The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5252, 17 November 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1885.

The Roumelia-Bulgaria difficulty has culminated in the declaration of war by Servia against Bulgaria, followed up by King Milan marching an army of 100,000 men on the Bulgarian capital. Hostilities hare fairly commenced, and when this war between two comparatively pimy and insignificant countries will end, and to what results it may lead, are questions that cannot easily be answered The interests of so many of the Great-Powers are involved in the matter qf the balance of power in the Balkan Steves that it will be an exc?ediri£ly difficult matter to prevent one or more of them from being duwa id,

however much it may be against th<ur i desire, to take a part in the struggle. Russia, Austria, England, Germany all hare their interests and their aims, to say nothing of Turkey, Ever 6i«ca the Berlin Congress, Eussia has never relinquished her underground war ogainst Austrian influence in the Balkan Peninsula. Officially Russia at that time consented to the Austrian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but secretly she organised through Montenegro an armed resistance to the entry of the Austrian troops. Ever since that time Servia has been the field of a continuous political struggle between Russia and Austria. Led on by the wily and insidious advice of Russia, King Milan rushed on unprepared in 1876 into war with Turkey. We know with what results. Servia was to be recompensed with a rectification of frontier* but for,the Bulgarians, who had only looked on mo» passively, a great Bulgaria was created absorbing thousands of miles of Servian territory, and at least ope million of Servian population. There and^then the apple of discord was thrown between Servia and Bulgaria. Servia, seeing her- ! self deceived and betrayed by Russia, in 1880 completely threw off all dependence on that Empire,<and concluded a commercial and political treaty with Austria, declaring Serua a separate king* dom with Prince Milan as its hereditary king. This step so exasperated Russia that she has ever since worked for the downfall of King Milan, as there is nothing that "Eussia is more opposed to than the extension of the commercial and political influence of Austria in the Balkan territory. In fact Servia is a kind of Teutonic Afghanistan. Neither Germany nor Austria has any reason for seeking to absorb that country, but both are interested in preventing its addition to the Russian Empire. Austria regards it as within the sphere of her legitimate interests, as England regards Afghanistan, and Bussia has declared that she regards it in that light, much as she has often protested that she regards Afghanistan as outside her sphere, Nevertheless she is as assidious in seeking to undermine Austrian influence over Servia as she is in trying to destroy English influence in Afghanistan. Russia is the deadly enemy of the Austro Hungarian Empire in Eastern Europe. The policy of England is as we all know to encourage the promotion of a strong State in the Balkan territory to act as a barrier against the designs of Russia en Constantinople. Russia, on the other hand, would prefer to see a number of weak States there, in order that she may secure their dependency on her support and further their ultimate incorporation with the Rusffcn Empire. There is no doubt that a strong State established on the Balkan peninsula presided over by a high spirited ruler, and claiming independence of Russia, is the only effectual barrier against the extinction by Russia of the Turkish sway in Europe. The wisdom of the step King Milan has taken is not very clear. It will be seen by a tele» gram elsewhere that Bulgaria has ap pealed to Turkey for aid against the Ser vian invasion. This Turkey cannot refuse. So the next step will be in all probability that she will declare war against Servia, and that not only will the Servian troops be driven back, but the subjugation of Servia will be threatened. This would at once bring Russia to the front, giving her just the pretext she wishes for, and as soon as the Russian army is in the field, the inevitable result will be a general European war. Austria will assuredly take up arms against Russia if the latter in aid of Servia, and if Russia makes any attack on Turkey in Asia Minor, England is bound to oppose her. It is to be hoped that this conflict, which would involve so many Great Powers, may yet be averted, and that some of the instigating parties to the present disturbance may bring about a peaceful solution.