HUNGARY. 



425 



and packages, 750,200,000 florins. The length 

 of telegraph wires in January, 1877, was 49,- 

 944 kilometres; of telegraph lines, 14,909 kilo- 

 metres. The number of telegraph stations was 

 1)31, and the number of dispatches sent and 

 received 2,667,318. 



The new developments in the Eastern ques- 

 tion were of so vital importance for the future 

 of Hungary that they absorbed the attention 

 of the Hungarian Parliament throughout the 

 year. On February 19th the Prime Minister 

 Tisza, after making explanations similar to 

 those of Prince Auersperg in the Austrian 

 Eeichsrath (see AUSTEIA.), stated that the Gov- 

 ernment could not regard some of the stipula- 

 tions of peace now before it as consonant with 

 the interests of the Monarchy. There was now 

 no question of the amelioration of the lot of 

 the Christians in Turkey ; it was one of a total 

 transformation and change of influence and 

 power in the East. Many speakers urged the 

 importance of a full understanding and close 

 alliance with England, the most powerful and 

 trusted ally of the Monarchy ; but the Prime 

 Minister did not deem it opportune to make 

 any official statement on the intentions of the 

 Government. On April 9th Tisza pointed out 

 that the interests of Roumania and Hungary 

 were identical, inasmuch as both had a com- 

 mon enemy in Panslavism. The discussion on 

 the extraordinary credit of 60,000,000 florins 

 demanded by the Government (see AUSTEIA) 

 began on May 14th. The remarks of Tisza on 

 this occasion were explanatory of the foreign 

 policy of the Empire, which he said was de- 

 cided by national considerations. The Govern- 

 ment would never set up a policy of compen- 

 sation in some of the western provinces of 

 Turkey as their price for tolerating the forma- 

 tion of new Slav states. The bill passed the 

 Lower House on May 16th and the Upper 

 House on the 20th. 



The session of the Diet was closed on June 

 29th by the Emperor in person. In the speech 

 from the throne he remarked that the general 

 political situation had weighed heavily every- 

 where upon the public credit, and that the 

 length of time required to bring the compro- 

 mise negotiations to an issue in the Houses of 

 Parliament had rendered it impossible to ac- 

 complish all that might have been desired. 

 Nevertheless, much had been done toward the 

 regulation of the national finances, as well as 

 for administrative and judicial reform. He 

 then proceeded to review the measures passed 

 by Parliament during the session, and stated 

 that the new Austro-Hungarian compromise 

 law would promote the interests of both por- 

 tions of the Monarchy and the welfare of the 

 whole people. Ample compensation for the 

 concessions mutually made would be gained by 

 both parties in the strength accruing from the 

 fresh manifestation of the reciprocity of views 

 and interests of both portions of the Empire. 

 On the subject of foreign relations, he added : 

 u The present state of our foreign relations al- 



lows us to hope that we shall succeed in as- 

 suring not only the interests of the Monarchy, 

 but also the blessings of peace." 



Elections were held for Deputies on August 

 5th. The result was a decisive victory of the 

 Government party. Out of 394 seats, the Lib- 

 eral or Government party obtained 232, the 

 United Opposition 70, the Extreme Left 66, and 

 Independents 15, making 14 second ballots ne- 

 cessary. 



On October 1st the Minister of Finance, Szell, 

 resigned, because the financial plans for Hun- 

 gary were made impossible by the. large ex- 

 penses incurred by the occupation of Bosnia. 

 This step of Szell was immediately followed by 

 the resignation of the entire Ministry. After 

 considerable negotiations, the Prime Minister 

 agreed to conduct the public business until the 

 meeting of Parliament, taking charge of the 

 finances, while Baron Wenckheim became Min- 

 ister of the Interior in his place. The Diet was 

 opened on October 20th. Koloman Ghiczy, the 

 ministerial candidate, was elected President by 

 a large majority. Tisza then in a short speech 

 explained the origin of the ministerial crisis. 

 A motion of the Extreme Left to impeach the 

 Ministry was set down for debate on Novem- 

 ber 5th. On that day a vote was taken on the 

 motion, resulting in 95 votes for and 170 against 

 impeachment. The reconstruction of the Min- 

 istry was completed in the early part of Decem- 

 ber. Count Szapary and Baron Kemeny were 

 the only new members the former for finance 

 and the latter for commerce. On December 

 16th the Lower House by an overwhelming 

 majority passed a bill proposing the prolonga- 

 tion of the. military law, and on the 19th it 

 adopted by 179 votes to 125 the Government 

 bill to issue 40,000,000 florins of gold rentes 

 for the purpose of redeeming treasury bonds. 

 The House further passed, after Tisza had 

 made a powerful speech in favor of the pro- 

 posal, the bill relative to the levying of recruits 

 for 1879. A three days' debate in the Hunga- 

 rian delegation on Eastern affairs terminated 

 on December 14th in the adoption of a motion 

 to grant a sum of 20,000,000 florins for the oc- 

 cupation expenses of 1879. Count Andrassy 

 defended the Eastern policy of the Govern- 

 ment, and maintained that the occupation of 

 Bosnia would not disturb the Monarchy or shift 

 its center of gravity, and was cheered. 



The policy of the Government with respect 

 to the settlement of the Russo-Turkish ques- 

 tion, and particularly in the acceptance of the 

 occupation of Bosnia, excited much dissatisfac- 

 tion in the opposition party, especially among 

 that part of the people who were most devoted 

 to strengthening and perpetuating the Mag- 

 yar influence. This dissatisfaction was partly 

 shown in the result of the elections, when, not- 

 withstanding the decided majority gained by 

 the Government in the general result, several 

 of the chief members of the party were de- 

 feated at places which had been held for ten 

 years by supporters of the Government. A 



