READY TO MAKE THE FIELD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3011, 7 October 1908, Page 5

READY TO MAKE THE FIELD.

iBULGABIAJS INDEPENDENCE PROCLAIMED. MJSTRIA AND THE OCCUPIED PROVINCES. WILL THERE HE WAR? ißeceived October..6, 8.22 a.m. SOMA, October 5. , (Bulgaria's independence has been j psoclairned ,at Tunnowo in the prepense of, Prince Ferdinand and the Ministers. One hundred and,thirty thousand tooops are. ready to take the field if •neaessary. On Tuesday the Ausiro-Hunganan .Government will announce the formal annexation of Bosnia .and Herzegovina. ENGLAND AND FRANCE* WILL PROTEST. .Received October 6,>-.Bt a.m. .LONDON, October 5. "The .Times" mentions a report to the effe<zt.that France .and England will formally protest against Austria's.and Bulgaria's lawless action, and hints that a conference of the Bowers .is, probable. The "''.Daily Mail" states that Prince Ferdinand will assume the title of '"lTssr of the Bulgarians." The "Telegraph" states .that the Hungarian delegations on Thursday will declare Bosnia and Herzegovina an Austaian imperial ..and royal dominion. WHY ANNEXATION IS BHEQESSARY. RUSSIA, GERMANY AND Iffi&LY AGREED. PERFECT SECRECY OBSERVED. ENGLAND AND FRANCE ; IGNORED.

Received October 6, 8.55 a.m. I LONDON, October 5. :| "The Tiimes' " Paris correspondent || states that the Emperor of Austria,:) in a letter to M. Faltieres, President 1 of Franee, explains 'jthat he favours ] the demand of Bosnia and Herzego- | vina for a Constitution, but that Austria-Hungary's relations towards the' occupied .provinces are too anomalous to permit of s Constitution being granted without Austria-Hun-, gary's previously annexing the provinces. "The Times'" correspondent states that either the Emperor ituhis letter, or Count Kfievenhullta* - Metch, Austrian Minister at Paris, verbally informed M. Fallieres thai Jtussia, Germany and Italy had already given assurances of their approval of annexation. Apparently the negotiations were conducted "by Baron Aerxanthal (Austrian., Minister) Prince von Bulow (German Chancellor)., M. lsvolsky (Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs), and Signor Tittoni (Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs). Perfect secrecy was observed, and the matter was arranged without the knowledge or cooperation of France and England. The journal "Le Temps" states that Austria is willing to propitiate the Turks by the restitution of the sanjak of Novibazar. "The Time's' " Paris correspondent suggests that Italy was perhaps placated by the promise of a port in Albania and a free hand in Tunis. Referring to Bulgaria's provocative attitude, the correspondent remarks that the peace of Europe may hang in the balance to-morrow. LONDON STOCKS DROP SHARPLY. BELIEF THAT PEACE WILL BE MAINTAINED.

Received October 6, 9.20 a.m. LONDON, Octobers. Though stocks in London .dropped sharply at the outset it is generally believed that peace will be maintained. The entire English press, condemns Bulgaria, and severely blames the Austrian procedure. The' "Evening Standard'"' says that their action threatens one of the fanest national movements in the world (the reform ot Turkey). Constantinople blames Germany. It is suspected that she seeks to humiliate the Young Turks. News of the action of Bulgaria and Austria was received to-day in officisl diplomatic quarters in London with marked disfavour. Reuter's Berlin correspondent says that it has been officially announced that should the Porte ask the Powers for advice respecting the use of armed force, Germany will be unable to recommend war, because the Turkish artny is unprepared, while Bui- j garia's is ready. CZAR DESIRES TO ACT WITH FRANCE AND BRITAIN. BULGARIA SUMMONING HER RESERVES. LITTLE ALARM IN LONDON. Received October 6, 0.55 p.m. LONDON, October G. The Paris paper "Le Temps" states that the Czar has come to no decision regarding Austria, but desires to act with France and Britain. Pri"ce Ferdinand has telegraphed to the Sultan of Turkey expressing regret at being compelled by popular will to declare the independence of Bulgaria and expressing a hope that the friendly relations between the two countries would be maintained. It is understood at Constantinople that Russia has promised Turkey her moral support. It is reported at' Adrianople that

