERLIN IN 1885. As long ago as September 23, 1885, the Porte found itself called on to protest to tlie Powers against a breach of tlie Treaty of Berlin, that breach consisting of the absorption of Eastern Roumelia by Bulgaria.; but the protest failed to prevent the loss of Hie province. The Powers 011 that occasion collectively declared "that they condemn this violation of the Treaty, and are sure that the Sultan will do all that 'he can, consistently with his sovereign rights, before resorting to the force which he has at Ins disposal." "From the moment (writes Mr. E. de Laveleye in "The Balkan Peninsula') when there was opposition to the use 'Off force, which even the Porte did not seem ill a hurry to employ, the union of the two Bulgarias (i.e., Bulgaria's absorption of East Roumelia) necessarily became an accomplished fact." In 11)08, as in 1885, there is ''opposition to tlio use of force'; now, as tnen, the I'ortc docs not seem to be. in a hurry to employ it. In 1885 the Bulgarian union was 'proclaimed without the least resistance being encountered, and without the shedding of one drop of blood. . . . England and Austria both accepted file union of the two Bulgarias as being rendered necessary by the position of affairs, whilst even the Porte (although protesting) was resigned.' However wrong de jure, the new situation de facto in Bulgaria was not affected by protest of either Porte or Powers.

HOW AUSTRIA ACQUIRED BOSNIA. In his ".V Century of Continental History," .Mr. J. 11. Rose, reviewing tlie effects of the Treaty of Berlin, shows clearly that he regarded Austria's position in Bosnia as permanent. He writes:—"Bosnia, including Herzegovina. was assigned to Austria for permanent occupation. Thus, Turkey lost a great province of nearly 1,250,000 inhabitanU Of l.iese about 500,000 were Christians of the Creek Church, 450.000 were Mohammedans, mainly in the, towns—who offered a stout resistance to the Austrian troops -and 20,000 Roman Catholics, By the occupation of tin' Xovibazar district, Austria wedged in her forces between Montenegro and Servia. :r,id was able to keep watch over the lurbulenl province of Macedonia."' Mr. W. Alnller, in his "Political History of decent Times," tells how the I llerliii Congress passed over Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria 011 tlie motion of Itrilnin: "The Engli-li represents-

lives had also enlered into an arrangement with Anuria in reference to Bosnia and Herzegovina, la the sitting of .1 uno L! 0, Count Andrassy (Austria) read a memoranduiu, ia which he set torih Mint Austria had been disturbed for a whole year by Ihe insurrection in these provinces, and had been compelled l»> receive and provide for over lf>o.HDD Uo-nian fugilives, who positively relnsed to submit, to the hardships of Turkish misrule: that Turkey was not iu a position to restore order in the disturbed districts. . , , Thereupon Hie Martinis of Salisbury moved that [Austria bv charged wifh the oecuipaI tinn and administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and .... the Congress . . decided to hand over those two provinces to Austro-Hun-gary."

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