THE BALKAN CRISIS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3020, 17 October 1908, Page 5

THE BALKAN CRISIS.

PROPOSED EUROPEAN CONFERENCE.

A STIPULATION BY AUSTRIA

Received October 16, 8.10 a.m LONDON, October 15

Austria declines to agree to a European Conference unless her, annexation of Fosnia and Herzegovina is accepted as an accomplished fact, and legalised without discussion. THE SEIZED RAILWAY. WHAT BULGARIA MUST DO. LONDON, October 15. _ Germany and Austria have intimated that Bulgaria must obtain the Porte's consent before negotiating with the Oriental Railway Company adding that recognition of Bulgaria's independence must be dependent on a satisfactory settlement of the company's elhim. DEFENCE OF BALKAN INTERESTS. A FEDERATION SUGGESTED. ST. PETERSBURG, October 15. The well-known journal "Novoe Vremya," advocates a Balkan federation, under a regenerated Turkish hegemony, as the best defence of Balkan interests against Austrian attacks. MILITARY PARTY IN BULGARIA.

GETTING THE UPPE3 HAND

Received October 16, 8.10 a.m. BELGRADE, Octiber 15. The military party is getting the upper hand in Bulgaria. M. Mulinoff, the Premier, states that if Europe exacts ransom as the price of the independence of Bulgaria, Bulgaria will prefer to fight. ENGLAND'S "PILLAGING."'. FR3NCH JOURNAL'S ATTACK. PARIS, October 15 The journal "Le Temps" reproaches England for pillaging Tjrkey in Cyprus and Egypt. "CAUSE FOR GRATIFICATION. Received October 16, 11.1 p.iru LONDON, October 16. "The Times," commenting on Russia's abnegation and sejf restraint, says it is profoundly gratifying to find ourselves side by side with the new Russia in championing the right of the new Turkey. M. Pichon, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated in an interview, Ur.it the Balkan question must be solved by the unanimous, equitable, and cardial agreement of Eurcpe. The Anglo-Russian-French understanding was closer than ever. MILITARY ACTIVITY IN BULGARIA. WHAT TURKEY MAYBE COMPELLED TO DO. Received October 16, 11.9 p.m. LONDON, October 16.

The Porte, in a circular to the Ambassadors abroad, regarding military activity in Bulgaria, reiterates Turkey's pacific intentions, and adds that should Bulgaoia persist in her present attitude, Turkey will reluctantly be compelled to take precautionary measures, and would decline the responsibility in the event of a conflict occurring. RUSSIA AND ENGLAND. THS EXCHANGE OF VIEWS. Received October 10, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, October 16. The following announcement, agreed between Sir E. Grey (British Foreign Secretary) and M. Isvolsky (Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs), has been issued by the Foreign Office: —The exchange of views between M. Isvolsky and Sir Edward Grey led to a complete agreement regarding the Near East. It was agreed that the conference was necessary, but it should be limited, in scope to deal exclusively with questions arising out of the violations of the Treaty of Berlin. The first object of the conference would be compensation to Turkey. On this point there seems to be a general agreement among the Powers, and provision must be made for effectively strengthening the present regime in Turkey, which affords the best safeguard for the maintenance of peace. Likewise it is hoped that means will be f-Mind tu meet the reasonable wishes of the smaller Balkan States, but not at Turkey's expense. There is good reason to believe that the Cretan question will be satisfactorily dealt with, although provisionally excluded from the scope of the conference as being in the first instance a question for discussion between Turkey and the protesting Power. It is hoped that the moderation, reasonableness, and disinterestedness of these views will commend them to signatories. It was not intended to submit the question of the Straits to the con ference. It is a question wherein Russia and Turkey are primarily concerned. There is no desire on Russia's part to settle it in any sense hostile to Turkey, or seek for compensation, inasmuch as Russia enters i the conference as one of the disinterested Powers. Finally, it is declared that the subjects arising under the Anglo-Russian Convention have been reviewed, and the discussion proved the identity of the views of the two Ministers, which promised a continuance of the cordial and har- [ monious co-operation of two Governments on the settlement of the Central Asian question.