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Bulgarians summoning her reserves, j "Tki Timei" declare 3 that Bull- j garia's audacious violation of the | Berlin Treaty and Austria's stih j more serious violation are parts of a j common conspiracy against the liberal > system in Turkey. ; The opinion in the city shows little • alarm at Bulgaria's and Austria's j action. Though the prices of foreign j stocks declined they rallied ister. > BRITAIN'S ATTITUDE. j I Received October 7, 12.55 a.m. j LONDON, October 6. Reutec'iloarns that the British Go-; vernrnent cannot admit the right of ! any Powers to. alter the Berlin Treaty '■ without ±he consent of the other par- I ties concerned, and therefore refuses i to sanctinnaahy infraction. Britain ; declines toirecognise what has been , done until the views of the other j Powers as;e ,-known, especially those ] of Turkey. Reuter states that the ! general impression in diplomatic! circles is .that Turkey's moderation ; and wisdanv.wHll avert a crisis. Al- ; though the news of the proclamation of independence has created consternation in official circles, the (public are not excited. , It is generally -.expected that Turkey j will only sironglv protest against the •violation of rthe treaty. The Altaian (Press strongly sympathises wiith Bulgaria, and deprecates war, since Turkey loses nothing she has not already lost. Received ■Qctober'77, 1.12 a m. SOFIA, October,6. I M. Malirwtff, ' the Bulgarian Premier, states that 'the independi ence of Bulgaria w;as proclaimed owto Turkey's ultimatum demandin? the evaeu,aibion .of jthe railway within three days. Prince Ferdircamd .read the, manifesto of independence from the Chancel of the Awient (Church of the Forty Marty**. He appeared deeply impressed,; a«d claimed that he a-if I Prince Ateawntfhr had made place in the family <of civilized people?. Though ,p>-aet*cally independent, the nation wa« impeded by certain illusions and foriisual limitations, which resulted ira a moJdness of relations between Turkey and Bulgaria. Prince Ferdinand «ais that ! he and Bulgaria desired to rejoice at i Turkey's political development, and j hoped that when each was free and i entirely independent, their friendly relations would ,be strengthened. In prjclaiming the independence, Firince Ferdinand said: "I firmly belV?ve that this act will meet with the approbation or the great Powers.*' The news was at first received in Sena with few signs of popular feeling.. Received October 7, 1.30 a.m. LONDON, October 6. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent at Budapest reports that three Hungarian army corps have been mobilised and proceed to Bosnia on Thursday.

A concrass was held at Berlin in 1878, after the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish war. The outcome of the congress was a Treaty, which modified the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano. By its provisions Roumania, Sarvia and Montenegro were made independent States, the latter also obtaining a port on the Adriatie. The norths™ portion of Bulgaria was made a self governing State, under the suzerainty of the Porte, and the southern portion, known as Eastern Roumania, remained Turkish territory, but under a Christian governor. Austria was to administer Bosnia and Herzegovina, Roumania returned a portion of Bessarabia to Russia, while in Asia, Turkey ceded Ardalian, Kars and Batoum to Russia.

"By the Treaty of Berlin, Bulgaria vas constituted an autonomous and ;ribuary principality under the suzerlinty of the Porte. In 1885 Eastern Sumelia was united to Bulgaria. Che executive power is vested in the Prince, assisted oy a Council of ' Ministers, and the legislative power in a single Chamber, the Sobranje or National Assembly, elected for five years by manhood suffrage in the proportion of one member to every 20,000 of the population. There is also a Great Sobranje, consisting of delegates selected in the proportion of 1 to 10,000 of the population, to which constitutional and other questions, such as a vacancy on the throne or the acquisition of territory, must be referred. Bosnia and Herzegovina were formerly the most north-westerly province of Turkey-in-Europe, but have been under Austrian occupation since the Treaty of Berlin, 1878. Novibazar, where the railway trouble arose earlier in the year, has been descriued as the gateway of the Aegean. It was in connection with the rival railway '< schemes that the breach between Russia and Austria became apparent. Austria's proposal that the Bosnian railway should be prolonged led to a counter-proposal on the part of Russia, who suggested a railway that would cut at right angles across the proposed Austrian line. In the words of one writer: "The Austrian and Ottoman railway systems would" be linked together by the construction of a short railway through the sanjak of Novibazar. The anomalous position l held by that little district since the Treaty of Berlin is well-known. Strategically, the sanjak is the key of the Balkans. It is a diplomatic hybrid. It is under the civil administration of the Turks. It is under the military occupation of the Austrians. It may be regarded, as has been said, either as a wedge or as an opening. As a wedge, it is driven in between Montenegro and Servia to split the Serb race and to show that the unity of that stock never can be achieved unless all its branches become subjects or vassals of the Hapsbufg Crown. As an opening, however, Novibazar is the doorway to the Aegean. The new line has behind it an attempt by Austria to obtain control of the Balkans. Byway of a counter stroke, Russia proposes a line which cuts clean across the vital line of Teutonic enterprise in the Balkans."